Wondering which is that one new place that’s in vogue right now in Bangalore? I would vote for Smoke House Deli (Indiranagar, 100 feet road). This time around, it’s however for the right reasons. There is something about the interiors that makes it serene and adds a certain depth to the entire atmosphere. White and black doodled walls, makes it a treat to the trained eye that expects certain interiors in a dine-in. The seating’s well thought through – open areas, closed enclosures, slightly warm places, bar tables and chairs and table for 2s – everything that could possibly be included is right there.

Moving on to what I should primarily discuss, the food at the Deli is simply delicious. It’s become such an addiction now that I have even gone all by myself to grab a quick bite. Our meals consisted of a beverage, starter, main course and dessert. Out of all that we had to drink, the Pineapple Mojito and the Tangerine Mojito (virgin) deserve a mention. The pineapple had soaked in just the right amount of flavor. The Tangerine Mojito was a great summer cooler. Sunny tried some smoothie and was all oo-la –la about it. If he recommends something sweet, then yes, it does have substance. That’s on my next ‘do-try’ list.

For starters we ordered Prawn Fritters and Crispy Potato Wedges – Jerk. The prawns were slightly larger in size than normal and crispy yet tender (as I was told). The jerk spices added a very different flavor to the otherwise frozen and then deep friend normal potato wedges. That too was so tender. The dip that came along made a good difference. It had so many flavors in it that the palette found it very welcoming. The spices weren’t finely ground, so yes there were plenty of textures too – a little crunchy, a little soft, a little gooey and a little coarse! So, why would anyone complain while having it!!!

What I liked a lot was how the bread basket was served. A tiny bag with a good assortment of warm bread and bread sticks along with 2 different dollops of butter. One must be pesto flavored but I’m not too sure. I was busy admiring the presentation and clicking photos of everything that was brought on to the table.

 

For main course, there was plenty. Sunny had ordered bacon wrapped chicken once. He apparently liked it a lot. But yes, it did look bland. Not sure if it was. We ordered a variety with just one vegetarian dish and a lot lot lot of non-vegetarian. Presentation of each dish would get a 5/5. The Peri Peri Rubbed Smoked Chicken looked so tempting – red, delicious and apparently very juicy and easy to cut in. It apparently was nothing like the ordinary chicken. I guess the tenderness was something that was maintained across all meats.

 

There was this one exotic sounding dish that was ordered – Chermoula Spiced Grilled Chicken plus Grilled Vegetables. Not only did it sound yummy, it also looked and tasted great. Cooked just right, it had the right mix of tempering with the right kind of sauce and vegetables. The Prawn Halibut was like this one dish that I was hoping was vegetarian. It did give me a bloaty-bloaty feeling but apparently it wasn’t so. It was simply perfect. Then there was the Half Roast Chicken which again was considered to be so juicy and tender that cutting in to it was almost effortless. Finally my Spinach Ricotta Ravioli was brought in. The ravioli, I felt, was slightly over cooked, but I didn’t mind it at all.

Well, the first time we visited, our steward, Tuna, was very friendly and had offered us a complimentary dessert – Burnt Orange and White Chocolate Crème Brulee. I absolutely love that combination of orange and white chocolate and when it’s given the feel of a crème brulee it’s just perfect. I did try the hazelnut mousse and it was just out of this world. I think the way guys are doing business is by offering a great variety of texture and taste in each dish. This mousse was so soft and the hazelnut was so crunchy that I ordered another one immediately!! We also had the Flourless Chocolate Fudge which again was very tempting. A crispy buttered biscuit powder like coating on top and a warm fudgy chocolate cake served with cold ice cream!! It just couldn’t go wrong, could it!!

In my opinion the place is surely a must visit. A point that you would want to keep in mind is to carry your card along as I’m sure you won’t be carrying as much cash. A meal for two should cost around Rs. 3,000 and hence I would say this is a more plastic-friendly place!!

(Aside: The drawings on the walls do have things that are central to the spirit Bangalore highlighted all across. Out of them are 3 bands that are featured as native. The one that caught my attention for all the right reasons is the Raghu Dixit Project!!No points for guessing. I’m sure you know me by now!! )