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BangaloreMirror

I FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012

20

Topper? Only getting there

Manu Prasad bmfeedback@indiatimes.com

list of new restaurants/ lounges in Koramangala would be bottomless, and Over The Top Terrace Lounge is the latest addition. Two flights of stairs will take you to a wonderful open space, with wooden furniture and if you stretch your hand outside, you can even touch a tree. Yes, a real one, a rarity in these parts now. And if you cant handle such proximity to nature, theres a closed section with some superb caricatures of rock legends as part of the topography. If that doesnt please you either, you can get the best of both worlds in upstairs that has a different kind of wood Holly and Bolly in the form of posters. It was pointed out to us that they were still hunting for Stallone from 25 years back. (in the movie thats the restaurants namesake) Theres a pool table and quite a buzz in this area. The music is fantastic, mostly classic and alternate rock, and I hope they dont fiddle much with it. They are still operating on a sample menu, an attempt at an eclectic mix, but plan to switch to an extended menu this month with Indian, Mediterranean and Continental cuisines including live pasta counters and 2-3 course combos.

Starters: I wondered if it
was a hat tip to the name of the place that the menu was so top heavy appetisers being the only section that can boast of sufficient choices. It is a melange of sorts, with various cuisines, and we started with the Five Spice Chilly (chicken version). This also happened to be our favourite just the right amount of spiciness and discernible flavours. The Surkh Laal Tikka was next, and though I liked it for its fieriness, my companions seemed to be slightly put off by the spice and the mustard tinge. The Baida Roti (mutton) was quite a favourite but the mint sauce couldve been

better. The Steamed Bao, a Chinese bread, that looks a bit like a pinchzoomed momo, was an interesting dish. The base reminded us of a bun texture and taste, but the filling seemed a bit overfried. The Buffalo Wings were too tangy and dominated the other flavours, quite disappointing, as was the bland Beer battered prawns, whose only hint of beer was in the menu. On the green side, it was mostly bad. Paneer was the only vegetable in Orange barring some peppers, and the dish was just sweet! The Pita bread in the Mezze platter was soft and fresh, but the dips Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and Tatziki were insipid.

was probably the best dish of the night, with an excellent patty and mushrooms and cheese for company. The Indian section, which offered glorified versions of Makhani, Do Pyaza and such, was represented by the Raan Over The Top, which, according to the person who took the order, was worth the 45 minutes wait. Id say it was worth about 35 minutes, 5 minutes each cut for the rice that was too dry, and portions of the meat that were too chewy.

Desserts:

Alas! That portion of the sample menu was deserted, though the chef sympathised with our collective pain and was sweet enough to offer us ice cream. Serious desserters that we were, we declined.

From top: Raan Over the Top; Five Spicy Chilly (chicken version); Baida Roti

Main Course: The sample menu has less than 10 options for the main course, and thats if we include the burgers and subs. Since we had gone berserk with the starters, we decided to sample one dish each from the Indian and Burgers sections. Representing Burgers was the Burger Over The Top. There was much reason to hope its description mentioned that it had lamb AND chicken. (yes, written that way) That indicated a meating of minds. The presentation was no-frills but plenty of fries. The burger itself

In a nutshell:

The weather, coupled with an excellent playlist, ensured that we had a perfect ambiance for a meal under the stars. The menu, sample though it was, could have been nicer to vegetarians. This, and the drinks, (currently outsourced to Enigma) are areas that require work. At this point, youd go there for the ambiance and the starters, but the setting is close to perfect and if the planned menu manages to do even half a decent job, then the sky is the limit for Over the Top.

Bangalore Mirror reviews anonymously and pays for meals

FIVE OF A KIND -PAPDI CHAAT

If you are finicky about finger-lickin good street food, here are the more decent joints where you can find the best papdi chaat. Taste guaranteed
COMPILED BY: JAYANTHI MADHUKAR/PICS: P MUTHU AND KAUSHIK J N

ANAND SWEETS
Anjaneya Complex, Old Airport Road, `45 love chaats, especially papdi chaat. They do it very well here with liberal amount of boiled potatoes, dahi and chutneys. The bits of bhalas add to the taste and so do the garnishing of pomegranate seeds, sev and coriander leaves. Sometimes, I ask for takeaway and they pack the wet ingredients separately. All in all, a delicious snack. Sushila K, housewife

ADYAR ANAND BHAVAN

Gandhi Bazaar Road, Basavanagudi , `28 apdi chaat is quite delicious here. I love the crispiness of the papdis that go well with the dahi sweetened with imli chutney. They will spice up the dish just as much as you want. The tanginess and the sweetness make this chaat my all-time favourite. Try this dish once and you will just have to ask for a second helping. Murali Ganesh, architect

ARUNODAYA ENTERPRISES
Devatha Plaza, Residency Road, `20 come here quite frequently with my friends and we always eat chaat. Dahi papdi chaat is my favourite. The combination of papdis, boiled potatoes and curds is absolutely perfect. The sweet and spicy chutneys further add to the taste. This small eating joint is a big hit with the students of nearby schools. Vinay Nidhi, student

FUN FOOD

BOMBAY CHOWPATHY KULFI

146b, 6th C Main, 4th Block, Jayanagar Opposite police station, `25 ut of all the chaats that are available here, I usually order papdi chaat. It is delicious. The dahi, papdis, boiled potatoes and the chutneys are in perfect proportion. The dish is truly finger-licking! Crunchy, tangy, hot and sweet flavours all come together in this one plate of papdi chaat. Harish Nair, businessman

41/B, Mosque Complex, MM Road, Frazer Town, `25 or me, papdi chaat is a delicious alternative to a meal. The chaat available here is superlative. I always ask them to put more imli chutney for I love its sweet and tangy taste. Generous sprinkling of masala powder on the chaat is what makes it so good. I come here on a weekend and indulge. Brinda Ramesh, event manager

ADYAR ANAND BHAVAN

Next week: Chicken soup

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