ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Address: 501, 6th Cross Rd, 6th Block, Koramangala, Bangalore, Karnataka 560047
Time: 12 Noon to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 11:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,900
Cuisines: American, European
Facilities: Full Bar Available
The Smoke Co, Koramangala, Bangalore: DECOR
I stepped into The Smoke Co and was instantly charmed.What a gorgeous-looking restaurant this is in an under stated way! The ceiling is high and floor-to-ceiling glass panes let the outdoors in, while the rest is all warm wood. The colour palette captures the wood, smoke and coal that lend their flavor to the food here.Globe lights and lamp shades in the hue of embers add their glow to the place. An old smoking contraption, which was where the concept has its origins, is now a show-piece.Upstairs is a bar which doubles as a performance space that hosts regular gigs.
The Smoke Co, Koramangala, Bangalore: FOOD
Bengalureans who have followed Gautam Krishnanakutty’s work know his style all too well -robust, no pretensions and, yes, a great love of meat. The Smoke Co, then, on a scale grander than any of his previous ventures, is a fitting showcase for the flair of this intrepid chef. This restaurant draws its inspiration from two cooking traditions -the charcuterie of Europe and the barbecue and grilling of the American South. Gautam has worked for months, friends say, with all the fervor of a mad scientist, to perfect the art of brining, smoking and curing. All that effort has paid off and the results are there to taste. The Charcuterie Platter is a good thing to start with here. You can order four items from the list. The soy and sesame-cured Yellow Tail Tuna was fabulous, and I also loved the Cured and Smoked Fish Roe Sausage with its intense flavor and saltiness. Meat lovers should dive into the top-class Dry Cured Aged Ham, the Spicy Chorizo and Soppressata, the Italian dry salami, besides the Bresaola. I couldn’t help but marvel at the skill, not to mention time and patience, that had gone into creating these meats. You will never again want to eat the imported stuff lying in pricey gourmet stores.
I would also recommended the Smoked Bone Marrow. While it was a little too rich for my taste, I could see the appeal of it for more devoted meat eaters. The Gambas Pil Pil -here swimming in butter and sauvignon blanc, rather than olive oil -was also delicious, and you must dip the accompanying bread (all baked in-house) into the buttery sauce.
Next, it was the Smoke Platter. Again, you can choose four items from the list that contains a superb Kielbasa, a Chicken Sausage flavoured with Gautam’s mom’s green curry masala, Lamb Merguez, Smoked and Sliced Maryland Pit Beef, Eight Hour Smoked and Pulled Pork and more.This, then, is the stuff that meat lovers dream of.
The Smoke Co isn’t a destination for vegetarians, but if there are non-meat eaters in the group, they won’t go hungry. There’s the soup and salad of the day, Baja Avocado Tacos and Baked Seasonal Vegetables.
Even if the meal leaves you groaning, you shouldn’t miss dessert. The baking and pastry team gets it just right and I had a delightful Pecan Pie and a taste of the Flan with Burnt Caramel topped off by a wedge of honeycomb. I was told the bar makes some exciting cocktails, but I’ve left them for my next visit.
The Smoke Co, Koramangala, Bangalore: SERVICE
Smart, articulate and efficient, the service team is excellent. You can tell they’ve benefited from very good training.
The Smoke Co, Koramangala, Bangalore: PLUS AND MINUS
The Smoke Co is a unique concept, pleasing meat lovers and filling the gap for top quality charcuterie, which you can buy here without taking out a small bank loan. Vegetarians don’t have a huge choice, but can still eat well here.
