ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Lotus Oriental: The Leela Bhartiya City Bengaluru: Restaurant Name
Phone: 080 4545 1234
Address: The Leela Bhartiya City Bengaluru, Thanisandra Main Rd, Bangalore, Karnataka 560064 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 15:00 PM, 18:30 PM – 23:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 3,500
Cuisines: Japanese, Thai, Asian
Facilities: Air Conditioned, Lift, Wifi, Valet Available, Serves Alcohol, Parking, Differently Abled Friendly, Cards Accepted
The Lotus Oriental is the pan-Asian restaurant at the Leela Bhartiya City, nestled in the midst of a luxury township. It’s on the second floor and the al fresco area is adjacent to the pool. It’s a pleasant spot to dine in, particularly in the evenings. The indoor space is compact, with a minimalist contemporary style.
I had a tasting menu meal here, beginning with a pretty amuse of salmon and nori sheet atop crisp lotus stem chips. Next came a beguiling creation christened Suika; the vinegared rice was topped off with what looked like a sliver of fish, perhaps tuna, but was, in fact, a piece of cured watermelon. Clever!
The Hotty Tuna Maki – it really was tuna – was nicely crafted and topped off with a generous scattering of flying fish roe. Dim Sum came next. There was a Prawn and Scallop Hargao and that was enjoyable, though the baked egg on which it was served was redundant, I thought. The Dragon Lamb Puff was an intricate thing – minced meat held within a case of thin, light as air wisps of pastry. It was delicious. The Lemon Grass Prawns served with a sweet chilli sauce were skewered to be infused with the aroma of the herb.
My main course was a collection of dishes with subtle flavours. I had a competently cooked Thai Green Curry with vegetables that included bamboo shoot and a serving of Stir Fried Asian Greens. With jasmine rice, I also tasted the Vietnamese Buttermilk Prawn, one of their signature curries. The gravy had a pleasing consistency and flavour, with the slightest tang of the buttermilk. I couldn’t help but think how much this dish would have benefited from fresh rather than frozen prawns. I hope specialty restaurants put the focus on the ingredients. It takes more work and will probably cost more, but it’s an effort well worth making. I wrapped up my meal with a dessert of Kaffir Lime and Lemon Grass Crème Brulee. And very pleasant it was, too.
