I continue my food journey in Bangalore in the pursuit of my love affair with gourmet dishes. While I am looking forward to treat my taste buds with different food, one of the first things of the year was to tick the Oriental cuisine. When
Noodle Bar, Bangalore asked me to try their New Menu on a special invite, I was so excited and all set to go on a culinary journey through Asia. After all, as they say, it's going to be Asia on a platePan India Food Solutions is a leading player in organized retail restaurant business. And their Noodle Bar seems to be a favorable destination to experience the Flavors Of Asia.
On a weekday, I visited Noodle Bar, Phoenix Mall for dinner. As I entered, they greeted me and walked me to my table which was neatly laid. I felt special with their warm gesture. As I walked in, the first thing that impressed me was its beautiful interior. Wooden carvings along with the dim lit ambiance added warmth to the decor. The hanging lanterns and those tiny flowers on the red wall were very Chinese.
As I was settling in the table, Mr. Anish Mathew, the Executive Chef for the South Zone, joined me. He has an overwhelming 12 years of cooking experience and has helped Noodle Bar to maintain its authenticity with the new menu as well. Well, to say, I had a delicious conversation with him which made my dining experience even more special.First the ‘On Table’ stuff. Every table was served with 6 types of sauces. And I'd say it is a colorful palette. On Table Sauce - Soya, Mustard, Sweet Coriander, Schezwan, Chilli Vinegar, Sweet Chilli. Pretty much the sauces are apt to tingle every part of one's taste buds. And Sweet Chilli was my personal favorite.
By the time I was going through their elaborate menu, the Kimchi Salad was served. It is an assortment of Cucumber & Carrot, Corn, Pepper & Bean Sprout and Sweet Cabbage. It rightly warmed up my appetite. To start with, from the Coladamania, a seasonal menu of cold beverages, I ordered a mocktail - Mango Caramel Colada. It was shaken, stirred chill and tangy.
Then I was served with a delicious bowl of hot steaming soup. Emperor Noodle Soup enhanced with Prawns served in a chinese bowl was good. The crispy glass noodles on top added crunchiness to the well boiled veggies and prawns. And now my warmed up tummy was all set to roll.
Now after a tête-à-tête with chef, he got to know my love for seafood. He ordered Dimsum for me. Dumplings are my favorites and the credits goes to ‘The Kung Fu Panda’ :P. So I gladly went by his choice. It was the steamy Curried Basa Dumplingserved withMustard Sauce. I just loved the hint of Fish in it. The mustard sauce added a perfect contrast to the dumpling’s taste and was visually appealing.
Starters always make me crave. And here with so many choices, I picked Mandarin Skewered Chicken. It was brought to the table in the mini grill. That kinda presentation made me drool even before my first bite. I’ve never tasted a better juicy chicken starter before. Unlike the regular Manchurians, Kebabs & Tandoors, this was soft and the spices were diffused well into the meat.
Their main course had an innovation. I called it the ‘On Table Buffet’. The ‘Toss it Up - Your Noodles. Your Way’ is their new special menu where the diner is allowed to custom select everything, right from the preparation style, Noodle type and the Ingredients. This gives freedom to the foodies like me to make a very special and unique entree.
I decided to try the Jilin Chicken Gravy & Hokomein Noodles. The gravy had well diced chicken that at one point I was not able to make out the difference between it and the capscicum. The noodles, a Singaporean dish had a very unique flavor and every time I took a mouthful, the aroma filled me delightfully.
Being a sweet tooth, would I leave the place without having dessert? Lime and Lemon Panna Cotta was the best dessert I had in a long time. The firm Panna Cotta stood steady even after slicing 3/4th. The Lime Mint sauce enticed me. After my first bite, I completely got lost in its taste. I would gladly vouch for this lip smacking dessert.
After the dessert, I took a walk with the Chef. He gave me a tour inside the kitchen and then to the rooftop dining area, from where one can have a good view of enjoying a Live concert at the Phoenix Mall.
Upon a special request, I was given their
Gelato Italiano - Mango Passion Fruit Ice Cream as a finishing touch. My stomach was full but still light after this sumptuous meal. Noodle Bar gave me that warm chirpy effervescent feel.
The dishes were served on time, the table was kept clean throughout, the hospitality was good and the ambiance was pleasing. Altogether, it was a delectable food experience.
It is a lovely place to sit and talk over your dinner with friends and family. The price was affordable too. It would cost around INR 1200 for two.
Would I go again? Yes, definitely! I'd love to devour the Asia on my plate. :)
If you love Oriental cuisine or a foodie who tries different cuisines, then this place is a 'Must Dine' for you!
Location - 1st Floor, Phoenix MarketCity, Whitefield, Bangalore.
My Food Journey Continues...
