Loading ...I came across Cilantro after a friend mentioned it to me. And while I’ve taken that route to work a number of times i seemed to have overlooked the fact that within the large residence complex is nestled a rather nice cafe.
While it does refer to itself as a cafe i would consider it more of a restaurant than anything else. The biggest feather in the cap for this cafe is the fact that its open 24 hours a day, which in Bangalore is saying something!
The Experience:
The walk to the cafe really sets the tone for the rest of experience. A long stone paved road sheltered by bamboo trees on both sides leads you to the cafe.
The bamboo and green theme continues throughout the cafe and makes for a very soothing atmosphere.
The a la carte’ menu is pretty exhaustive and like i mentioned reads more like a restaurant than a cafe. The review below does not cover any of the Indian items on the menu though they do have a wide range.
The Starters:
There is a range of decent soups that you can dig into, however at a cost that is comparable to the more “solid” appetizers i consciously made a decision to avoid it.
The list of starters are very pleasant to the eye, starting at Crumb fried mozzarella, Baked Mushrooms, Caesar Salad, Prawns in Batter, Crispy calamari rings, fish n chips ( didn’t realize it was an appetizer ) and in their own words ” slow cooked fast food”. They have a salad and pasta bar that allows you to make your dishes to your requirements.
The fish n chips is unlike any fish n chips i have ever eaten and if you do like this dish, take it from me. Avoid!
I dug into something called “chicken in a basket” which was a collection of three sizable pieces of chicken deep crumb fried and served with salad. It was far from excellent and i would advise avoiding it if you can.
The Drinks:
They have a reasonable list of cocktails that you can choose from and at Rs150 a drink is very tempting. However this said given my last experience i would recommend staying far away from them as they are simply some of the worst cocktails i’ve had.
If you are tempted to drink stick to the standard beer, or simple cocktails like rum in coke.
The Main Course:
The Main course list is just as exhaustive ranging for the more usual sandwiches to heavier burgers. I would most certainly recommend their tenderloin steak cheese burger which is one of the best burgers i’ve had in quite a while in the city.
If you are in the mood for something more substantial you could dig into any one of the following dishes, Red wine chicken breast served with pasta, Peppered tenderloin steak served with jacket potato and tossed veggies, pork chops, lamb chops served with rosemary potatoes, butter fish with capers and parsley butter and grilled tiger prawns with pan fried potatoes and olives. They have a live grill counter which adds to the whole dinning experience.
The food is good, but not great and I would have to say the high point on their menu, for me, would have to be the tenderloin burger.
Deserts:
The desert list reads as follows , ice cream jambalaya ( icecream layered with surprises !), Mousse, Tiramisu, Pannacota, Fruit kebabs with chocolate fondu.
Avoid like plague, the ice cream jambalaya as it is by far the worst desert i’ve ever had. A mix of fruits and strange flavours in a water glass.
The Fine Print:
Type: Restaurant
Cuisine: Continental and North Indian
Meal Details: All Day ( and Night ) Dinning
Alcohol? : Yes ( Cocktails, Beer and Wine )
Meal for 2 : Would cost you around Rs 800
Cards? : Yes
Gripes:
They could do with a wider selection of food.
Ratings:
Price: 4/5
Food: 3/5
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Contact Info:
41102200 ( advise booking a table before you go there, and outside if possible )
Getting there:
Located within the Halycon serviced apartments in Koramangala. Just off the junction of the 80 ft road and the Maharaja hotel.
