And what have you been up to this long weekend of Labor Day? We are in town, and I am trying to catch up on my writing. I love the interesting summer food scene that’s going on in Bangalore now, new menu launches and lots of fun new places opening up. And speaking of new, no one does party and new better than the latest rage in UB City – Farzi Café. And there’s a newer edition of their menu, crafted by Mr.Zorawar Kalra and Chef Sombir Choudhary. So, on a hot summer afternoon last weekend, we went to Farzi for one of the longest and most enjoyable lunch ever!

Firstly we started off with the ango flavored Mishti doi amuse bouche, that look straight out of a Masterchef episode. And yes, Farzi does follow elaborate plating and drama, and that goes with the kind of food they serve. The next dish would become a testament to this statement – Farzi’s rendition of the traditional Gujarati Dhokla with nuts, chutneys and the works. Different kinds of dhokla were mounted on the slate, and served as a perfect snack, rather than an appetizer. Same goes for the Dal Moth ‘matka chaat’ – this came in a clay pot and had bhalla, moong sprouts, green apple with bhalla, moong sprouts, green apple – quite filling, the fresh pomegranate went very well with this. Perfect for Chai Time. Then came the samosas – each samosa in its own dip jar. There was Tandoori Soy Chops and Spiced Chicken variants.

The next few dishes were the highlights of the afternoon. Sion Prawn Koliwada had a thin rice flour coating, and soft fresh prawns inside seasoned with chili powder and ajwain – had the perfect crunch, accompanied by the right dips – delicious inside out. Then was the Iyengar Bakery style toasties – now while this looked visually just like a regular snack – this imbibes a small essence in parts of Bangalore. Chicken sukka Mangalorean styled and chutney was served on a simple toast. Absolutely delicious, and totally enjoyable.

And the showstopper was the Shawarma Biryani – I’ve already written about this on my Instagram & Facebook, for those who follow me. This beautiful creation is a dum biryani mounted with mutton raan, cooked to absolute perfection ensuring the succulence and delicate flavors of the meat. An unparalleled dish in the city. We were perhaps too full to actually appreciate the Farzi Twist version of Bisi Bele Bath. While the lentils, spices and ghee blended interestingly with risotto rice, and the charred artichoke gave it the sour bite, the cheese used to balance this was very, very heavy. Could work for folks who want a heavy lunch quickly.

We moved onto the dessert. With limited space and a huge craving for an afternoon nap after this marathon lunch, we kept the selections limited. The Farzi Sundae is a must try – 3 flavors of kulfi – cardamom, pista and blueberry (!) was layered with chocolate brownie, gems, wafers, chocolate cigars – wow! When I look at a gorgeous dish, I am usually building up the taste even before I have tasted it. Does that happen to you? But this one! It looked as beautiful as it tasted, and believe me, that’s not very common. The tandoori smoked rasmalai, made from fresh chhena was served with a green apple yoghurt and a bar of chikki – quite a blend of various types of sweets in one dessert platter; but my heart was already taken by the Sundae!

SUMMARY

The new menu at Farzi pushes boundaries of creative recipes and uncommon, yet inspired combinations and emerges successful. Also, remember most of the old menu continues to be, and these are new additions. So my favorite Nimbu Mirch Tempura fried prawns are still there, and you gotta have them, if you’ve not already. Some of the drinks are kickass. The CHUSKI MARGARITA is just the sexiest, the Litchi Panna Desire is possibly the most popular drink this summer. We had an awesome time with Divya, Rekha and the team. Check out the lineup here, and let me know what you thought of it! Cheers!

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