The last time I was at Made in Punjab, I was mesmerized by its silence and no nonsense food. This time I had a chance to visit another favourite from the Massive Restaurants stable- the super famous- Farzi Café.
Farzi has been a hot favourite since it opened in Bengaluru. After raving foodies in Delhi, when it opened doors here, you could see that gastronomy was at its best. One had to wait to grab a table and it still remains the same. The food impressive and different. The local delicacies with the “Farzi Twist”. That is when they decided to expand the menu by a bit. Adding more delicacies from the local cuisine in an attempt to connect with the people around.
I was invited to try the new menu at Farzi right after the launch of the new menu that had gotten people excited with its sneak peeks (I did some too. Head over to my Facebook to check it out). At the launch party, we got to taste a few of the appetizers but it always is better when you try them out later on.
On a sultry Saturday afternoon, when you have kept yourself hungry just to try this, you know you are up for something good. Because I am vegetarian like you all know, I will be writing mainly about the vegetarian dishes I tried. However on the launch, my good friend Suman did try some meat dishes and I shall attempt to describe them to my best.
We started off with the special menu crafted by the chef which included the major starters, two main course dishes and two desserts. I also tried two cocktails that are favourites there. Starting off with the cocktails, I first tried the Green Apple Foamatini. This is a Green apple martini, minus the usual Martini glass, topped with foam made of egg whites. Strong and very potent, this cocktail scores well on my chart of a Friday evening drink. Not to forget the presentation! Check out the pictures below. In appetizers, we started with the papdi chaat re-hash. Served in a matka, this one brought in good memories of the street side chaat yet with that elegance of an upscale restaurant.
Next in line was a salad, which for a Gujju like me, is a turn on! Dhokla-Farsan Salad with Tadka chilli & crisps. The first thing that grabs your attention is the plating and presentation! How else can you present a simple staple dish like the Khaman Dhokla so well? This is what I truly enjoy at Farzi. You are awed by the dishes. This time around with the new additions in the menu, they taste equally good. If I could say it, by the end of the tasting, I was so full with the starters, I felt bad that I couldn’t eat much of the main course. We were then served the Thai Green Curry Paneer Tikka, Gunpower Tikki with Papaya Salad, Kulcha stuffed Mushrooms and the Farzi twist Bombay Sandwich- this one is usually served like a tower and can be very filling. . These appetizers are a good addition to the menu and can be ordered depending on your tastes for the day. Also added here is one that you must try- the Patti Samosas that are served in chai glasses like in Mumbai- with sweet tamarind chutney. Only enough to add that zing. If you are there, don’t miss it. On the meat side, I hear the Prawn pakodas are to die for!
The main course was a mixed bag to me. The first dish was a surprise that I quite enjoyed. However the second one, I was disappointed.
The first to come in was a Water chestnut Appam with Asparagus stew. First look at it and you will not want to eat it. The appam is black and the stew is red! But you must dive into this experience. Super tasty, it had me licking my fingers.
The other dish was Artichoke Bisi Bele Bath, to bring in the local flavour to the menu, however, I found it a little too tangy because Artichokes are tangy by taste and when added with Bisi Bele Bath which too is tangy so it isn’t pleasant to the palate. I would rather have just bisi bele bath and be done with it.
By the time we got to desserts, I hardly had space for it, but then like they say, there is always this unused corner in your tummy to accommodate it. Dessert #1- Tandoori Rasmalai with Shrikhand. The smokiness to the Rasmalai is welcome and does not hinder much with the taste, the Shrikjhand just adds to it. The other dessert was something that blew my mind. A whole platter served with Apple peach mousse and malai peda, Gajar ka halwa. Nothing is ever complete without some drama. The mousse was treated with some liquid nitrogen to make it even better. My descriptions aren’t enough. Have a look at the pictures.
Overall- the new menu at Farzi is a good addition. It brings in some dishes that score really well and some that need a little changes, but the Farzi Twist is a hit!
