 Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 |
| Metro Plus Bangalore |
Spoilt for choice
 Multi-cuisine fare Chef Vivek Solanki and the delectable It’s a somewhat strangely named place, the World Cuisine Network on the 80 Feet Road in Indiranagar. However, if you can get past the peculiar moniker, the complex has four restaurants on four different floors and each one of them serves up a s panking good meal. As of now, the place is absolutely rocking. All the restaurants seat a comfortable number, are elegantly done up and the wait staff are one beaming bunch. The sheeshas (hookahs) gleam invitingly at the Mezze which serves Lebanese food. It’s a familiar gamut— hommos, moutabal, fattoush, baba ganouj (do note the ‘different’ spellings at the WCN), dairy dips galore, shawarmas, and all the kebabs to gladden the heart of wannabe Bedouins, nomads and the stay-at-home all together. The Mezze has a special way with lamb, check out their Mezze mixed grill. Vegetarians need not bemoan partiality, there is spinach fatayer, which is spinach, onion and pine nuts stuffed into a flaky pastry and is truly a delight. Down one floor and it’s the Indian restaurant Masala. Rasams, shorbas, chaats, an array of aged Basmati rice biryanis, and seafood are on offer. The lobster lababdar is a curry to remember, with the lobster marinated in a creamy spicy masala that is piquant but does not set the tummy linings alight. The Hyderabadi soya kheema is a popular dish for vegetarians, and the Masala’s dals seem to be a hit with gourmet lovers.We recommend you opt for the mini tokri of naan, paratha, kulcha to mop up the curries. Italian job suspects — antipastis like bruschetta, ravioli, seafood salads, risotto, pasta and hand- rolled thin pizzas, the last smoked with Italian wood, according to Vivek Solanki, the busy chef at WCN. Just about every third dish on the Italian menu is hugely popular with those who eat here but we would ask you to try the la vigna pizza (with mozzarella cheese, chicken, olives, mushrooms, roasted capsicum, sun- dried tomatoes) the frutti di mare gratinati (prawn, calamari and mussel in a mustard and cheese cream sauce), and the lasagne della casa where the lasagne sheets tenderly hold minced chicken, turkey ham, cheese, cream and tomatoes. The primavera risotto cooked with peppers and mushrooms is a good vegetarian choice. Dolce (dessert)? Well, of course, it has to be tiramisu. Take it from one who isn’t overly fond of what mostly passes for tiramisu in this country: it’s the real McCoy at Lavigna, not too moist, not at all soggy, just right on the fork and putting a new spin on the term ‘melt-in -the- mouth’. Soups and sandwiches spaghetti bolognaise, salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, to wraps and even steaks, all to be washed down with granitas, smoothies, and espressos. Good food, as I said earlier. Now I need to find out just why the place is called World Cuisine Network. The WCN is located at 32, 80 Ft Road, HAL Stage II, Indiranagar. The café is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., the restaurants close for a short period between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Call 43568888. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/06/13/stories/2009061353010700.htm | ||