Feeling Parsi vibes in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Bengaluru is known for its gastronomic delights in every nook and corner of the city. Being home to a diverse crowd, regional cuisines have managed to gain prominence in the food industry. When we were invited to check out Parsi cuisine at the Rum and Crab Festival at SodaBottleOpenerWala in Lavelle Road, we prepped to explore one of India’s less-known cuisines.

Irani food is a true reminder of ghar ka khaana. As we entered the place, the typical aura of old Bombay crept in. Dim lights, quirky interior colours and 70’s Bollywood music grabbed our attention. We sat near the bar counter to experience the charm and something caught our eye instantly. The signage on the door of their kitchen says, “Only staff allowed, or if you’re Angelina Jolie”. We had a hearty laugh at the funny connotation and started our meal.

Out of the line-up of some interesting cocktails in SodaBottleOpenerWala’s fifth anniversary-special menu, we tried Castro Mojito and ‘The Good Doctor’ Sangria. The mojito comes with Cuban rum with homemade raspberry and saffron puree, toppled with fresh mint. It had a bitter taste because of the strong alcohol, but also soothing to the throat, thanks to the frozen minty flavour. The Sangria is an absolute mood-lifter. The cocktail stands true to its name, as there’s apple juice mixed with rum. This is for all sweet-lovers, and the tinge of sparkling wine gets all the brownie points.

As we were almost done with our cocktails, the non-vegetarian thali was presented to us, leaving us in awe. We kept staring at the Matunga Crab and Parsi Crab thalis and soaked our eyes in the items kept in front of us. To summarise it all, the thali included Maharashtrian-style mini vada, Baingan Bharta, Bhaji Dana, Dal Moringa, Steamed Rice, Green Chilli Thecha, Red Coconut Chutney, Ragi Roti, served with Saria Papad. Sounds interesting, right? The cherry-on-top were the crabs. Each of these lip-smacking dishes were cooked to perfection, and left us no space to complain.

The Bengalurean-style roti in a Maharashtrian thali actually complemented well with the side dishes. The Matunga Crab was less spicy, a tad tangy and had a smooth flavour. The Parsi Crab was richer and tasted a lot like malai curry. The smell of coconut and authentic spices left us craving for more.

Listening to a few more Kishore Kumar songs and enjoying the chilly weather, we ended the night on a delectable note.

Cost for two: 2,000 approx