For A Berry Flavourful Pulao

Multi-cuisine is dead, long live multi-cuisine. No, not Gobi Manchurian, the new ‘multi-cuisine’ is all about the chef’s ability to tweak both tikkas and tortillas. Monkey Bar calls itself a gastropub. While the ambience is buzzy, the get-up witty, the playlist sing-aloud-friendly (or loud, as a few complain) and some of the cocktails very good, the food is the winner. Working through the list of starters and small-plates is fun: Tikki of Joy (Bhetki cutlets served with Bengali kashundi, Rs 220) and Spiked Nachos (Rs 220) are favourites, but the Tiger Beef (beef slivers dressed up the Thai way, Rs 180), the Galouti Killer (melt-in-the-mouth kababs, Rs 220) and the Dabeli (an upscale version of the street hit, Rs 160) are a big success. There are a few organ meats (brain cutlet, lamb heart, chicken liver) for the adventurous, but the so-pretty Butterfly Chicken (an open-faced take on spring rolls, Rs 200) did not make my heart go a-flutter. The burgers (Rs 230-440), however, are moreish: In-house baked buns encase super-juicy hand-processed patties—mine was custom-grilled to a medium-rare—mayo and lettuce at the basic level, and cheese, bacon, onions, tomato at the most decadent. Most of the menu is designed to go with drinks but the mains call us back: the richly textured Chilli Con Carne (Rs 350), the seafood-generous Thai green curry (Rs 400) and the Berry Pulao (Rs 400), the closest Bangalore gets to the Mumbai Irani special. The Lemon Meringue (Rs 120) doubles up as a sign-off and come-back-soon. Go to Monkey Bar post-sundown with a big gang and a bigger appetite. And, if a twosome, for a quick—if not quiet—lunch. Lingering optional.

Edited July 17, 2012. In an earlier version, Chilli Con Carne was wrongly mentioned as Chilli Corn Carne.