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BangaloreMirror

| FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012

18

Adventures at a pizzeria
T
Manu Prasad bmfeedback@indiatimes.com
P MUTHU

No 298, 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore 560038, Tel: 8040917416

HUCKLEBERRY

he original Adventures of Huckleberry Finn begins after Tom Sawyer and Huck come into a fortune. In the modern day Bangalore retelling, an investment banker couple build a brick oven on the terrace of their parents house; the pizzas become a rage, the idea of a wood-fired pizzeria is born; their friends get involved in the dcor painting the chairs and the rest is a restaurant! In addition to the Tom Sawyer-ish paint job, the place also owes its name to a berry that has a second degree connection to the kind of cheesecakes it specialises in, and managed to fit in well as the fun, whimsy name the owners wanted. The best tribute that one can give to any original work is to ensure that the character remains alive. And character is something Huckleberry has oodles of. From the tree that nonchalantly makes its way up through the restaurant, to the painted chairs, funky graphics and wooden fireplace, the place manages to mix a lively, vibrant ambience with a warm, laidback feel, all while being on the chaotic 100 Feet Road.

Food Owner(s) Chef Alcohol Wine list Price range

Chicken was the most photogenic of the dishes and the creamy pesto sauce was ample proof that it wasnt just a pretty face. But the Pan Seared Sea Bass with Lemongrass and Coriander was unfortunately just that. Though the fish seemed fresh, it was quite bland and the rest of the ingredients were titular. The Chicken Tortellini was reasonably good, but couldve been made better with a creamier sauce.

Parking Wheelchair access Service

Pizzeria, with wine Siddharth Krish, Rithika Gupta Siddharth Krish, dessert chef Preeti Mathre Yes Wine, wine-based cocktails With about `800, you could share a non alcoholic drink, a nonveg starter, a non-veg pizza and a dessert. Valet parking available No

Appetisers: When pizzas on the

From top: Chicken and Prawn Bruschetta; Smoked Turkey Pizza; Baked Pesto Chicken; White Chocolate Mousse

mind, starters might seem a bit of a distraction, but a few things on the menu looked interesting. The Herbed Lemonade, in which basil, lemongrass and green apple vied for attention, had basil emerging as the clear winner and also did a good job of whetting the appetite. The Berry Happy was a mix of cranberry, strawberry, grape and lemon juice, but what it really did was to take us back to the time we consumed Poppins by the dozen! The only drink that disappointed was the Virgin Mojito. In case youd like to experiment with wines, or wine-based cocktails, there are a few options available too. The Chicken Consomm soup came with its own dumpling but the mild chicken and caramelised onion flavours didnt

impress. The Chicken and Prawn Bruschetta was a much better dish crispy bread with the chicken version being helped by a creamy cheese presence and the prawns aided by herbs. The pick of the starters was the colourful Spicy Chicken Salad, which lived up to its name and didnt take advantage of the salad the chicken wasnt just a token presence.

Entree: The printed menu only

has a few pages and focuses on pizzas, drinks and desserts, but they augment it with a weekly special menu on the blackboard. The Smoked Turkey pizza was an automatic choice and Rithika suggested we add a jalapeno topping. It worked brilliantly with the cold cuts and the herbs and made it our favourite main course dish. The Meat Feast had a stellar cast including lamb and pepperoni but lost its pizzazz a bit with a slightly burnt thin crust and its disproportionately high contribution to the bill. The Baked Pesto

Afters: There is a significant chance that next time, Id start with the desserts. Im usually racist when it comes to chocolate and prefer dark over white, but the White Chocolate Mousse (with lime) easily won the desserts crown. The Dark Chocolate Mousse tried valiantly, but though it kept its status as a reliable favourite, it was an unfair fight. If you dont mind a strong cinnamon flavour, you might want to try the Huckleberry Special. The Blueberry Cheesecake got the texture right, but I missed the tart flavour and the cheese presence was underwhelming. In all: With a unique identity based on
its food and ambience, Huckleberry is probably a place that youd like to visit more than once, for its homely charm and lively atmosphere. Mark Twains has said Part of the secret of

Friendly and prompt. They also help you with suggestions Sound level Peppy music at just the right volume. Tom Petty seems a favourite Ambience Comfortable and lively Hours Tuesday to Sunday 12pm to 3:30pm (lunch), and 7pm11.30pm (dinner). Home delivery No, though a takeaway option is available. Reservations It does get crowded by around 8, so it might be a good idea.

BM VERDICT

10

success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. So dont be afraid to try out the pastas, pizzas, wine and desserts all at one go.

Bangalore Mirror reviews anonymously and pays for meals

MUTHU P & KAUSHIK J N

Few places can replicate the soft, perfectly round akki rottis made at home. We bring you five places that come pretty close

FIVE OF A KIND - AKKI ROTI

COMPILED BY RUTH DSOUZA

RANGA SHANKARA

#36/2, 8th Cross, II Phase, JP Nagar, `60 for a plate rrespective of the time, stopping by the Ranga Shankara caf for akki rotti and chutney is a must. The rottis are soft just like home-made ones. Besides the taste, the hospitality is what brings you back each time. Combined with chai, its the perfect snack to kill time before the play begins. Joan Prabhu, content writer

Sajjan Rao Circle, Begins at VB Road, `20 for a plate pposite the temple on Thindi Beedhi or Food Street in V V Puram is this small nameless place with serves great akki roti with a dollop of butter. You have a choice of coconut, onion or chilli chutney. Standing on the road and jostling with the crowds is part of the fun. Pavan Naidu, entrepreneur

THINDI BEEDHI

3rd Cross, Sampige Road, Malleswaram, `23 for a plate f you are up to beating the crowds that throng here, then the akki rotti here is worth waiting for. Served steaming hot with chutney, the best way to enjoy this is with a masala chai. The village-like atmosphere is great and helps transport you back to the village where hot rottis off the bandli are the norm. Marcelline Lobo, homemaker

HALLI MANE

GANESH DARSHAN (DOSA CAMP)

HOTEL PRASHANT

4th Block, Opp Canara Bank, Jayanagar, `22 for a plate verybody knows this place for its dosas, but the silent winner is the akki rotti soft, round, served with a dollop of butter and fresh coconut chutney. Wash that down with hot coffee a dream evening snack. Swathi Om, student

1st Street, Palace Main Road, Guttahalli, `18 for a plate otel Prashant has several branches and is famous for its non-vegetarian fare.. and akki rotti made only at breakfast and tea times. Served hot with chai on the side and generous helpings of chutney, the combination makes it hard to stop at one. Vishnu Pradeep, marketing professional

Next week: Baklava

Do you believe you have tasted the best baklava in Bangalore? Then write to us about it. In 50-100 words. Mention the name of the eatery, the place, cost and why you think they are the best tasting baklavas in the city. We will test your choices and give our verdict next week. Send your choices to bmfeatures@indiatimes.com