Eat Proper Meat @Whtfld Bar &Grill, Marriott Whitefield

Whitefield Bar and Grill located at the Marriott, Whitefield has been one of Bangalore’s best kept secrets in the culinary front. Tucked away from the heart of the city amidst the IT hub of Bengaluru, this unique restaurant has already grabbed the much coveted “Restaurant of the Year” award at the prestigious World on a Plate event by none other than George, Gary and Matt of MasterChef Australia fame a few weeks back. I grabbed this opportunity to review this hitherto understated culinary masterpiece, and boy they did deserve the accolades.

When you walk into the restaurant hosted at the poolside of Marriott, Whitefield it creates the impression of an All American Steakhouse with casual seating and ambience. A closer look at the menu reveals the absolute heaven for meat lovers that this place stands for. Ironically enough, the dish “Soya Chaap” that won the award is vegetarian and is a must-try. More details about that later.

I was impressed with the assortment of home-made sauces and dips that were neatly arranged on the wooden décor reminiscent of a western pub from a 1960s Clint Eastwood original. I was happy to notice the rarities Beef Cheek and Ceviche on the menu. The after shower smell of the adjoining poolside created just the perfect ambience to indulge in some good old meat without worrying about calories or high blood pressure.

I was served the Tandoori Platter by none other than Chef Sanjeev, who has a few years of service at the best five star Hotels in the country including the Oberoi, Kolkata. We immediately struck a chord of connection with the old school charm that Oberoi is known for way back home. As we savoured the Lamb Sheekh Kebab and the Salmon Tikka served as part of the Tandoori Platter, I paired it with a glass of Chandon.

Up next was the award winning Soya Chaap, a delicacy and a WBG Originale which not only pleased the MasterChef judges, but is sure to win the heart of any meat lover. The best part is that it is made of pulled thin slices of Soya, tender and flavoursome creating a meaty feel to its texture. The overnight marination is the key to render the right succulence. Wrapped within a Pita bread with exotic herbs and a simple tangy Barbeque sauce, this simple yet out of this world dish is beyond any comparison. This is by far the best Vegetarian dish tasted by me anywhere till date.

Moving on, we proceeded over to the Mains with a varied meat option including the Tandoori Half Baby Spring Chicken and the BBQ Pulled Pork Burger. The latter is served with a home-made Barbeque Sauce and Apple Slaw. The combination of the greens and the pulled pork created a unique taste, reminiscent of a good old Burger in downtown Austin, Texas. However I was unable to control my gluttony for a plate of King Prawns marinated with Yellow Chilli and Yoghurt cooked to perfection in a Tandoor. They were simply divine to say the least and quenched my eternal search for the best Seafood in town. I ordered a Beef Fillet with the traditional Blue Cheese and Jalapeno Sauce. I always prefer my Steaks Medium Rare and this one was not only cooked to perfection, but the red inner layer when infused with the Blue Cheese rendered the perfect dish. I was the happiest glutton on the planet.

Chef Sanjeev has saved a surprise for us with the ultimate dessert in the form of a jaggery Ice-cream, otherwise known in Bengali as Nolen Gur. Made from Date Palm Jaggery, this one is an absolute delight and when served after a wholesome meal of happy meats would make a Bengali dance in joy and probably sing a tune of Rabindra Sangeet (Tagore songs) or two. Well, I did not do either, but could not stop smiling at the satisfaction of the absolute culinary excellence. The service was prompt and the warm hospitality of Chef Sanjeev made our evening memorable. After all, not every day do you get to dine at the Restaurant of the Year bestowed upon by the masters in the culinary world! Folks in and around Whitefield, you guys are lucky to be in the neighbourhood and the ones far away (like myself), this one is definitely worth the time and the travel. I am going back to indulge in some good old meat very soon.