India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (202 page)

If you need to catch your breath while shopping at V.M. Road, nip over to the extremely popular
Sunny’s
(Embassy Diamante, Vittal Mallaya Rd.;
080/2212-0496;
www.sunnysbangalore.com
), which has a spacious outdoor and indoor seating area and lounge bar. The eclectic menu is a reflection of Bengaluru’s growing sophistication and the desserts are to die for.
Shiok,
which means “yummy” in Malay
(96, Amar Jyoti Layout, Inner Ring Rd.;
080/6571-5555;
www.shiokfood.com
), a fine-dining restaurant-cum-cocktail-lounge run by owner-chef Madhu Menon, who has traveled extensively in the Far East to study different styles of cooking, is another favorite. Thai, Malay, Indonesian, and Singaporean dishes are on offer, with—apparently—more than 60% of the ingredients flown in from overseas, making it rather pricey in terms of “food miles” but worth it.
Olive Beach
(16 Wood St., Ashok Nagar;
080/4112-8400;
www.olivebarandkitchen.com
) lives up to its high culinary style and pulls in the city’s who’s who, just as it does in Mumbai and Delhi. Pebbled paths wind through a heritage bungalow, revealing an atmosphere full of light and laughter, especially as you sip the quintessential Olive margaritas. Book a spot under the cherry tree. Giving
i-t.ALIA
(reviewed below) a good nudge, both in cuisine and atmosphere, is
Gian Carlos
(4/1, Walton-Lavelle junction;
080/4157-1350;
www.giancarlosplace.com
). Even though the brain behind this very cool restaurant may be sitting in some other part of the world, what he has started is definitely in full throttle with simple, elegant interiors (plus a great rooftop option for the evenings) and some utterly delicious Italian gourmet fare—the wood-fire pizzas are simply delicious as are their innovative Itushis (Italian sushis); the affable Sandeep will be only to happy to guide you through the bewildering choices in hand.

And there’s more—driving an hour through Begaluru’s evening traffic may not seem the best way to work up an appetite, but it’s worth it to reach
Grasshopper
(45 Kalena Agrahara, Bannerghatta Rd., past the Meenakshi Temple;
080/2659-3999;
meal for two Rs 3,000 without alcohol), an urban warehouse full of surprises—stylish accessories and clothes, theatrical performances and a European fine dining restaurant serving delectable seven course gourmet fare
.
Fashion designers Sonali and Himanshu decided to expand their creativity from Hidden Harmony, their own line of clothes, to Grasshopper: Emphasis is on subtle flavor and presentation and meals are tailor-made for each table according to preferences—prawns with ginger, sesame and seaweed, veal chops with blue cheese butter and lemongrass ice cream are some of the favorites. Incredibly romantic by night, the outdoor restaurant is open for lunch only on the weekends. Reservations are a must.

Blue Ginger
VIETNAMESE Lush tropical foliage, a lotus pond, and the scent of frangipani in bloom set the mood for Taj West End’s Vietnamese restaurant and open kitchen. The decor is Vietnamese-chic: chairs crafted out of water hyacinth fiber and large stone urns filled with petals; silk lanterns and flaming torches—even the crockery has a Vietnamese military procession running all around it. Start with the asparagus and crab meat soup along with a crunchy raw mango salad, followed by the coconut-based Vietnamese
caris
(curry) served in a clay pot, and accompanied not by rice but a baguette. You could also try scallops in black pepper, garlic and oyster sauce and the scrumptious stir fried prawns in tamarind sauce. End with lemon grass and ginger crème brûlée or the very refreshing rose petal ice cream.

Taj West End.
080/6660-5660.
www.tajhotels.com
. Main courses Rs 650–Rs 1,400. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 12:30–3pm and 7:30–11:45pm.