MEGalomaniac: Cocktails and Dim Sums @ Shiros Resto-Bar

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Cocktails and Dim Sums @ Shiros Resto-Bar

Bangalore's latest luxe-pad, Shiro's is home to the city's swish set. Located in the swanky new sprawling mall, UB City on Vittal Mallya Road it is spread over the top floor. A large inside dinning area with a very contemporary lounge-bar feel invites you in. My personal opinion is that the music is far too loud and the lighting far too dim inside the restaurant preventing you from truly enjoying a meal. But such is the case often when food and entertainment clash at night clubs/ resto-bars, food often suffering a low blow, being compromised to keep the ambiance in sync with a particular aesthetic. In the case of Shiro an overtly uber- cool, contemporary lounge feel is the constant theme. Gigantic Budha sculptures in varying positions and poses are placed within the restaurant, spilling out into the the resto-bar as it extends itself to a considerably large open air roof deck with wooden overhead beams sheltering the bar completing the Zen-like feel to the place. On the far end a Tepanyaki bar with limited seating is available upon reservation.

On my three month spat in Bangalore I visited Shiro's at least thrice, each time hoping to try the Fig Mojito. Unavailable was what I got the first two times, turning to a frozen daiquiri to quench my thirst and an apple-cinnamon vodka cocktail instead. On my third visit I got lucky, and the Fig Mojito was truly worth the wait. I also sampled the Tahitian Breeze, a pretty orange drink in a long cocktail glass. The cocktail list is enticing and overall their concoctions are some of the best Bangalore has seen for a long time, perhaps even worthy of a parallel to the Olive Beach bar.