Thulp

Koromangala seems to be bursting at the seams when it comes to new restaurants. In the past week I have eaten at two new places featured in the latest Food Lovers magazine that happen to be at 6^th Block, 5^th Cross – an area that I now realise is home to a number of the cities bustling, brand new eateries.

At first I was more than a little weary venturing out of the CBD as well as my comfort zone. However, rave reviews kept me going and before I knew it I found myself buckled into my car seat, on the phone getting directions, navigating my way hopelessly, searching for street signs despite the dim lighting, all the while fighting my ravenous stomach that by this point had begun grumbling, begging to be fed.

While that ride over might just be slightly dramatised, in reality it took about 25 minutes from M.G. Road, without too much of a hassle. We found parking without any problems. In fact the perfect spot was waiting for me just opposite Thulp itself.

But India being India, or rather should I say Bangalore being Bangalore thanks to the recent political indifference and lack of governance in terms of road works and sanitation meant that the moment I stepped out the car my nostrils were overcome by that nasty, characteristic pong we all know as well ... shit!

Oh well, it would be ludicrous to say that the stench put me off dinner that evening. As soon as we crossed the road, stepping into the restaurant, that is really more of a laid back cafe in actuality, the aroma of French fries, grilled onions and bacon replaced the unpleasant smell almost immediately and my appetite was as robust as it had been moments prior to stepping out the car.

Wasting no time I scanned the menu, ordered a plate of Buffalo wings and the biggest burger on the menu – the Moo’s Your Daddy, which also happens to be their signature burger. To me the choice was simple – while an array of pasta and pizza dishes were listed out as well as sandwiches, the sesame seed buns crammed with a beef patty and pilled with lettuce, dill pickles, cheese and bacon screamed EAT ME.

Worth mentioning are their clever names using puns and references to popular media to jazz up what would otherwise be a standard menu. Three stars for being whacky and original!

As for the food – when it finally arrived it was well, simply average. It took a total of 25 minutes for the Buffalo wings to come out and they while they were satisfying – my appreciation was perhaps due to the momentarily ravenous nature of my being – leaving me without much to complain about. The burgers in all took about 35 minutes to come out – far too long in my opinion. When you are grilling mince meat patties and assembling them on toasted bread with prepped veggies and cheese, how much time is really required? Exactly – and the lack of efficiency where making our burgers was concerned made me super mad!

The taste – well, the middle of the patties were juicy, while the sides and periphery were rather dry and tough, and while one could not see the bacon, the flavour was unmistakable with every bite. The French fries were awful – this needs improvement, but the coleslaw a pleasant surprise.

In all two mighty big bloody burgers, two fountain cokes, a plate of Buffalo wings and a take-away Rocky Balboa sandwich (Philly Cheese Steak on Panini bread – that was pretty good) made for a decent bill of Rs. 700/-

So my verdict... for Koromangala dwellers – rock on down now, don’t think twice if you’re in the mood for some serious beef slapped between bread with all the good stuff in life smothered on. If you are an urban CBD resident like myslef - simply put when you have the option of going to Ice and Spice and sinking your teeth into a mother of a lamb burger with a wait of 5-8 minutes the journey to Koromangla just doesn't make sense. And if you are a vegetarian – well just don’t bother.