OUR DINING EXPERIENCE : KARIGARI BY CHEF HARPAL SINGH SOKHI

 OUR DINING EXPERIENCE' KARIGARI BY CHEF HARPAL SINGH SOKHI

As a foodie first and a food blogger next, I have followed with great interest some of the best known Celebrity Chefs in India. One of them who catches the eye and grabs your attention in his videos and television shows is Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi. Long after you have seen the video or program you  remember his infectious enthusiasm and high energy. His catch phrase of "Namak Shamak" made him a household name! 

Naturally, I was excited to visit his restaurant in Bengaluru for the first time. The restaurant is called "Karigari". This is located in Yelahanka in the famous Phoenix Mall of Asia on the highway to the International Airport.

I went with my family to lunch there some days ago. Naturally, you need to make a reservation as it can get crowded especially over the weekend. The decor was quite nice and at the entrance is a large size portrait of the Namak Shamak Chef! 

Once we were seated at out table, we spent some time choosing what looked interesting from the well-presented menu.  The pictures of some of the popular dishes made them that much more tempting 

To begin with we looked out for the drinks. Some of us chose Aaam Panna. The mango-based drink here was a blend of sweet and tangy. Cool and enjoyable. 

Some others - like my husband, Prem opted for his favourite: Kokam! He joked that it matched the colour of his shirt, but I knew he took it as it is both an appetiser and a digestive apart from being delicious to taste. 

For starters, we had the Pav Bhaji Fondue: an interesting take of Mumbai's famous Pav Bhaji eaten in a fondue style with a rich, spicy and totally yummy gravy.  

The other dishes we had were Dal Palak Methi Tadka, Butter Chicken and Chicken Ghee Roast. 

The Dal Palak Methi Tadka (black dal tempered with spinach and fresh fenugreek) was very flavourful apart from being nutritious. The Butter Chicken was the usual Punjabi style tomato- based, creamy gravy with succulent and boneless chicken.  The Chicken Ghee Roast- a famous dish from our Home State of Karnataka- was awesome. 

Adding to the taste of the dishes were three accompaniments. I especially liked the pickle made with raw papaya. 

There were many varieties of Indian breads to go with these dishes. We decided to enjoy these dishes with Charcoal Cheese House Special Naan. 

For dessert, again we chose different treats. Some chose the traditional Hyderabadi favourite: Shahi Tukda known here as "Tukda-e-Jam" 

Others - including me- chose to have the much recommended Mirchaan Wala Halwa. I was delighted to see the innovative plating for this dessert. As the name suggests, the dessert had a spicy sweet taste which made it one of the hits of the lunch! 

Overall, we had a good time at Karigari. The staff were efficient and courteous. They did not hassle us as we had a leisurely meal. 

I would recommend this restaurant for the quality of their food. The fact that it has the touch of Celebrity Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi makes it that much more special !!