An invite to a renowned restaurant under the umbrella of a long known brand (Goldfinch) is certain to fill your evening with lot of excitement and titillation. The Kabab Studio (TKS) has a lot to offer in terms of buffet spread as it includes live grill, live ice cream counter, mouthwatering Kababs and a host of vegetarian and non vegetarian main course dishes.

LOCATION – It is located off Race Course road offering a grand view of the race course. You need to take a left turn at the signal which is right after HDFC Bank ATM. 50m down that road, take the first left and there you reach your destination.

AMBIANCE –
As we arrived we were greeted warmly and guided to the terrace where this mind blowing set up was laid out – A contemporary themed restaurant. The entire outlook was effulgent. Right from the state-of-the-art furniture to the magnificent lighting effects, we were no doubt wheedled. First thing you notice on entering is the welcome gesture in the form of a statue depicting a chef busy with his grills!

We were pretty early for a dinner on a Monday evening  The place was almost empty and we had the luxury of choosing where we preferred to sit. We chose to sit outdoors in haste but did not regret the decision one bit as we neared the table. Everything seemed perfect under the luminous sky, cool breeze hitting our puerile souls exfoliating it and elevating our moods in a swift. The table had a live grill with ultra-modern crockery.

HOSPITALITY –
We were overwhelmed as the staff explained to us in detail what went into the making of each dish as they served them. Staff here is well-trained and comply with industry standards. Much needed care is taken to keep the air in here incredibly convivial and contented. This place should be commended for its hospitality and is one amongst the best hands down.

MUSIC – This place had a live Hindi Ghazal Orchestra which quadrupled the feeling no doubt. They sang Bollywood Hindi songs from the 80s and 90s and also offered to sing songs on request by the audience by using Music Request Cards placed on every table, which was remarkable. They were quiet good in their tunes and seemed to take pleasure in their work. We enjoyed every bit of it as we sated our hunger with some tasty food and mean while were entertained to the core.

BEVERAGES – TKS has pulled off this part of the menu in a very fashionable manner. They offer a wide range of exotic and brilliantly prepared cocktails and mock-tails. One can easily get confused on seeing plethora of items on the menu. We at the outset ordered one cocktail and mocktail each.

• TKS OK – Presentation of this drink was very innovative. The glass was held securely inside a strong brass lantern housing. I was confused as to how it is supposed to be consumed and that’s when the staff pointed out to a small opening from which a tiny straw peeped outwards. Took a sip and sensed a distinctive sharp taste. Major flavors which I could identify were that of fresh orange, vanilla and basil.
• THE LAST TEA – My initial doubt was if this could be a twisted version of The Long Island Ice Tea which is available universally. But I was proved wrong as this was a Vodka based cocktail. It had Lemon and Elaichi extracts along with sugar syrup. The secondary flavor does justice to its name as you get hints of tea, because of tea bags used while preparing this cocktail. It was presented in a transparent kettle like container and came along with a small glass. Had lot of smoky effect to it, which was achieved by dry ice. The presentation was spectacular. The concept here is that you are supposed to pour it down in a similar manner as you pour tea and then drink!

The first two drinks were so inviting that we had another round of this blissful session.

• SPICY GUAVA – Served in a tall glass with salt at its edges. The drink had a spicy flavor at the beginning and end of every sip. Lots of spices adorn this drink, basically chili, pepper, Tabasco sauce, mint and guava extracts.
• TEDHI MEDHI MARTINI – Lot of blue smoky effects on this one because of false bottom containing dry ice. This is a Gin based cocktail having the best flavors of Tamarind, Cucumber, Coriander and green apple extracts.

STARTERS –
We were offered a variety of kebabs and starters. A live grill was set up on the table. As the kebabs were grilling we enjoyed Panner Tikka, Kalmi Kabab, Mutton Sheekh Kabab, Cottage Cheese Croquette which was served on the table. Live grill contains some interesting palatable array of Kababs. Mushroom, Pineapple and Paneer grills were the options for veg folks whereas the non-veg section included Murg, Fish fillets (Basa) and tailed prawns (Yamini Jhinga).

These appetizers were complimented with six varieties of dips / sauces which were served in stunning chai glasses, they were – Mint, Chili, Onion Pickle, Pudina, Sweet Tomato and Garlic mayo. My personal favorite was garlic mayo!

Salad options are huge. You can find almost all the exotic veggies and fruits mixed in different combinations. Bhindi Kurkure salad stood out as finding ladies finger in salad platter was a first time for me. Other options available were Grilled Veg Mayo Salad, Bitter Gourd Salad, Green Salad, Egg Caesar Salad and Cucumber Pineapple Salad.

Another thing worth mentioning is the availability of Chat options where you can savor some authentic North Indian inspired preparations. We wanted to try some and ended up ordering Paani Puri and Dahi Puri.

MAIN COURSE – We then moved on to main course and were literally spoilt for choices. Table housing the pans have been colored green and red based on what they contained (veg or non veg).

Though we had small servings of all the available curries, our favorites were Ghost Risala, Hunan Prawn and Murg Haimirchi in non veg section and Amritsari Chole, Aloo Currypatawali and Kadai Paneer in veg section.

Other options available are a mix of Chinese, Continental and our very own Indian cuisine, to name a few – Sofiyana Ghost Biryani, Veg Hakka Noodles, Penne Arrabiata and Curd Rice.

Sofiyana Ghost Biryani is a must have here, tempting aroma and fragrance associated with it does justify its royal name.

Roti (assorted Indian bread) here is served in a very fancy way. It doesn’t come in a basket as we are used to, instead i would say it ‘arrives’ on a truck. The assortment contains- Butter Naan, Tandoori Roti, Rumali Roti, Coriander Kulcha, Amritsari Kulcha (stuffed) and Garlic Naan.

DESSERT –  This section is totally different from in comparison to other live grill restaurants because the options here are so much different when compared to what you get elsewhere. Plenty in numbers as well and you can dig into all of them – North Indian inspired Fruit Rabadi, delicious Sweet curd, colorful Kiwi Cheese cake, melt on tongue Malai Sandwich and the lip-smacking Chocolate cream pie.

Best part about this is the live ice cream counter where you get custom made stoned ice creams. We were confused here and asked the person to make his best preparation, and what we got was butterscotch flavored ice cream base mashed with Nuts, Gems, Tutty Fruity, Oreo biscuits and topped with Chocolate sauce in the end. You also got an assortment of freshly cut fruits which can translate into a fruit bowl.

At the end you have a small Paan counter as well, this was a nice touch as many people prefer to have this simple ethnic chew to compliment a wholesome meal, for me it was a perfect end to this superb, innovative and brilliantly plattered gastronomical journey.

FINAL TAKE – The Kabab Studio materialized to be a pearl in oyster. A much needed break from routine. It is located away from the usual restaurant hubs (which is SoBa) of Bangalore making it a superb option for people who want ultra fine dining experience with a very innovative touch. Overall, it is total value for money because the experience here when clubbed with superb food and beverage options makes TKS a brilliant foodie destination. Definitely recommended!!