My neighborhood is known to host some of the best hotel properties of Bangalore. I may sound over-confident but that doesn't change the equation. Very recently, I visited this beautiful and sophisticated Pan-Asian rooftop offering tucked away in possibly one of the most expansive hotel properties in Bangalore. Driving into the property itself is an absolute pleasure. This rooftop restaurant is also an apt place to lounge and soak in the wonderful weather Bangalore has to offer especially around this time of the year.
You possibly have guessed it by now, "I am speaking of none other that 'OKO'". I love the concept of Bento meals which offers personalized portions of multiple meal courses allowing you to explore a cuisine of interest. Going a step ahead, sometimes it also allows for customization of what goes into the Bento meal.
Being served for lunch at OKO it is called 'Bubbly Bento'; for the bento meal comes with a glass of bubbly to savor. Here one can choose a bento meal being offered for 3 cuisines - Japanese, Thai and Chinese. Interestingly, it is also possible for you to customize the box to include more than one cuisine if you may wish.
Each of the cuisines are available in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. My Bubbly Bento meal was customized to offer a mix of Chinese and Thai dishes. Here's a look at a wholesome Asian meal:
The above box was a nice mix of the somethings Chinese and something Thai. The soup was 'Tom Yum Kai' was fragrant Thai with Thai spices and exuded distinct hot and sour flavors. Lemongrass, Kaffir lime leave and Galangal were clearly felt and contributed to a lasting after taste. In the salad it was the Thai classic 'Som Tam Thai'. It's a salad that can easily go wrong but when it's right it has the potential to kill your appetite for the remaining cuisines you may have planned for your meal. The flavors were bang with an interesting medley of flavors and textures like sour, chili, sweetness, crunch and so on.
The bento meal also comprised of delicious and succulent 'Szechwan La Ji'; a delicious and succulent preparation of chicken with chili bean sauce. The flavor was distinct and the chicken was melt in mouth. The stir fried Chinese greens were light on the stomach and perfectly blanched to retain the much required crunch. Both the chicken and the stir fry greens were best enjoyed on their own or with the accompanying Thai jasmine rice.
The meal was enjoyed in the company of a lovely glass of Sula Brut sparkling wine; the buttery texture and the complex flavors of which best complimented the milder Asian dishes.
I'm in love with sushi and given a chance I'd be more than willing to make a complete meal out of it. Unable to resist the temptation, I gave an assortment of sushi a shot. There was 'Maki sushi' (rolls), 'Nigiri sushi platter' (Meat on a lump of sushi rice) and 'Sashimi platter' (just meat). Describing the ingredients as top quality or fresh will be an understatement and this clearly reflected in the taste.
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| Maki Sushi |
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| Sashimi Platter |
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| Nigiri Sushi |
It was time to call it a meal and having chosen a mix of Thai and Chinese bento, the dessert of my choice was the obvious 'Tab Tim Grob' - water chestnuts in coconut milk with a heap of shaved ice. It's the best way to end a meal at any Thai restaurant and for me it did make for a perfect ending to a lovely meal.
Continuing the indulgence on sushi, Chef Tenzin brought out her signature that was rightly kept for the end - 'Chocolate Sushi'. This was rich and indulgent with a chunky stick of chocolate ganache stick used a s filling and melted dark chocolate to coat the sushi rice. In short it was a burst of richness in the mouth.
The bento bubbly meal is very well priced at Rs. 899++ for vegetarians and Rs. 999++ for non-vegetarians. Here's leaving you with more reason to visit OKO. For table reservations please call +918030527777.
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| The Lovely Bar Counter |
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| DimSums |
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| Restaurant Seating |
Bon Appetit!
Address: Oko, Hotel Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa Road, High Grounds, Bangalore
Phone Number: +91 80 3052 7777
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