Imagine yourself holidaying in Greece, wandering through the small towns of Italy or spending a night under the Kenyan sky.
Bastian Garden City interior. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Located on St. Mark’s Road, Bastian Garden City might be your answer to those much-anticipated trips. Designed by interior designer Minal Chopra, the restaurant is set in a converted 60-year-old bungalow covered by lush greenery and an enchanting atmosphere that provides a respite from the urban bustle. Co-founded by actor Shilpa Shetty the Bengaluru outlet has a more relaxed setting in contrast to their Mumbai outpost, which seems constantly buzzing with the city’s it crowd.
The décor draws inspiration from holiday destinations around the world, and the boho-chic vibe is complemented with cool-tone interiors in shades of beige, white and taupe. The hues of a neutral palette intertwine with statement design elements such as the sprawling open bar, lazily undulating vertical ceiling fans, and modern chandeliers that cast a warm glow.
The space is spread across 22,000 square feet with two levels, one that opens up into an alfresco dining area, a nice addition for those particularly breezy evenings.
The décor draws inspiration from global travels, and the boho-chic vibe is complemented well with cool-tone interiors in shades of beige, white and taupe, | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“Converting the first floor of the bungalow was a labour of love. Harnessing natural light became a priority, prompting us to embrace glass ceilings and open up the space from all sides. This transformation not only invited the outdoors in but also allowed us to showcase the beauty of the surrounding old trees,” said Ranjit Bindra, managing director and founder of Bastian Garden City.
Like Mumbai, Bastian in Bengaluru features a seafood-forward menu. “A large part of the menu is the same as Bombay, but we have also tried to incorporate some local seasonal ingredients that we get here, as a lot of our seafood comes from Mangaluru,” says executive Chef Daniel Hernandez Punzo.
We try the pan-fried salmon, topped with creamed spinach and a parmesan puff. The salty salmon exudes freshness, and complements the creamy spinach. We also order the crab roll, which consists of crab meat combined with fresh, aromatic herbs including basil, and coriander with house-made ponzu drizzled on top, along with rich truffle oil.
Pan-fried salmon. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
While Bastian is famous for its seafood-forward menu, the meat dishes are thoughtfully curated like their tenderloin tiradito combined with chipotle ponzu and pico de gallo relish, then topped with crispy corn strips. We also try the pork belly, on Daniel’s recommendation. You know meat is well-done when it is juicy at its first bite. The pork is pan seared in gochujang glaze, with pickled onion, topped with crispy garlic and sesame.
Crab rolls. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Mango tres leches cake. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The meal ends with mango tres leches cake, a favourite of Chef Dhiraj Jankar from the pastry department. If you prefer something more Instagrammable — after all, social media has become an essential part of the Bastian experience — try the feuilletine ‘pull me up’ cake. It tastes as good as it looks, with dense chocolate cake layered with chocolate sauce, then topped with chocolate shavings.
Lotus kunafa cheesecake. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
