Lunch at the Cumulus is a meal in a very happy place. The restaurant that opened recently is on the terrace of MAP (Museum of Art & Photography) on Kasturba Road. As I walk in, it looks like I have been transported to one of those fancy rooftop brunch places you see on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, albeit here, your view of the sky is interrupted by the UB city towers.
Smoor is the operator of the restaurant, and its name, Cumulus, draws inspiration from the skies above. Similar to how MAP’s vast art collection is hosted in the digital cloud, Cumulus aims to provide a dining experience that connects culinary pleasures with a view of the clouds.
The interiors are all white, including the tablecloth. Like I mentioned, it feels like the interiors of those fancy brunch places in California where wealthy ladies go. On a Monday afternoon, there is a lot of tranquility here, away from the fast-moving traffic below. You might expect it to be hot on the top floor without air conditioning, but surprisingly, it is not. There is a pleasant, gentle breeze coming through the open space.
Cumulus, Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Teriyaki chicken at Cumulus, Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The menu was full of delicious-sounding things such as chilli garlic baked prawn, trio bell pepper bruschetta and California roll. Just like any other cafe, the menu has Asian, continental and Mediterranean food to cater to a wider audience.
However there are not a whole bunch of edible reasons to be at Cumulus, other than the desserts. This is understandable because the kitchen does not have a traditional stove; instead, they use induction for cooking. So, it is clear that the food might not be as exciting, but it is not due to any lack of effort from the staff.
Tiramisu at Cumulus, Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Pan seared chicken | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The service is excellent, and Chef Anil Rana suggests trying the pan-seared cottage cheese marinated with pesto sauce, which we did. The pesto sauce adds herbal, nutty, and garlicky flavours that go well with the mild paneer, with a gentle saltiness.
Once we learned that everything is cooked using induction, the menu of baked items made more sense, and this also explained why there are no stir-frys on the Asian menu. So, we opted for a California Roll – a skillfully made sushi roll with carrot, cucumber, avocado, and pickled ginger. The roll is served with traditional condiments: wasabi and soy sauce. The sushi was definitely the highlight of my Monday lunch.
The cocktail menu includes classic options including mojito, bloody Mary, and cosmopolitan, as well as other choices. Since it is a Smoor-owned restaurant, it is recommended to try their delicious hot chocolate. We also sampled the Mayan hot chocolate, a creamy and bitter drink made with unsweetened chocolate, chilli peppers, and aromatic spices like ground cinnamon. It has a distinctive bitter flavour and a frothy, creamy texture — ideal for a cosy winter evening, perhaps.
Saving the best for last, the desserts on the menu, and the hot chocolate, compensate for any letdown from the appetizers. The pecan nut caramel tart features almond sable, hazelnut crunch, arriba milk chocolate cremeux, pecan nut caramel with pecan nut streusel, and honey nut crunch ice cream. Honestly, I still think about that caramel tart from time to time—the memories linger on.
A meal for two at Cumulus could approximately come up to ₹1,500.
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