Tilt Gastro Lounge
Koramangala is one of the largest neighborhoods in Bangalore with trees lined up along the roads, commercial structures and loads of opulent apartments and bungalows. This locality has turned out to be a hangout for people of all ages ergo this place is a hotspot for aspiring food & beverage entrepreneurs. I cannot even try to comprehend the number of restaurants, pubs and eateries in this locality- definitely more than a hundred. The only other area which comes close to this highly sought after locality is Indira Nagar.
Frankly, if you decide to go clubbing or plan to eat out at Koramangala- you are literally spoilt for choices. There are eateries that flaunt cuisines from all over India and to a certain extent, over the world. Almost every other day there is a new pub (or a restaurant, a resto-pub), opening its doors- trying to woo the scores of people who spend their weekend in this neighborhood. With soo many to choose from and most of them serving more or less the same array of beverages and grub, how does an establishment convince a customer to choose them over another? The answer is not as simple as it sounds- be different.
A few weeks backs, Austin D’souza the General Manager of Tilt invited me to his lounge. He had mentioned something about fresh fruit puree cocktails and that kind of got me interested. After a couple of busy weekends, I was finally able to visit this lounge- so, this is about my experience at Tilt.
Tilt is a Gastro Lounge located in the same lane as Truffles and within walking distance of Empire Restaurant. They have ample parking space which is a blessing, considering the fact that finding a parking spot can be frustrating in this locality. Not to mention they go one step further in providing valet parking services as well.
Tilt is roughly divided into three sections- one, you will find this section as you walk into the lounge- it has a thick glass overhead which lets in natural light during day time. Even if it tends to get a little warm, they have air-condition to keep you comfy. The other section is the dance floor which is adjacent to the bar counter and there are a couple of tables to park your tush when your tired dancing. The third section or should I say, the most in-demand VIP section is located on both sides of the DJ console- reservation is a must if your thinking about sitting here.
We were welcomed by Ashley (I believe he was the restaurant manager) and felt special when he let us sit in the VIP section. The couch is very comfy and overlooks the dance floor; I also learnt from Austin that the VIP section is sort-of a private area since the disco-lights are just a few meters from where we sat and when it flashes down, none from below can see the one seated above (if you get what am saying). There is also a smoking-section which is again extended during weekends or party nights. The overall interior decor is simple yet elegant and the work of art here and there are visually arresting.
Anyways we started off with four of their signature cocktails,
Sex On The Beach
Passionera
Planter’s Punch
Singapore Sling
Pornstar Martini – Austin told me about how particular they were about the fruit puree being used in these cocktails. The fresh fruit puree is all imported and kept in the blast chiller so that the natural flavor is not lost. This was pretty evident in the cocktails and summed up for the very refreshing taste. I had a special liking for the Singapore Sling which looked soo vibrant and inviting, paralleled only by its energizing taste.
For starters, we had
Bloody Mary Fingers – an interesting mix of mashed veggies coated with bread crumb and deep fried, served with a blood-red dip which pretty much is why it was named ‘Bloody Mary’.
Budhi Ka Baal – another delicious starter- Reshmi Kebab coated with egg-white. Although it looked interesting, I suggest not burying the Reshmi Kebab in the egg-white as you may come across customers that may not have an affinity to egg-white. To keep the dish intact, you could have a thin-to-medium line of egg-white to ensure the element is there and if someone doesn’t want it, they could spoon it away with their fork/spoon.
Prawny Prawny to Scrony – personally, the winner- fresh produce makes for amazing stir-fry.
It was just the two of us and we were starting to feel a little full, and so decided to go with main course. There were quite a few interesting options on the menu but we were a little skeptical about the quantity- why waste. From the ‘Revolutionary Burgers’ section, we placed an order for the Oriental Express – a Thai flavored chicken patty with chillies. FYI, the buns are baked in-house and served with slaw and chilli fries (excerpt from the menu).
Oh my! What a heavenly indulgence- the patty was cooked perfectly, it was juicy and lip smacking good!
Pretty sure by the time we devoured this ‘Revolutionary Burger’ we could hardly move and decided to call it a day. Austin insisted that we try the Deconstructed Tiramisu for dessert and what can I say- a little dessert, doesn’t hurt!
I couldn’t have thought of a better way to sign off this review- the Tiramisu was definitely worth it. I am not a big fan of dessert but, I sure as hell can tell you if one tastes amazing! After dessert, Austin showed us the bar counter and had us sample the beer which was stored in a keg inside the blast chiller. He even told us about how the bartenders were trained by a professional who was brought in from the UK. After an exchange of pleasantries we left Tilt with a broad smile- my overall experience at Tilt was unique (for lack of a better word). Although there are several lounges in this locality, Tilt’s idea of having fresh fruit puree in their cocktails complimented with some delectable array of starters and entree dishes would incline me to visit here again. The next time around, possibly in a group, office folks maybe.
