Entouré by verdure, Forage is one of those few places I have been, where there is a lot of thought given to the space and food. Located in 6th Main Rd, HAL 2nd Stage, Defence Colony, Indiranagar, this is a perfect place to go for a date, to propose, or simply relax as if you are on vacation.

Though I have not met the Chef Himanshu Dimri ever, I have always heard very interesting things about him. What he sends to the table are thoughtful artwork and I would someday love to meet him & tell the same.

I have been there twice, once for dinner & next for lunch. Each time, I have been there, it gives me a different feeling. Recently I met a few friends at the Forage for lunch – while the Bangalore temperature soared high, the moment I stepped in, there was a calming effect. As i sat there, I gradually felt as if I am in a café in Pondicherry or somewhere far from Bangalore. I was on a vacation mode and gradually the usual tensions of day to day life receded. We gathered around good food and spoke so much about new things like botany painting, RCB, a friend’s recent visit to the USA. We spoke about mango chutney and we appreciated the green mangoes in the adjacent property. I believe we could do all these things due to the effect of the soothing music, great food and ambience.

Now coming to what all we had – it was a mélange of delicious and healthy eating – we started with nibbling on the sourdough along with the dip placed before us while we waited for the rest of the friends to make it to the venue. Once we were all there we ordered for

Cucumber, Capers & Peanut – with soy dressing, toasted nori & lettuce – a touch of chilli.

Fig Feta Salad – wine-soaked figs, oven roasted tomatoes and feta

Jalapeno mushroom pasta – tangy mushrooms, baby spinach and jalapeno spiced pasta with parmesan & lime

Beetroot Prawn pasta – rice pasta with prawns, thyme and zested lemon

Aubergine crostini – aubergine and tahini spread on sourdough bread with garlic garnished with pomegranate and mint

Petite lamb chops – with walnut pesto and baby potatoes

Beef Fillet – beef with shallot confit, pumpkin mash and sautéed mushrooms.

I loved them all – each starkly different from the other. The sauces are to die for. Even the vegetarian dishes are so good, that I didn’t mind licking the fork and the spoon, even after the last morsel had been polished off. Obviously, it is not possible to try all in one shot & therefore I need to go back again and again. The next time I am there – I have my list of dishes to try already on the top of my mind.

We ended the afternoon with “the chocolate torte” – the moment it is served on the table, just like a wild flower – it attracts you with the aroma and you fall in love with each bite. It is awfully sinister and I am ready to commit this sin over and over again.

The last thing we could not resist doing was take a tour of the terrace and click lots and lots of pictures amidst the greenery. Do make it a point to go to the terrace, just for a glimpse of the amazing work that Omal does here – apart from managing the operations. As visiting Forage, without appreciating this, there is something amiss.