Indra Nagar, 12th Main Road has yet another cool new joint. Punkah House opened there recently and I got to check out their offerings.
Ambiance
Punkah House is very different from the other run of the mill places in Indra Nagar. The moment I stepped in, I felt I was transported to a whole other era - colonial times when pucca sahibs used to end their long days with a drink and dinner at the club.
The interiors are all colonial style with vintage cane chairs, plush leather couches, beautiful Chinese vases, and other vintage knick-knacks. Lots of dark wood paneling, and everything made to look like a Gentleman's club from the 1800s.
- Lovely warm ambience in Punkah House
- Terrace seating area
The interiors just encourage you to lounge and take it slow. And that's what we did. We took ownership of a comfy window-side sofa and just caught up with each other late into the night.
Drinks
Their drinks also are an ode to a time long gone. Cocktails such as The Rangoon Connection pay tribute to Indians who migrated to/from Rangoon. Bengal Sour harks back to the partition of Bengal by the British.
One highlight is their variety of gins.
They also have the most incredible barrel-aged cocktails. I tried The Brigadier, which is a combination of Bourbon, absinthe, coffee and orange bitters, and angostura bitters. If you are in the mood for a strong, manly concoction, this is the one I would recommend.
Btw, all their drinks are pleasantly strong. No watering down of the drinks here!
Food
Punkah House's food menu draws on the rich gourmet traditions of India, Ceylon and Burma, three nations united by a shared history.
I tried a variety of food from their incredibly diverse menu and here are some highlights I'd like to share.
Awesome Dawsome #1: Asparagus Foogath
Asparagus foogath on the left and chicken flatbread on the rightBread might seem a very unglamorous food to highlight, but the best kind of bread creates a certain joy and contentment (all that serotonin!) that no other kind of food can bestow, in my humble opinion.
And the bread in Punkah House was the tops! Their wood-fired flatbreads are baked with sourdough using starters that are made in house.
Just amazingly fresh and tasty!
Awesome Dawsome #2: Pulled jackfruit with Mangalore Buns
Jackfruit is not something I enjoy normally. Eaten raw as a fruit, I am not fond of its pungent smell, its overly sweet taste, and meaty texture. Hence, this is not a dish I would normally order for myself.
But it was around on the table and I tried a spoonful with the Mangalore buns, and ended up loving it! I pretty much finished this dish all by myself. It's that good!
A must-try if you like jackfruit.
Awesome Dawsome #3: Decadent desserts
- Pineapple sorbet
- Kapimisu Brioche
- Chocolate eton mess
Punkah House has a small but very interesting dessert menu ranging from regular desserts to dessert wines/cocktails, and even dessert teas and coffees.
We were super intrigued by the dessert wine offerings, but since we all had to drive back home soon, it didn't seem a responsible decision. Instead we stuck to their regular desserts.
Overall thoughts on Punkah House
Love! Love! Love! This is one of those joints that have got it absolutely note-perfect. It's the perfect place for a sophisticated sun-downer with friends.
Details
Address:
First & Second Floor,
2989/B, 12th Main Rd,
HAL 2nd Stage,
Indiranagar, Bengaluru,
Karnataka 560008
Phone: 080 4147 1005
Cost: Meal for two - Rs. 2500/-
Nish
Voracious reader, vegetarian foodie, mostly armchair traveler, and frequent online shopper. I love to talk about all these passions (and other things happening in my life) in this blog.
