Foo Brigade Road — Restaurant in Bengaluru

After an overwhelming experience on Food, Service and Ambiance, I decided to go back to Foo - Asian Tapas for our Anniversary celebration lunch along with BIL & his family on a Sunday Afternoon, and here is what we savoured.

Kickstarted with our favourite Charcoal Har Gow, which was fantastic as usual, and two portions were just not enough for this gang of seven. But we did discover something new, the Sriracha Chicken dumpling which became our new favourite, with the perfect spice kick and a voluptuous meat to dough ratio, so ordered this a couple of times too.

We did plan to order their Japanese Prawn Tempura just so, only to discover this version looked exactly like the one served in Misu. Last time at Misu we found the tempura a bit underwhelming, because of the dipping sauce, but not here at Foo. Though there was an excess of flour covering the meaty prawns, I loved the tendercook on the prawns and the seasoning was just right. The two sauces, a wasabi cream and a soy dipping, was on point, perfect to the core, and everyone at the table loved the wasabi cream, but me and my daughter stuck to the classic salty soy.

The Foo Chili Chicken was another new discovery in this visit and we all enjoyed this mildly spicy chicken stir fry that packed a balanced punch.

To accompany all this, we picked up a couple of Peach Iced tea, our favourite from the previous visit, but the Guava Togarashi did not impress much. The classic milk boba tea was another stunner that went a couple of rounds around the table too.

For mains we ordered Foo Hakka Noodles, another repeat from our previous visit, Thai Green Curry with steamed jasmine rice, and Japanese Blue Fried Rice. The hakka noodles were just right, beautifully tossed, loads of veggies and chicken, a wonderful start. The Thai Green curry was mild, not overtly spicy, but it was right for the mixed bunch of adults and kids, especially with the jasmine rice. The Japanese blue fried rice was excellent, nice garlic flavour, mildly charred, smoky, thankfully no one except me loved it, so I got to enjoy the entire portion.

Coming to the slightly underwhelming parts of the meal, the soup definitely tops the list, primarily because of the tiny portions, but edamame in sweet corn soup, maybe not. The Hot & Sour soup was decent with some meaty flavours, but again we had a problem with the portion, best avoided, and instead you could order another one of their fabulous starters.

For desserts we had ordered the Mount Foo-ji and beautifully presented tall dessert tower that had some fresh cut fruits, on a bed of ice, with five mini bowls of individual desserts, ranging from a chocolate hazelnut cup, to some asian inspired ice cream scoops, to a pudding and a cake. Overall it was a mixed bag, and apart from the chocolate and mango pudding, others weren't impressive to the bunch.

Service this time was not as attentive as last time, a bit slow, but thanks to Tarik, we were able to fasttrack our dessert order before BIL could leave. The family loved the ambiance and did take a couple of selfies for the gram, especially around the wishing tree.

In Spite of the minor disappointments, it was a fantastic meal and my daughter and I are definitely coming back here for another meal,...

Disclaimer: only had the small plates. I will go back once to try their sushi and large plates.

There is always a crazy wait time for Foo, and this time was no exception - we reserved a table for 4, 2 days in advance and could only get a 3 pm slot for Sunday lunch. But I suppose it goes with being one of the most happening places in Bangalore right now.

Here is what we ordered:

Miso soup - 8/10, very nice miso and tofu. The kombu broth was also yum Sweet corn soup - 6/10, it was good but nothing mind blowing. It was virtually indistinguishable from any sweet corn soup. So for this price point, I'd expect more Pork dumplings - 8.5/10, very flavourful filling (and generous quantity of filling), but the wrapper kept breaking apart. Also you get only 3 pieces per plate Chicken gyoza - 4/10, very thick and chewy wrapper. The filling was meh, and the outside wasn't crisped enough. C'mon guys, this you can do better Golden sea bass - 8/10, the shoyu broth kind thing it came with was so so good! The fish was a bit fishy, and as usual, the portion was a joke, but still, the dish was solid Salmon carpaccio - 10/10, absolute banger of a dish. Incredibly well balanced, tasty and fun to eat Hunan spicy potatoes - 8/10, there was a very interesting coating outside the potato which gave it an interesting texture. I am always a fan when you can do something more to the humble potato Mongolian Chicken - 6/10, the chicken was a little dry and the sauce it was tossed in didn't really do much for the dish Honey noodles - 3/10, the noodles were super large and hard to eat. The quantity of ice cream was not enough to offset this otherwise incredibly dry dessert Sesame cheesecake - 5/10, a decent cheesecake but like, there are better cheesecakes out there Foo Queen cocktail - 9/10, excellent drink Yuzu mojito mocktail - 8/10, excellent drink (although it was mostly ice, just a few ml of actual drink)

The total bill was ~9600 INR (even though we ordered only 1 alcoholic drink and beer). The service is excellent and prompt, no complaints. It is also a massive restuarant, which works well for big groups. They really do make some excellent cocktails.

But I think at this price point, I'd expect the food to better, and the portions to be slightly more generous (like you can give 4 dumplings per plate, c'mon). The desserts have a lot of room for improvement.

One small nitpick: they have a "gluten free" menu, and you'd think "oh great, gluten free noodles and other options" but nope, it is just the exact same rice dishes in their main menu, written separately 🙃

I'll see you again Foo, let's see how your...

Foo: A Splurge-Worthy Pan-Asian Experience

Foo had been on our must-try list for ages, and last Saturday, we finally made it! This upscale Pan-Asian restaurant lives up to its reputation as a special occasion destination. Expect five-star prices for a truly delightful experience, with a minor misstep that could easily be corrected.

Ambiance and Location:

Located in the swanky Forum Rex Walk on Brigade Road, Foo sits amidst other high-end establishments like Pangeo and Punjab Grill. Parking is expensive (Rs 150 minimum for 2 hours), reflecting the area's exclusivity. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends, as the place was packed despite its large size. The crowd skewed slightly mature, with a cool and sophisticated vibe.

Food First:

Unlike many Bangalore restaurants that prioritize decor over food, Foo shines with its focus on flavor. We opted for a vegetarian feast, and everything was excellent:

Broccoli and Tofu Soup Dimsum Basket Butter Chilli Babycorn and Potatoes (perfect bar snack!) Veg Hakka Noodles Mapo Cottage Cheese

Each dish was bursting with taste, making it a memorable culinary journey.

A Pricey Indulgence:

While the exact prices of each dish escape me, our bill for three (2 adults and 1 child) came to Rs 4100. This is definitely on the steeper side, justifying Foo's special occasion status. Be prepared for a potential Rs 10,000 bill if you indulge in additional cocktails, mocktails, and entrees. Some pricing, like the Rs 375 for a small glass of Thai Lemonade (around 250ml), felt a tad excessive.

Portion Sizes and Service:

Portions are on the smaller side, with appetizers barely enough for two people. The dim sums were also noticeably smaller compared to other restaurants like Mainland China. Service was generally good, with our waiter and manager checking in frequently.

However, one major misstep occurred when we ordered soup for two. The server inexplicably brought one bowl and transferred it spoon by spoon to another bowl at the table. This felt unhygienic, not a fine-dining experience and is a practice we've never encountered elsewhere. Improvement here is crucial.

The Verdict:

Despite the service hiccup, Foo delivered a lovely and memorable experience with outstanding food and drinks. If you're looking to splurge on a special occasion, Foo is definitely worth a visit. Just be prepared for the price tag and manage your expectations regarding...