Idylll - Indian Plates & Cocktails — Restaurant in Bengaluru

Overcomplicated Plates, Underwhelming Basics I visited Idylll in Indiranagar, intrigued by their promise of Indian Plates & Cocktails. The first impression was good, rustic Indian décor with red-mud-style walls paired with gold accents, giving a rural-yet-upscale feel. Unfortunately, that was the highlight of the evening. We were seated on the first floor, which was noisier than expected for a place aiming to be gourmet. My partner went vegetarian, and I, the meat lover, was ready for some non-veg delights. After some debate, we ordered: Kathal (unripe jackfruit) & Brie Tikki Smoked Beetroot Galouti Lamb Tikki Kakori Kebab Before the food, I tried to order a Martini (The Martini Test: In my Opinion, any great cocktail bar should be judged by its simplest classic. If they can make a perfect Martini - balanced, cold, and crystal clear - you can safely trust they’ll handle the more elaborate cocktails with finesse). The waiter returned in two minutes to say it wasn’t available. I switched to Maker’s Mark with an orange twist, again not available. I finally settled for Suntory Toki, which, thankfully, they had… but it arrived without the orange twist. At that point, I gave up correcting. The food didn’t redeem the experience. Kathal & Brie Tikki: Bland tikki, chewy 2-inch roti base, drowned in a sour orange chutney. One bite and the kathal vanished into the void, leaving behind a mouthful of sour chewiness. Smoked Beetroot Galouti: Sweet beetroot paste atop a veg kebab. The sweetness wasn’t balanced by anything else, making it cloying. Kakori Kebab: Passable but lacking seasoning and using too much binder. Lamb Tikki: Served on ice cream sticks for no discernible reason, again with more binder than meat. All four starters were bite-sized and oddly presented on chewy roti bases. Dish after dish lacked balance, one too sour, one too sweet, and the rest bland. The menu says, “honoring India’s culinary heritage while embracing modern techniques”, but if you forget the basics, modern just becomes muddled. We were so disappointed with the starters that we skipped the mains entirely. The final sting came with the bill. Not only was there a 10% service charge, but they also levied 9% CGST and 9% SGST on that service charge, something unusual in Bangalore. Given the already inflated pricing, they can afford to pay their staff without such creative billing gymnastics.

Verdict: Idylll feels like it’s trying too hard to be inventive, piling on fancy ideas while forgetting the basics of flavor, balance, and service. Sadly, the style far outweighed the substance.

P.S: Team Idylll, if you read this, here’s a small suggestion to save the Kathal & Brie Tikki. Replace the sad piece of roti with same size red papad. Just get some red papad, cut them into smaller roundels, apply a very light coat of oil or ghee and pop them into a salamander or even a microwave. It needs to be snappy. This would not only add a nice crunch and give the dish some texture, it would also introduce some spice into the dish. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, reduce the amount of the...

Ambience – 4/5 The place has a lively vibe with both indoor and outdoor seating. You can choose from low and high chairs, counter-top bar seating, or even step into the separate smoking zones. Washrooms are well-maintained with separate ones for men and women, though only one person can use at a time. The lighting is spot on, creating a cozy atmosphere. A thoughtful touch is the small pouffe stools – perfect for keeping your belongings or resting your legs if you’re short.

Food – 5/5 The food is absolutely authentic and full of flavor. Their Indian fusion dishes are outstanding – especially the crab and prawn varieties. The meats were fresh, cooked to perfection, and packed with taste. A definite must-try for food lovers.

Drinks – 4/5 The bar is impressive with a full selection of cocktails. The gin-based local versions are highly recommended – beautifully crafted and hard to stop at just two. The drinkware complements the vibe and doesn’t look cheap, adding to the experience.

Service – 5/5 The service was exceptional! We went on a date, and the staff treated us with such warmth that it made the evening feel extra special. Whether by luck or culture, it felt like genuine hospitality. This is one of the main reasons I’d love to visit again and again.

One downside – there are a lot of steps, even at the main entrance, which might be inconvenient for some. But once you’re inside, the whole experience...

Who is giving them a 4.5 over Zomato when they do not even deserve a 1 or 2 for the awful food? Dude, you are a restaurant in sucha posh locality, surrounded by the best of the restaurants and still you are serving such bad food? They overhyped Idyll over Instagram and we went for a Sunday lunch only to realise that the food was awful especially veg starters. You travel for more than an hour just to reach a place and eat the worst possible food? We ordered the food as per the staff’s recommendation and they tasted awful and when we complained about it, they said, “yes, we are anyway removing it from the menu” Bro, if you are removing it, then why are you recommending it? Just for the one last customer to try? Idyll, you really have potential, please improvise on menu, food and food quality otherwise you won’t even see completing a year and the shutting down would be near! Please don’t waste your money and a Sunday lunch! Attaching the pictures of some worst food we ever ate: Especially that kulcha thing that looks like a cheap pizza, please do not even dare to order that if you love your life, JUST DO NOT ORDER! Maybe the server didn’t know what to recommend, he recommended the worst things on the menu! Idyll, please do something about your menu, or improvise the food, or maybe train your staff what to recommend in veg food! That 4k spend on sucha bad food thAt too on a Sunday still...