Let your senses take you on a journey through the Orient with Bengaluru’s haute new Kitchen & Bar
Text by Namita Gupta
You’ve tried the Teppanyaki, now make way to the Robatayaki (chicken, meat, seafood and vegetables are slow-grilled to perfection in a choice of yakitori, miso, karashi sauce, Korean gojujan, Chinese hoisin glaze, butter garlic glaze yakiniku or spicy Thai fish sauce over hot charcoal on skewers); you’ve tried the prix-fixe lunches, now tuck in from the Bento Boxes and Donburis (Japanese rice bowl dish with fish, meat, vegetables etc simmered together and served over rice), you’ve sipped on the daiquiris, margaritas and mojitos, now guzzle from pitchers of pimms (a gin-based drink containing a secret mixture of herbs and liqueurs as an aid to digestion). It’s all about fresh, new, innovative Japanese, Pan Asian and Nikkei cuisine (a mix of Japanese and Peruvian); it’s gourmet with a whole lot of finesse and flair and Anirudh Kheny, Chethan Hegde, Vijayasarathy and Haris Ali, partners, Plate Project Hospitality with their stellar team helmed by Chef Mako Ravindran and Chef Manjit Singh, 1Q1 Kitchen & Bar are here to mince no words, but to focus on mincing and marinating their meats to perfection.
Must-haves: Satiate your culinary cravings with sumptuous Sui Mai, superlative Sushi or decadent dim sums. Other must-haves include the Sushi Roll, Rainbow Roll, Lava Roll, Umami Prawns, Agedashi Tofu, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Lamb Massaman Curry, Korean Bibimbap, Steamed fish with Oyster sauce, Har Gaw, Chiken Gyoza, Singapore Soft Shell Pepper Crab and Matcha and Raspberry Ice Cream Meringue Cake. Each of the dishes on the menu is unique and curated with distinct flavours and mild spices that do not overpower the essence of the meats, seafood or the veggies.
Signature cocktails: It’s all about handcrafted cocktails and spirited revelry. Try the Smokin’ Jazz, Rising Sun, Devil’s Tail, Berryly Legal, Drunken Love, Chilli Bitters, Mulled Wines, Hot-buttered Rum or the Twisted Classics like the Frozen Coconut Daiquiri, Chamomile Margarita, Asian Mule and Smoked New York Sour.
Design: As you enter 1Q1, the simple act of dining transforms into a sensorial experience with a flair for drama. Styled to resonate the Art Deco architecture, it is partitioned into an elegant fine dining area for a relaxed sit-down meal, a high-energy space that houses a stage for live performances and DJ nights, an oval-shaped island bar and an outdoor alfresco dining area where you can sit by the robatayaki grill. Conceptualised and designed by Khosla & Associates, the grand sprawling interiors are interspersed with contemporary interpretations. The luxe interiors are marked by soaring vaulted arches, warm lighting, ziggurat patterned frieze artworks and original deco cabinetry.
Chef’s speak: Chef Mako Ravindran and Chef Manjit Singh, Food & Beverage Consultants at 1Q1 bring their experience in terms of kitchen design and also with the innovative food and cocktails that they promise will change with every season. “Our idea is to keep evolving and dishing out something to look forward to every time diners come back. We’re building cocktails from scratch and using rare ingredients that one wouldn’t normally use, we’re smoking our cocktails and reducing dependency on monins and creating our own syrups for better control over the taste,” shares Manjit about how he’s literally raising the bar a few notches higher. “There is an enigma in everything as you watch skilled bartenders craft intoxicating cocktails and shake up concoctions with bold new flavours from the orient. The presentation and the taste vary from dish to dish; the classic sushi is presented traditionally, whereas the South American sushi has a Latin personality,” adds Chef Mako Ravindran.
The man behind the making: Anirudh Kheny, Partner, 1Q1, says, “It all began with a desire to create a space that we ourselves would love to spend time in and when we chanced upon this location, we knew nothing less than spectacular would do justice to this space with eclectic cuisine, crafted cocktails and entertainment in an ambience that is dramatic.”
Where: 1Q1, No.1, Queens Road, Bengaluru-1. Call: 080 4805 0101.
