Make salsa not war, reads one of the many wacky one liners on the quirky and captivating menu at the newly opened Gorilla Barfare in Koramangala. The decor designed by the founder and owner Rajiv Ramnane himself maintains this theme. We loved the minimal bohemian yet classy American look with vintage cars and bikes hanging from the ceiling or super heroes tearing out from the canvas on the wall et al. A collector himself, Rajiv has made sure every piece of artwork on the wall is engaging and has a story to tell… for instance – there’s a Wall of Fame about Little Harambe who began his journey in Brownsville, Texas. Or the late General Mogambo who was a collector of all things animated. While munching on pizzas and going bananas he led the PAC-MAN Ghost troupe who were instrumental in the Gorilla Barfare movement. His eloquent taste in punk rock was evident as he painted the town yellow in his Har-Amby. At the end it was that darn brain freeze which caught him off guard in a Frozen Margarita standoff. And that’s what you’ll find here – Fresh fruit cocktails and margaritas straight from the slush machine with snow crushed ice. We loved the selection of seasonal fresh fruit cocktails and mocktails that add the right zing. Perfect for the summer!
The journey of Gorilla Barfare started about a year ago as they exchanged ideas with friends and design professionals, from eventually breaking load-bearing beams to artistes exploding their talent across the walls of the space. The final outcome – it has lots of pretty spots (read Instagram friendly), surrounded by lush indoor greens and a stunning outdoor deck where you can cross your legs and watch your typical Bengaluru neighborhood abuzz with activities while you have found your zone.
Well, once you’re done admiring the walls and the menu, it’s time for the important part. The food does the talking here and it’s hearty, wholesome and finger-licking delicious. Backed by many decades in the hospitality business, the chefs under the aegis of Rajiv, know their food darn well. No wonder then that this establishment has stood the test of time against heavily funded chain of restaurants that scale up quickly.
Its summer time and that meant something cool to start off. Since we stopped by during the lunch hour, we decided to skip the beer for one of our evening rendezvous later and opted for the Oreo Shake instead. The drink was served in a tall glass and this cool, creamy, chocolatey treat was a case in point and set the right tone to begin our meal. We nibbled on some crunchy Nachos topped with chicken and steamed chicken momos that were heavenly parcels of delight. We wiped the nachos bowl clean in no time. You can also try the regular bar fare like the Chicken tikkas, Andhra chilli chicken, Mutton chops, Bruschetta, Loaded beefy fries, Honey glazed mushrooms etc.
If you like your pizzas then Gorilla Barfare is the place to head to for their scrumptious wood-fired pizzas. You can pick from hand tossed or thin crust. We picked the thin crust for our Pizza called Countryside with toppings of tomato sauce, grilled chicken, corn, olives, cilantro and fresh mozzarella. It was filling and delicious, just how the wood-fired oven pizzas are meant to be. On chefs recommendation we also tried the Giardiniera, a vegetarian pizza with a pesto base, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, arugula and fresh mozzarella for toppings. If you’re not big on pizzas then there’s also a great selection of burgers with an option of build your own burger and sandwiches.
Here, you don’t bother about that winged liner or distressed denim, walk in dressed in your pyjamas and they love you for that. Catch up for drinks after work, a girls night out or a college reunion, you are sure to have a gorrillafic time.
Where: Gorilla Barfare, 467, 80 Feet Rd, 6th Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru
Call: 098860 78879
Meal for two: Rs 1,000.
