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Step down to Sky

Sky Bar and Eatery at the Leela Palace is a mix of the Mediterranean and New Age

OPTIONS GET BETTER The chef at Sky offers a delectable fare and promises to keep the menu constantly evolving

Heading to a restaurant named Sky, we envisage being whisked up to an open space that would offer closer communion with nature. It seems a bit mystifying to be guided towards the subterranean, but two floors down, right next to the cement-floored nightclub Athena is the hippest, newest restaurant in town. Given the pollution levels and the uninviting vista of concrete blocks, perhaps climate-controlled indoors is a better option.

Vikrant Chougule, from the family that has given us Chateau Indage wines, is the owner of Athena and owns the Sky Bar and Eatery too. A very unmistakable reminder of his pedigree is the entrance that doubles as a wine cellar.

Pride of place

Within the restaurant too, the bar has pride of place and ample legroom for those packed weekends. Wine is indeed the drink du jour and there are sunken ice buckets set within the tables just in case someone should miss the point.

A glass of fine wine is the right accompaniment to view Sky's splendour. Sheets of glass offer more than a semblance of privacy between couches and there is enough distance between tables for conversations not to get picked up by unintended ears though we can't vouch for those who bellow into cellphones.

The interiors are styled fusing elements of a Mediterranean palace with that of a more modern lounge and restaurant. Vibrant red and green-stickered glass catches the eye and the rich patterns cast jewelled hues.

A happy mix of partygoers is there at the soft launch and the spacious 2,000 feet appears to expand to hold the guests who swell into the night.

Young Vikrant is keen that this avant-garde eatery should propel his mission of presenting the best of Indian cuisine with, you guessed it, with choice Indian wines.

Mumbai and Delhi already have Sky outlets and Bangalore is the third in this sophisticated chain.

It might not exactly revolutionise the way the city dines, but Chef Ramsey offers delectable fare and promises to keep the menu constantly evolving.

The menu features appetisers such as crab cake with creole mustard sauce and sweet and sour cucumber salad, galangal fried prawn wrapped with shredded filo and mango salsa, crumb fried brie cheese with cranberry reduction and mesclun lettuce, filo pastry filled with spinach and feta, roasted peppers and eggplant caviar and Saturday Night soup with herbs and beans.

For the main course, there are char-grilled salmon and sautéed asparagus, stir-fried bokchoy and baby corn, fettuccini with summer squash and eggplant, Sri Lankan kukul mas kari and Trinidad goat curry.

Desserts are wondrous too: rhubarb and blueberry crumble with vanilla ice-cream and almond tuille, tiramisu a la minute with oranges macerated in cointreau.

An average meal for two accompanied with a glass of wine each costs Rs. 1,300.

Sky is in Leela Palace and opens to the public on August 30. Call 41265417-18.

SANDHYA MENDONCA

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