It's different

Source :The Hindu :Bangaluru :MARIANNE DE NAZARETH: 15th Oct 2011

Luckily, eating ‘healthy' need not be unappetising, as we found at Healthy Affair.

It has finally hit us. Finally across the board, we city dwellers have realised that eating ‘healthy' and ‘organic' is the way to go. And strangely it is the NRI who has come back who is driving that message home, especially here in Bengaluru.

All in-house

On offer was a pairing of Indian wines with a set dinner menu. As we began with dainty Bruschettas, Krupa Dass, the young and dynamic owner, told us that even the bread for the bruschettas was made in-house.

“Only whole wheat flour and olive oil is used. We do not buy anything frozen; every piece of meat is fresh and even the fish is bought on a daily basis,” she said. “That is our USP, because after coming back to Bengaluru from San Francisco, I found there was nowhere in the city where I could get a meal free of preservatives and saturated fats. All our masalas and dressings are made in-house and even our pesto and peanut sauce is made minus butter and heavy fats.”

Luscious grilled prawns and a Satay Chicken with peanut sauce were served as appetisers. The peanut sauce was thicker than we are used to with Thai Satay but it was flavoursome and different. Big Banyan Sauvignon Blanc was the wine paired with our starters.

We crunched our way through an Organic Healthy Affair Rocket Salad mixed with generous slices of grilled chicken, encrusted with spices, chilli flakes and marinated in pineapple and lime juice with a sprinkle of walnuts; ambrosial. The last time I had a salad as distinctive was in Amsterdam.

“We go to Anekal to a farm run by an old couple to buy our salad leaves,” reveals Brian Ireland, head steward. The dressing was light and flavoursome and did not sit heavily in our tummies.

Veggies can enjoy Bruschettas with garlic and herb mushroom or grilled potato with capsicum and pineapple appetisers washed down with a large glass of Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.

For the main course, a Chicken Sizzler with a thick mushroom sauce was served along with a glass of Shiraz wine.

Main course

The steak was well done and yet the meat was tender, thickly basted with the sauce and served with a generous helping of fresh and crunchy broccoli. The Grapefruit Indian Salmon is another of their signature dishes.

For us old Bengaluruans who had a pomelo tree in our homes, the slightly bittersweet distinctive flavour of the grapefruit was a piquant contrast to the meaty salmon. The sauce could have been thicker and was just swirled over the slice of salmon. A glass of Rosa Rossa made the dish that much more enjoyable.

Veggies can order either a Veg sizzler or Pineapple Eggplant with a Shiraz or Caberenet Sauvignon.

Despite eating so much, the feeling of being stuffed was missing and we had room for dessert. A large helping of Grilled Banana drizzled with caramalised brown sugar or honey and a scoop of natural ice cream rounded off an enjoyable meal.

Quick facts

Where it is: Healthy Affair, 2041, 1st Cross, 17th Main, HAL, 2nd Stage, Indranagar, Bangalore 560008. Call +919900690600 for reservations

Wallet factor: Rs. 1800–2000 for two with wine

USP: All ingredients are freshly procured and organic

Service: Unobtrusive, quick and helpful