2018 saw a flurry of startups in every lifestyle sector, be it food, fashion, wellness, beauty and more. Bengaluru is always buzzing with activity and there’s always something new and innovative with myriad choices to pick from. Many promising new ventures set shop in the city this year. Here’s a lowdown on some of them that left us impressed hands down…
BY NAMITA GUPTA
Ambience: This interactive space for brewing and bonhomie opened doors recently and is seeing packed houses every day. XOOX (pronounced Zooks), a “live craft brewing space” has introduced craft beer styles with delicious bites. Spread across three floors, XOOX is also a live entertainment hub with regular performances. Converting an old factory and a manufacturing unit into a brewery in a mill-like setting, XOOX Brewmill is the newest addition to Bengaluru’s brewing culture. The ground floor invites you into a vast pillared corridor with exposed brick work. We love the 3D Bar area against the backdrop of brewing vats with high bar stools to low slung chairs and furniture in cane and wood. There is also an outdoor seating area with an amphitheatre, camper style benches and a wood fired oven for freshly baked breads. The first floor offers a clear view of the brewing vats with seats running along the walls. Five circular back-lit windows and curated artworks are the focal point of this floor. This floor is also home to a DJ console and a live performance area. The terrace area has cozy seating under green pergolas with bar stool style high seats, comfy sofas and deep seat chairs in tan, cane and wood. There’s an exclusive Sushi bar on this terrace.
Man behind the making: Breaking Bread Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. is the brainchild of Rekhansh Karamchandani. “The 3P’s, namely – People, Product & Passion” are the core elements of XOOX. We aim to change trends by continuously offering unique beer styles paired with an International menu, so-to-say good things are here to stay because offering a little ‘Xtra’ than the ‘Ordinary’ (XO) is our motto,” says Rekhansh Karamchandani, owner, XOOX.
What’s hot: A well curated menu encompassing Modern Indian, Western, Oriental cuisine and global comfort food is what you can expect here. The brewery offers eight styles of craft beers and Signature Cocktails like the XOOX G&T — a gin, martini bianco, Campari, red wine reduction with grape, apple juice, and tonic water, the C&C (Coffee & Conversation) — gin, black coffee, rose water, orange bitters, ginger ale and The Asian Wife, an interesting cocktail made with vodka, lemongrass syrup, lychee juice, lime juice and lemongrass haze.
Besides staples such as Mint Juleps, Whiskey Sours, Bloody Mary, and Singapore Slings find a place under the Classics section along with the novel Gingerbread Mojito. Teetotalers can try non-alcoholic specials like the Kulhad Iced Tea in peach, orange, mint, passion fruit & lemon flavours. There is Thai Lemon Beef, Wasabi Cream Rock Prawns with Togarashi dust, and a Dehydrated Dosa with tomato & coconut chutney from the Nibblers section. The cold plates come with everything from Burrata with Peppered Pomodoro Basil Ice Cream and Aubergine Caviar to a Seafood Salad of baby octopus, cuttlefish, shrimp, tobiko & pickled veggies served with chilled tom yum spheres. Hot Plates include Bombay Ragda Patties, Tandoori Vegetable Chaat, Sarson Ka Paneer, Galouti Sheermal Pao & a Trio of Chicken. Some of the must-haves in the mains include Truffled Three Cheese, Red Rice Khichdi, Traditional Nasi Goreng, Squid Ink, Spelt & Barley Risotto, Srilankan Prawn Curry, Laal Maas and Pan Seared Norwegian Salmon. You can’t say no to delicious desserts like Buttermilk Panna Cotta, Tres Leche Cake, Motichoor Cheesecake, Japanese Lemon Drop and Peanut Butter Brownie with Roasted Almond Ice Cream.
Where: # 8, 80 Feet Road, Koramangala 5th Block, Near HDFC Bank, Bangalore. Call: +91 8296008571 / 72.
