Tucked in at the entrance of Wood Street, Nimisserie looks opulent and inviting from the outside. And once you step in – its all grand! A lifelike faux cherry blossom tree in the corner, a titanium filigree work ceiling, glittering mosaic mirror walls, white leather chairs and deep red velvet walls create a plush environment. Set up by Chef Nimish Bhatia – thus the name Nimisserie – the restaurant serves Aspect Cuisine (his own interpretation of Indian food) which is a mix of progressive and molecular gastronomy. (Use of avant-garde cooking techniques and equipment to transform flavours and presentations).
The a la carte menu consists of kebabs, soups, mains, breads, biryani and desserts. Along with this, there are special set menus: The Aspect Degustation (11 course meal); Aspect Epicure (9 course meal) and Aspect Bon Vivant (7 course meal). I opted for the Aspect Bon Vivant – I got to sample small portions of seven dishes. The meal began with a palate cleanser comprising papdi chaat, sour cream and pomegranate. This was followed by a reconstructed chilled samosa with a chooran bubble and hibiscus dust. A tangy samosa filling wrapped inside a chilled layer of melon skin – this was by far the most interesting ‘samosa’ I have eaten!
Next was a salad of smoked chicken breast with arugula, marigold flowers, basil, and dehydrated pineapple served up in a jar. The flavours were refreshing, the salad was crunchy with a hint of hickory smoke. The soup that followed was a tomato bubble (literally!) loaded with flowers, root veggies and fruity fragrances, with a fresh decant of herb infusion poured over. The soup is a complex dish prepared using molecular gastronomy. When you bite the tomato bubble, there’s a virtual explosion of flavours in your mouth. Delicious! And I’m not even a soup fan. Next was a cream cone filled with galauti kebab. The crispy layer of cone crumbles as you bite into it to release the warm kebab. Mmm…
I tried the Jamoon Chuski to cleanse the palate before the chicken tikka served with aerated makhani and green olive garlic naan. The chicken was succulent and the makhani served in a miniature copper pan was scrumptious. I finished the meal with Mishti Doi Brulee plated up on a slate with a mini cycle rickshaw.
CHEF CHAT
Defining aspect
For me food is a celebration when you go out to eat with your family, friends, colleagues or anyone special.
Conversations over food are great. So at my restaurant you get ‘plated celebrations’. Food in a conventional chronological order is boring… Interesting is ‘three, four, one, five’ with an element of surprise! That’s my thought, my dream for the last 30 years. And I think i have been able to convert it onto a plate at Nimisserie.
Innovative flavours
It’s about a little madness and junoon in thought. At Nimisserie, it is a culinary conversion of ingredients. I use a lot of molecular gastronomy. Since Indian food is naturally heavy, the dishes here are trans-fat free and easily digestible. But I didn’t want to Anglicise the taste, you will still find the chatpatapan of Indian food. And there’s no fusion of different cuisines.
I serve butter chicken with aerated makhani; this process makes the makhani three times more in volume but 30% lighter. While making the biryani, I mix vermicelli that makes it more delicious. I have added elements in my dishes that my grandmother used in her cooking. Those forgotten ingredients are given a new twist in my kitchen. Like the Dodda bread, a mix of raddish and maize flour, yogurt and butter. Here, I serve it with Arabian yogurt and mint. I use a lot of aam papad, choorans, flower dust, chutneys.
Food and senses
Food is a sensuous journey; it is not just about the five senses… Visualise this scenario, if you are dining with someone, his opinion about the food will influence your taste. If someone says “Wow this food looks great”, even if the dish tastes average, you will find it tasty. At Nimisserie, we like to dazzle the senses, and want the food to be remembered. And finally, if the food becomes an experience it’s a winner.
Food should not just taste good but also look good. To achieve this, along with the usual crockery – slate plates, miniature pressure cookers and copper pans, cycle rickshaw, broken teapots are used here to plate up dishes.
Why Bangalore?
I just love this city. I feel Bangalore is a place with a lot of population that come under the age bracket of 28-40 with deeper pockets, working couples and nuclear families. Generally here people don’t want to cook for more than two days a week.
I also feel this is the only place in India where you will find truly well-travelled people. In Delhi, people have a lot of money and their day may start with chola bhatura and end with butter chicken. In Kolkata people don’t spend money, even the rich are happy eating jhalmuri. On the other hand, Chennai is very conservative and they like to eat only their food; Mumbai is very expensive and business like – this will work only in few pockets in the city. And in Hyderabad there is less scope for fine cuisine, they are happy eating meat and biryani!
City’s changing gastronomy
Bangalore has not only evolved but has thrown out its old gown. Earlier, this city was known for idli and coffee, a pensioner’s paradise with a ‘chill maadi’ way of life. Now, there is so much happening in the city; and gastronomically people don’t want to eat the same thing anymore. They still like their idlis and coffee but frequency has reduced. The soul of the city has changed, now it wears a glittering gown that shines brightly.
Karnatake cuisine
I have researched 39 different cuisines of India. When it comes to Karnataka cuisine, it’s not just about ragi mudde, sappu saaru, or Mysore masala dosa. It has a mix of various indigenous cuisines and influences such as the Mysore cuisine of the kings and Wadiyars, Muslim nuances, Coorgi food, Mangalore and Kundapur cuisine, Udupi’s Shree Krishna cuisine, north Karnataka food such as bajra, jowar rotis and chutneys…
Whatsup Loves
Tavakerie – an Indian version of Teppanyaki, where the food is cooked live as per your preference
Naanerie – Exotic breads (kulchas) in flavours such as date and duck, pork teriyaki, apricot and chilli, chooran and green apple, beetroot, rosemary and goat cheese
Kebaberie – Kebabs slow cooked in a horizontal rotator tandoor hung from the ceiling called the Mystic Tandoor
Whats on offer:
Degustation menu:
11-course priced at `3,950 plus taxes
9-course priced at `2,950 plus taxes
7-course priced at `1,950 plus taxes
A la carte pricing: `2,500 for a meal for two
Book a table at: Nimisserie, 120,
Brigade Road, Off Wood Street, Bangalore
+91 80 40988989
Visit: nimisserie.com