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Monday, October 12, 2015

8th FBAB Meet up @ Absolute Barbecue, BTM ( and of course the review !! )

As the clock raced towards 7:00 pm and the storm clouds loomed on the horizon, I sent out a quick prayer to heaven. Having braved the fury of the rain Gods last Sunday ( the 7th FBAB meet up), I was in no mood for a encore at such a short interval. Especially when I needed to get though the Silk Board Junction which is the "Lakshman Rekha",the mythical boundary, for folks commuting from Marathahalli. I always have second thoughts when I have to take this route.

Mercifully, the clouds retreated and we were able to make the trip without any traffic hassle as the rain threat ensured that many people stayed indoors. Locating the restaurant was no hassle either as it is located next to an Indian Oil petrol bunk and the ground floor of the building is rented out by Reliance Fresh. Once we reached, we were promptly ushered into the restaurant and led to this huge table set up for the FBAB members. There were quite a few new faces, bearing testimony to the growing popularity of FBAB. A quick round of introductions and the table was all set for the barbecue.











































Starting with the American cheesy potatoes(nice), the cheese corn balls (muaah), the mutton gilafi sheek (turned out to be somewhat dry) and tandoori Tangdi (nice and juicy), almost 11-12 starters, including prawns and fish were served at the table. Apart from the cheese corn balls, Murgh boti and the tandoori tangdi, which stood out, the rest of the dishes turned out to be pretty ok.


















One surprise element though was the barbecued pineapple which was not mentioned on the menu. With an amazing caramelized flavour and texture, it made everyone swoon.

Now coming to the USP of the place, the 'Wish Grill' is something that just needs to be experienced.

















Men at work. The energy at this place is palpable and one just feels like spending a few moments checking out how they coordinate it all. Clockwork precision.

The 'Wish Grill' is made up of an exotic selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian ingredients which are paired with AB's signature sauces. You wish for it and they cook it for you. Normally one is expected to walk up to the 'wish grill' , pick up their choice ingredient and the sauce, and return to table. Once it is reday, the staff pick it up from the grill and serve it at one's table. Simple enough.

































I tried quite a few of their exotic meats/seafood and my vote goes for the squid !!! Cooked to perfection with undertones of coconut and subtle spices, it was a rare enough treat. Even the shark meat is worth a mention. Sadly the duck turned out to be too chewy.

This is what I wished for !!


And that is how they served it !!






























I will go with the latter anyday...what about you ???

Moving on to the main course, there were quite a few hidden gems. And I was glad that I took the effort to try some of it even though I was quite full after the barbecue and the wish grill. The AB's special dal turned out to be subtly rich and bursting with flavors while the Sri Lankan Prawn Curry was just out of this world. One of the best prawn curries that I have ever tried, it had the juiciest prawns buffeted by a gravy that almost felt like a caress on the tongue. Now I am getting a craving for it even as I write this review. The Noorani paneer is also worth a mention as it is something that all vegetarians would love.










No visit to AB's is complete without sampling some of their delicious desserts. Mind blowing variety and some pretty crazy stuff too.























Ghewar with Rabdi ?? Two outstanding dishes but sadly incompatible !! The unfortunate marriage resulted in each one losing out it's own essence. Reminded me of some of the translated books that I have read. 'Bereft of a soul', as I would like to put it.




















Best among the lot ??



















The Paan Icecream !!! Yay....I scream, u scream, we all scream for Icecream !!!


And finally, introducing the man behind a million smiles....ask those lovely ladies (and some guys too) who were queuing up for the Stone cold icecreams !!



















































Thank you for being patient with us and obliging us as we struggled to capture the perfect frame !!

Overall, a great experience with food and the foodies. It is always a pleasure to interact with people who can talk the talk when it comes to food. Thank you Absolute Barbecue for the awesome experience. And I am definitely coming back for the wish grill and the Sri Lankan Prawn curry !!!

Adding this as an afterthought. As I have been to their Marathahalli branch earlier, I could not resist comparing it with the newly opened one at BTM. Personally, I would pick the former any day as it is a lot more spacious and has dim lighting which gives the feel of being in a fine dining restaurant. The interiors are tastefully done and the menu is also great. Just a few small changes. Subtle but effective.




AB's - Absolute Barbecues Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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