European deli on Sarjapur turf

Flip over some palate pleasing entrees and mains as European fare finds a new abode in the newly opened Benito's

There's not much of nouvelle that you might like to excavate in the cuisine at the newly opened Benito's restaurant on Sarjapur Road, yet the cozy eatery promises a hearty dose of fair fodder from the European continent.

Drive past the Sarjapur Road and all you can see emanating out of the once-oh-so-green belt is a concrete mass of apartments, a new flyover, IT parks, malls and this all-white-walled exterior of Benito's on to your left.u00a0



Park outside on the bustling road and enter an unruffled territory where there's bonhomie in the air, even for the first timers. With Karma Chameleon blazing on the speakers apart from an eclectic mix of pop and soft rock, we knew we were in for some high jinks the evening we stopped by.

Already in one of those fine moods and ready to dig in, we soaked in the clean white and yellow insides and chose to skip the wines and entrees, though the restaurant seemed to offer a good selection of sauvignon blancs and chardonnays.

The menu is simple with a selection of salads, soups, entrees, main course and desserts. Trying a slice of pizza could well be a good sign of judging a European eatery and our order of a Benito's Special Veggie Pizza (Rs 175) reminded us of homemade pizzas.

Though the no-thin-crust pizza base didn't quite give it that exotic feel, what we did like was that the it came loaded with a host of veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, diced chunks of paneer and cheese and was quite a mouthful.

Though a tad bland on the first bite, we added in some seasoning of oregano, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and it was all gobbled up in no time.

A meal here is best left on your mood for indulging in the light or heavy, the simple or the elevated kind. We chose to find a middle path for our main course, and ordered a Lemon and Olive Chicken (Rs 195).

The grilled chicken came with a dash of lemon dressing and black olives served with mashed potatoes and diced zucchini.
u00a0
Though we would have preferred our chicken to be grilled to perfection, we got a medium cooked bite, butu00a0 the zingy lemon and olives added to the taste and saved the dish.

The Grilled Fish (Rs 230) was a snappy and soft, lightly grilled fillet tossed in a lemony, cream sauce with mashed potatoes and garlic bread on the side.
u00a0
Tender on the bite and not messed around with too much, just like fish should be, it retained its juicy flavours, with the lemon sauce lending it the required zing.

The Rich Chocolate Dessert, a decadent slice of rich chocolate cake served with chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream might give you reason enough to cheer up and retire for the night on a sweet note.

With lasagna, sizzlers, steaks, pastas, burgers and crepes on the menu, Benito's just needs to pull up a sock or two to be be touted to stand up for being a bonafide champ. Well, atleast in this part of the town, when you crave for a slice of Europe and the city traffic makes it tough to maneuver around.

At Benito's, next to Pragathi Motors, opp Ittina Soupernika, Sarjapur Road.
Call 2574 1690.
Meal for two Rs 700
Benito's didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals.