Third time charm

Your old favourite Continental eatery Friends has an all new branch at HSR Layout now and we stopped by for a recce

When a restaurant named Grigliato sets up shop you do get intrigued to check what's in store. On our recent drive past the once calm and tranquil HSR Layout that has suddenly transformed into a concrete jungle, we spotted this cozy new joint and decided to stop by for a bite. This Continental eatery is spacious and is done up with rubber and wood furniture, but the maroon curtains mar the whole cute bistro look and needs to be hidden from view fast.



Split into two levels, Grigliato was empty on the day we stopped by, which served as a boon for us as it made the service prompt. One look at the menu and we realised we had seen it somewhere. Every page seemed to remind us of the popular-with-college-goers Friends restaurant and it'su00a0 branch Rendezvous, which is quite a rage with bachelor guzzlers in Koramangala. The names of the dishes and their prices and pictures on the menu were kept intact and we had to find out if it was a branch of these two popular eateries. And we were spot on.
Grigliato is this Euro cuisine restaurant's third branch, but all the three names have been kept innovative and different. Grigliato is derived from the Italian word grigliare meaning to grill or barbeque. Though there are many grilled dishes on the menu, grills are not the only way the food is served here. In fact, one can be spoilt for choice with the extensive menu serving pizzas, pastas, baked and grilled dishes and even Chinese.

Steering clear from Chinese we chose to stick to European cuisine this time, which is their specialty. But before we could call in for our dishes, we just had to settle down with an Iced Tea (R 49) and it was a perfect thirst quencher for this time of the year.

Our main course order was a Baked Fish with Shrimps (R 128) and a Baby corn Spinach Au gratin (R 118). The vegetarian Au gratin was served first to me by an uninformed waiter who was oblivious and negligent passing on the dish as Baked Fish. One look and I could see the greens and had to check with the other staff present.

The dish then was passed to my vegetarian dining companion. I did sample a bite and it was creamy with a healthy dose of baby corn and spinach. It was mopped up in no time along with some garlic bread.

The Baked Fish followed and had the same thick creamy white sauce base, but with a good helping of fish and shrimps this time. On the taste front, both dishes passed our palate tester. I also tried a Chicken Lasagne (R 175) and didn't find it very appetizing. Small chunks of chicken tucked in layers of lasagne sheet tasted a tad bland, since it fell short on the sauce that needs to be layered too. The dish is alright for those times when you're with friends and want to fill your tummy over some banter. But if you're serious about the right taste, then it's as good as passable.

They also serve Chocolate Mousse and ice creams for desserts, but since the quantity of the main course dishes served was quite a platefull, we didn't want to stuff ourselves. Grigliato is surrounded by a bevy of chic apartment complexes and a few IT offices down the lane and on that front offers a reasonably decent dining option and the best part is that it certainly won't make a dent in your pockets.