Travel-inspired bar and kitchen takes you on a culinary voyage around the world

Hot Spiced Cinnamon Rum PicsDatta KumbharBefore stepping into Reise a new ldquotravelinspiredrdquo allday bar and kitchen by Oriental Residency you expect to find a tackily doneup restaurant featuring kitschy bits and bobs from around the globe However you will be surprised by what greets the eye The space which gets its name from the German word for travel or journey is tasteful and understated with chic elements like leathercovered binoculars metal ship replicas and framed travel photographs lining a single wallCrystal Veg Dim SumOwner Akshat Shetty an avid traveller himself informs us that soon they will be asking patrons to provide their own travel photographs or souvenirs if they like which will add a personal touch to the spaceA wall featuring travel inspirationsSince Reise is at its core still a bar the menu features more bar grub than heavy mains The dishes all developed by food consultant Roshan Ashok Seth have been divided by region Asia Europe Middle East Africa America and India The bar menu has the usual suspects as well as a selection of eight cocktails that hail from different parts of the worldArbi Andhra ChillyA journey to rememberThe standout dish is an unexpected one the Arbi Andhra Chilly 190 which features taro root stir fried in a green Andhra masala It wins our vote for two reasons mdash firstly because the taro is cooked to perfection crispy on the outside thanks to a riceflour dusting and mushy on the inside secondly the heat in the dish makes it the perfect companion to a glass of beerVideshi KhichdiThe second dish that makes us swoon is the Videshi Khichdi 250 which would normally have found its way into the category of sacrilegious fusion foods to avoid This version though manages to strike just the right balance between the ohsocomforting dal khichdi and the rich creamy Italian risottoDesi Scotch Eggs with Mint ChutneyAlso worth mentioning is the Desi Scotch Eggs with Mint Chutney 250 which substitutes the egg yolk with a gooey flavouredcheese filling Among the other great dishes we try is the Kane Rava Fry 200 a Mangaloreanstyle fish fry that is a tribute to Shettyrsquos rootsWe also try two of the cocktails the Hot Spiced Cinnamon Rum 275 a warm rumandorange juice drink spiced with cinnamon and star anise and the Mudslide 400 a chilled medley of chocolate and coffeebased flavours that leaves nothing to be desiredAlmost thereFrom the Middle EastAfrican section of the menu we try the African Chicken Balls 190 These meatballs in their home region are traditionally made with beef and coated in a tomatobased sauce However at Reise the chefs have chosen to steer clear of controversy and go with meatballs made with subtly spiced white meat The dish lacks the gravy element but to compensate although not adequately we are served parsley chutney and a tamarind dipThe Asian section features four types of dimsum Crystal Veg Dim Sum 210 Spinach and Parmesan Cheese Dim Sum 250 Prawns Dim Sum 260 and Smoked Chicken Dim Sum 230 While the four picks manage to hit all the right spots in terms of flavours and textures our only grouse was the casing on all of them which we felt could have been more delicateOverall the food and alcohol provide great value for money So if you live or work in the area Reise is a nice spot to step into for lunch or postwork drinks