Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get, goes the saying, and that’s true, especially of dining out, for the experience is never replicated in its entirety.  And as I entered this wonderland of culinary aromas, so very exotic,  (welcome to my city, people!) called Barbeque Nation, I experienced for the first time, the comfort and predictability of fulfilled expectations!

It’s not yet officially open, (it will be launched on the 9th), but in its pilot, for the people of Mangaluru, I must say, it displayed and conveyed the essence of this friendly city, where random strangers give you a warm smiles, in full measure.

There are three things that I look for in a place that serves my palate. The first being the food, of course. Second is the ambience of the place and third is the hospitality and quality of service.

An enchanting ambience
With a view of the beautifully bustling kitchen with the fire doing a somersault every five minutes, I took a kitchen-view table (my favorite kind of view), enjoying the classic melodies of the amazing 90’s playing in the background. The overall feel of the place is worth a mention.

As I settled down with my colleagues and photographer in a beautifully arranged and spacious area, with soothing and elegantly coloured walls that somehow lift your spirits, we were greeted by the most chivalrous person, the head manager Laxmanan who then brought to us a knowledgeable and patient waiter (those are a rarity these days) who didn’t fail to make us feel welcome with his million dollar smile (Ajay Dubey-ji, dil khush kar diya aapne)

With multitudinous culinary aromas wafting in from the kitchen – that’s why we took a kitchen side seat- “Let the hunger games begin” became our anthem. The BBQ flag on our table was flying at full mast. There would be no mourning for some time to come!

And they grilled me!
In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Years later, I dared to say, let there be good food and there was barbeque nation. Then I saw that the starters were good and dispelling the hollow sounds that my stomach made, they fired up the grill. And there was happiness and that was only the beginning. The hunger games had begun!

What began as an innocent date with a new restaurant, exploded into a full blown romance, with the special flavors of the Barbeque Nation special called ‘Cajun Spice Potatoes’- a brilliant amalgamation of spicy potato with a dash of paprika dipped in a strong yet soothing spicy mayo (a must-have), and then went on to a more serious rendezvous with the veg specials Dum-ka Kumbh mushroom and chatpata ananas (José the pineapple on a stick).

It was now time to get our hands dirty because the godfather of the bbq nation- the chicken- was in the house. Our chef, Sandeep, greeted us with his beautiful artwork- the cilantro chicken, the mirch masala tangdi and the masterpiece, the mutton ghilafi sheekh kabab.

As we decided to bring the flag on our table to half-mast, indicating that the war was only half won and the main battle remained, we decided to go for the pasta with white sauce.  After the fiesta of flavors from the grills, I must say I did feel a tad disappointed with this Italian dish. It lacked the moistness in the texture that I would have rather appreciated.

The dum biryani in the buffet that followed made my heart go woo a bit. Completely awash in a sea of rich flavors I chose to take a swim a second time. I don’t mind swimming in such waters, despite the cholesterol and calorie sharks marauding close by, reminding me of their presence time and again.

For dessert, I decided to go with the rather simple gulab jamun and vanilla ice cream which, out of the six other kinds of desserts, tasted mighty fine.

Finally, in the not-so-curious case of a Barbeque Nation, saving the best for last, I would give the restaurant five stars for their service and hospitality. From the ushers to the waiters, every one of them impressed me thoroughly with their warm demeanor and friendly nature, but persistence is the key.

I would definitely go back there to romance….. the food (first love you see), and come August 10th, I suggest you too, go with a loved one to the Barbeque Nation at  Mak Mall, Kanakanady, and share a wonderful dining experience. Cheers!

About the Author:

With a background in English Literature and a Masters Degree in Mass Communication and Journalism, Disha is currently working as an associate editor at News Karnataka. She has written several features for various publications and also has to her credit the publication of a national level paper on “Media Ethics and Social Responsibility”. A voracious reader, she enjoys writing songs and poetry as well.

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