“It's the eye of the tiger,
It's the thrill of the fight,
Rising up to the challenge of our rival,
And the last known survivor,
Stalks his prey in the night
And he's watching us all with the eye of the tiger” – Survivor
Background:
Immortalized by Sylvester Stallone in ‘The Rocky’ Series,
this song(Eye Of The Tiger) truly epitomizes the magnificence of the tiger. This was the
first thing that came to my mind when we visited the ‘Tiger Trail’ restaurant
at the Ramada Hotel. The British in the early 19th Century, scoured
various parts of India looking for the elusive tiger. They ended up creating a
collection of places where the tigers were more likely to be spotted, a collection
now more fondly known as ‘The Tiger Trail’. Interestingly, since these places
were all across India, including places like Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore, Kanha, Kabini
and Jim Corbett, it made sense to group the best of the dishes from each of
these places. The Tiger Trail aims to add a modern influence to some of these
classic dishes.
Location/Ambience
Situated in the bustling locale of Shivajinagar, this
property has been around for a long time. Several patrons we talked to fondly
recall their memories of visiting this place, when this was the only fine-dine in
this area.
Located on the ground floor of The Ramada, this place has
a décor celebrating the reign of the tiger across India. There is a small
section in the corner where liquor is also served. The ambience reminds one of
the bygone era, where visiting restaurants was more about the company and the occasion,
rather than the food itself.
True to its theme, the Tiger Trail has an extensive menu
in terms of Cuisine from all Over India. Being in a large group, we were
fortunate enough to try a large part of the menu. Here are some of the dishes
that stood out for me.
Dahi Kebabs: A vegetarian delight, perfect Dahi kebabs
are a rarity in Bangalore. These ones hit the right notes with a crispy outer
layer, and a soft, creamy layer dahi filling inside. Definitely one of my fav. Starters
here.
Blue Cheese Malai Tikka Twist: When Awadhi Malai Tikka,
met French Blue Cheese, this dish was born. Super-creamy malai tikka served
with a garnish of cheese, on a shot glass filled with a tangy tamarid chutney,
this was a delightful; modern take on the age-old malai tikka.
Kabini Chicken Curry: This was a superb rendition of the
chicken curry with tangy and spicy elements from Mangalorean cuisine thrown
into the mix.
Ranthambore Laal Maas: A Rajasthani dish, that is
notoriously hard to get perfectly right, right from the correct cut of meat to
the perfect blend of authentic spices that this dish requires. The version
here, wasn’t as memorable a dish as it should have been. While the meat was
cooked nicely, it probably lacked the experience that comes from cooking
typical Rajasthani non-veg food.
Dessert
The ‘Harsha’
Sundae: A golden oldie from Bangalore, this was being served long before
the nitro-filled gimmicks came in, is pure-old fashioned ice-cream goodness.
3 Scoops of Ice-cream, myriad syrups and several more toppings make up this calorie-intensive
dessert. Not for the faint of heart, but we definitely enjoyed this ice-cream.
Verdict
There are few restaurants in Bangalore that have stood
the test of time, but Tiger Trail is one of those good ones, that has aged
gracefully. The name might have changed, but the sincerity and passion is
evident in the cooking. While re-inventing some of the classics, this place
definitely ha food that needs to be tried to be appreciated. Recommended if you
are in the mood for something from the jungle!
