Express press service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sharing good food with your friends and family is undoubtedly one of the best weekend plans. City connoisseurs can now sample a myriad of continental and fusion flavors at the brand new BLND Restobar on the NH66 Bypass near the Technopark. The quaint and spacious interiors provide a comfortable space for foodies to try a mix of continental specialties and local dishes.
The multi-cuisine restaurant at SFS Homebridge opened about a month ago. The Quilon Roast Beef on Crostini is one of their must-try fusion dishes that the place is now becoming famous for. The starter is homemade with chunks of roast beef on small slices of crostini. BLND also offers a wide variety of international cuisines like Vietnamese rice noodle rolls, a traditional dish of Vietnam. The resto-bar has a bar counter and a separate dining room. The counter offers a range of wines – rosé, sparkling, red and white. Cocktails and beers are also part of the menu.
Meet
BLND’s private dining spaces provide privacy for guests to wine, dine and socialize, says Byju S Nair, Food and Beverage Manager at SFS Homebridge. The menu has also been defined accordingly. “Among the starters, I would recommend the Tandoor mixed grill platter consisting of chicken tikka, fish tikka, lamb seekh kebab, salad and mint chutney. It is served on a wooden board and can be shared by three people. All unique salads, soups, entrees and desserts have been carefully selected by Executive Chef, Bitto Mathew. For our fitness-minded customers, we also offer a range of healthy salads, such as the Pyramid Farm which features tomatoes, corn, lettuce, peppers and cabbage with a drizzle of raspberry vinaigrette. You can customize it with chicken. Vegetarians can opt for exciting offerings like the ‘sundal on papad’, which is a mix of white and black bengal gram and tempered peanuts with shredded coconut carvings on a papad base,” he explains. he.
Rice and shine!
The main course has more non-vegetarian varieties served with rice and bread of the customer’s choice. For lovers of traditional spicy cuisine, chemeen mulagau thakkali served with steamed rice or kallappams will be a satisfying choice for lunch or dinner.
If you want to be continental, go for Quarter N More, which features grilled chicken breasts and thighs served with mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables. The chef’s signature dish, quick-fried slices of beef with oyster sauce and black pepper served with yan chow fried rice, is sumptuous in every way.
Last but not least, BLND has also lined up a variety of desserts. Tiramisu and crème brûlée with candied ginger are among the European-inspired sweet treats. From the desi basket, the Mitai Bake – a fusion dessert where carrot halwa, gulab jamun and puff pastry are baked and topped with ghee and dried fruits – is the best seller.
Thirst Corner
BLND offers around eight signature mocktails. Standing out from the crowd, Purple Garden made with butterfly pea flower syrup, rosemary herb and sliced lemon and cucumber is refreshing. Kvass, a probiotic drink from Russia, tastes great and also helps boost digestion. The passion fruit and lemongrass martini is another best seller at their bar.
