Living in a food lover's paradise, it is not easy to pick just 3 favourite places in Bengaluru. So, sharing my three current favourites.

Mekong - Uniting the threads of SE Asian flavours

A delightfully beautiful rooftop restaurant overlooking the placid Kaikondrahalli Lake, Mekong is my first pick. One of the rare restaurants where the ambiance truly complements and enhances the food. Standing true to its namesake trans-boundary river, Mekong has menu with sections marked out for different country clusters while keeping the flavours quite clearly distinct from each other. For me, some of the standout dishes from the Mekong kitchen have to be the Khao Suey , Lamb Rendang, Pandanus Leaf Chicken, Char Siew Pork Ribs and Crab Meat Soup. If the ala carte seems complex, then one can opt for the buffet. Besides the gorgeous lake-front view and the beautiful array of pan-Asian food, this casual dining place can truly boast about its extremely warm and friendly service staff. A pocket friendly place that also just happens to have good parking space, Mekong, is my current go-to pan Asian place.

Bon South - A truly underrated South Indian Treat!

Strictly for folks with large appetite, Bon South offers a buffet spread that will leave you happily exhausted. The decor is reflective of South Indian households and the service is great. The strength of this place is undoubtedly the food, the starters in particular. The sheer number of never ending veg and non-veg starters are absolutely delicious. The USP of Bon South is the creativity behind the interesting twists given to the familiar flavours. Go beyond the starters to relish more culinary pleasures. Their buffet is a revelation and you will surprise yourself with your true appetite.

P.S- I dare you stop after just one shot of Elaneer Payasam!

Mother Cluckers Bar - A carnivore's delight

Mother Cluckers Bar, has plenty of uniqueness that will draw you there repeatedly. The industrial decor created by the exposed brick walls, low focused lights, wooden table tops, seating makes for an informal grunge ambience. For me the food here is one up over the drinks. A non-veg haven that offers one of the best line up of sinful appetisers like the Pork Spare Ribs, Pork Chilli, BBQ Wings, Topped Nachos and the Clucker Steak... to list a few. If in a group, order cocktail pitchers, because besides being deliciously potent, it is also fun. You have to order one to know why! A perfect way to unwind in the evening or take a break from a mundane day, Mother Cluckers Bar is just that place.
Ambica Selvam is a food enthusiast who loves to cook, style and photograph food. She is a pug lover and is unconditionally in love with cinnamon! She blogs at lingeringaftertaste.com