The brew factor

Spiced delights

This is a special year for ‘Biere Club’, on Vittal Mallya Road, as it celebrates its fourth birthday; it’s neither too old, when it might be forgotten, nor is it raw and inexperienced. The brewery has a new menu and a revamped space.

While it has always found its footing in Mediterranean cuisine, it has also begun an exploration into a pan-Asian style of cooking. The heavily spiced dishes go well with their special homemade beers. From American lager to beers from Belgium, Ireland and Estonia, the whole lot is brewed at the quaint pub. For those willing to experiment with their brew, roasted malt, mango and spicy flavoured ones might be a good option.

Although they have retained some of their classic dishes, the new additions are many and captivate the attention of the diners. Szechwan flavours dominate the new menu, along with contemporary Indian dishes. For starters, the ‘pizza style samosas’ are a must-try. The gooey and saucy insides are a reminder of how good the Italian dish can taste, especially when combined with a traditional ‘samosa’ base. Vishal Nagpal, director of operations of ‘Biere Club’, says that they don’t intend to stick with one cuisine, but they’d rather experiment with different dishes that go well with a brew.

The ‘Rava fried fish’ is tender and also makes for a good tit-bit. According to Vishal, ‘Biere Club’ uses only basa for their fish dishes (unless it’s smoked salmon) as it’s less likely to be sent back. “It doesn’t smell or taste of fish, instead it takes on the flavours of the ingredients used. This makes it a favourite with diners,” he adds. Other appetisers include the traditional onion rings (what brewery is complete without them), hummus and (homemade) sweet potato chips, Asian cottage skewers, a vegetarian kebab platter and ‘Chilli coriander spicy chicken’.
The main course doesn’t prove to be a competition for the starters. There are lamb sheek kebabs, mutton skewers and Szechwan curry rices. The quesadilla, although a tad bit salty, is a better option than the ‘Tortellini pasta’. But the homemade peanut and mustard sauces are truly unique and add a distinct flavour as accompaniments. Try and stick to one cuisine when ordering food as the potpourri of spice, salt, sweet and sour will cause a ruckus on your palate.

The unnecessarily loud music makes it nearly impossible to chitchat (without raised voices), but the overall ambience makes it easy to relax in. With two level of good food and beverages, it is definitely a place to visit. ‘Biere Club’ is located at 20/2, Vittal Mallya Road.