It's smokin' hot

For those who know the owners of 'Cafe Thulp',  Gautam Krishnankutty and Padmakumar Pillai, the opening of their new venture 'The Smoke Co.' doesn't come as a surprise. They have been teasing meat lovers across the city with some of their creations and a few months ago, they finally opened the doors of the restaurant for foodies.  

It took a little over two years to perfect every  item that is offered on the menu and there will be a few more added to the menu very soon.

Unlike the normal practice of  discarding food that was prepared a couple of days before, 'The Smoke Co.' believes in serving certain dishes that have been stored for months.  It is a combination of age-old European and Southern American practices of curing and ageing of meats.  

But just before you get started with the food, you have to appreciate the decor of the restaurant. It actually comes as a breath of fresh air on the busy streets of Koramangala. It is designed in earthy tiles, with glass walls and an open kitchen. The steps will take you to the formal dining area and restrooms. There is also the second floor for 'Primal Bar', which  is a live music hub that serves some delicious smoked, cured and aged meats with signature drinks.    

And now, let's start with the menu. The perfect way to taste some of the popular items on the menu is to select the 'Charcuterie platter' which allows you to choose any four items. The 'Country aged ham' has the right amount of saltiness while the 'Bresaola and genoa salami' has a slight tinge of sweetness to it, but not in a way that it overpowers your palate. For fish lovers, the 'Teriyaki smoked mackerel' is definitely a dream come true. Pair your meats with the fruit compote for the complete experience.

The 'Smoke platter' offers the 'Eight-hour smoked and pulled pork', 'Maryland pit beef', 'St Louis rib' and 'Kielbasa'.  Each of these meats has distinct flavours that will leave you wanting for more.  

There needs to be a special mention of their in-house special  - the 'Smoked bone marrow'. The bone marrow has a crispy top layer and when you scoop it out with the sourdough bread, you'll get the most buttery marrow that gives you the perfect kick of spices and caramelised  flavour. There will also be a maramalade that you can spread on the marrow and bread.  

There's a lot that you can eat here but leave room for dessert. The 'Flourless chocolate cake' is the definition of heaven on a plate with the rich coffee flavour that oozes out of it. The surprise element is the magic rocks that pop in your mouth! For those who want to enjoy a lighter dessert, the 'Flan with burnt caramel', served with orange brandy sauce and honeycomb, is just perfect.  

Overall 'The Smoke Co.' is one of those places that you have to find time to visit. The meats, sauces and breads are all made in-house, which makes it all the merrier.

The restaurant is located next to The Koramangala Club, CA-17, 6th  Cross, 6th  Block  Koramangala. For details, call 46218500.