A burst of exotic flavour

Galito's is the place to go. Credit: DH Photo/Farheen Hussain

If you are in the mood for exotic flavourful food, Galito's is the place to go. Serving South African cuisine, Galito's holds equal appeal for both vegetarians and non-veg lovers. When you walk into the eatery at Vega City Mall, the colourful interiors will instantly add a pep to your mood. The vibrant hanging lights complement the comfortable seating, prepping you for a filling meal.

If you've just walked in from the heat and frustrating city traffic, the Kiwi Mojito will refresh you like nothing else.

Immersing ourselves in the breezy ambience and music at Galito's, we started off with 'Chick-E-Naise', which is basically cheese, chicken and herbs on garlic bread. The flavours are subtle, yet appealing. Its vegetarian counterpart - cheesy toast - is equally good.

The restaurant offers guests a choice of four flavours while placing the order on all dishes - mild, lemon herb, hot or extra hot. If these are not enough, their five in-house sauces are a delight for foodies who crave the right blend of flavours and heat in their food. We particularly liked their lemon and herb sauce, which had the right balance of tang and spice (you can even buy a bottle to take home.)

Combotada. Credit: DH Photo/Farheen Hussain

Prawn Espetada. Credit: DH Photo/Farheen Hussain

Galito's was started in South Africa in 1996. The South African casual dining restaurant was brought to India by Abu Dhabi-based Tablez Food Company, the food and Beverage arm of the LuLu International Group. The Tablez Food Company has now spread the eatery's operations across the UAE, Sri Lanka and India.

Among the starters, the Chicken and Pineapple Sosaties are a treat. It bursts with flavours from the first bite and will leave you wanting more.

Rice bowl and grilled chicken. Credit: DH Photo/Farheen Hussain

Galito's speciality, the Flame Grilled chicken, glistens golden outside and is nicely cooked inside. It just melts in your mouth. You can order a portion - say half, quarter or full - if you're worried about wastage. There is an option of ordering up to two sides with your main course, which can be selected from about 10 options on offer. These include rice, fries and potato wedges.

Don't forget to try the Galito's specials - Espetada and Combotada. You can pick from prawns, chicken or even vegetarian options. They are served on skewers and are a treat for both sight and tongue. We tried the Prawn Espetada as we felt the chicken option is best enjoyed when grilled.

No matter which meat you chose, you will find it cooked to perfection.

Malva pudding. Credit: DH Photo/Farheen Hussain

As the meat served at Galito's is fresh, cooked with fresh ingredients and marinated for a minimum of 24 hours, we found it juicy, flavourful and tender.

Between all the spicy food and filling sides, we needed to take a break and slurp a drink. The staff at Galito's rightly suggested the Mombo mint. Its sweet mango flavour peppered with mint was refreshing. This drink is a must-try.

But we're not done. Apart from exotic South African dishes, Galito's has other offerings - burgers, wraps and salads. There is even a mini-menu for children.

We wrapped up our scrumptious meal on a rich note with the Malva pudding with ice cream. A signature dessert of the Tablez Food Company, it is a double cream, apricot sponge cake, generously coated with toffee and caramel sauce. The texture of the dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth without overdosing on sweetness. Rightly, it is their fastest moving item.

There is also a novel dessert - baked yoghurt - served with light Scottish bread on the menu. Topped with blueberry jam, the dessert's flavour is like a crossover of Mishti Doi and cheesecake.

The food at the Galito's will remind you of simple yet finger-licking homecooked food. At the end of the meal, you can feel good knowing that you enjoyed dishes made with fresh ingredients. However, we recommend you balance your dishes wisely between chicken, prawns and vegetarian options. Unless you are a diehard chicken lover, choosing everything chicken might dampen the experience.

As grand as the whole experience sounds, it will not leave a hole in your pocket. A filling meal for two can cost up to Rs 1,200.

Galito's have two outlets in the city: We visited the one inside Vega City Mall, located at Unit Restaurant 2, 3rd Floor, 172/1, Bannerghatta Road. The other outlet in Whitefield is on the Ground Floor, EPIP Zone, Near BMTC Bus Depot, Whitefield.