Continental and comforting
by Priya Bala | Editor, PoshVine
Cilantro is one of Koramangala’s better-kept secrets, tucked away as it is into the Halcyon serviced apartments. This is a vast, airy space with skylights brightening it by day. There’s a show kitchen where the team of chefs is at work, adding a bustle to the restaurant.
Breakfast is a buffet, catering mainly to the serviced apartment guests. At lunch and dinner you can order from the a la carte menu. All the Indian favourites are on offer, but it’s the European that Cilantro claims as its speciality.
Don’t expect fancy flourishes, barely perceptible dribbles of sauce or other noveau touches. What Cilantro serves is food that pleases and satisfies and comes in hearty portions. No-nonsense cooking and familiar flavours are the key here.
You could start your meal with the well-made salads such as the Caprese with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes and a zesty touch of pesto or the horiatiki. Cilantro also serves a very pleasant seafood risotto, creamy and rich and packed with shrimp, squid and white fish. There’s a selection of pasta, too.
The grilled meats and seafood are a must-try here. Basa is, you may have noticed, the new John Dory in town, and Cilantro’s pan-fried versions come with a delicious lemon-butter sauce or with a cilantro pesto. These are faultless.
The chicken in red wine jus is a popular order here. There are tender lamb chops, steak and pork chops as well, all cooked competently and served with robust sauces.
Round off your meal with the restaurant’s perfectly made crème caramel. Yes, a pudding from the past, but like all things familiar, it has a comforting quality to it.
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