Smoky with a chance of Beer Cocktails -> Smoke House Deli

Smoke House Deli, our favorite Delicatessen, has been serving quality food for a long time, and we were excited to see a repeat of last year’s excellent ‘Camp Grill’ event, but this time around, there are beer cocktails as well. This festival has been aptly named, ‘Smoky with a chance of Beer Cocktails’, and is on till the 15th of September.

It was just another rainy Saturday afternoon, as we settled down around a rather large Victorianesque table on the porch of this lovely white building, accompanied by the sounds of food sizzling away on the grills, nearby. There were a large range of specially curated beer cocktails, and we settled on a couple of them that caught our eye.

Pineapeño: Fresh pineapple, jalapeño water, beer and a bit of sugar and salt. This concoction is one of the most refreshing beer cocktails that I have had. The zing of jalapeños, a bit of sweetness from the pineapple and of course, beer to bring it all together!

Tangerine Tales: Not just a looker, this cocktail had an unusual component, pomegranates. So, fresh pomegranate and orange, pomegranate syrup, lime juice, vodka and beer made up this crimson beauty. The various components here worked well, and the sourness from orange and lime cut through the sweetness of pomegranates and the alcohol was hardly palpable, given the lovely balance of this cocktail.

It was hard to keep up as a large variety of food came trickling in. Here are some of the more memorable items from this outstanding menu:

Burrata Salad with Hazelnut Parmesan Crust & Grilled Mixed Fruit Jam: As I type this, my mouth is watering with memories of this spectacular dish. Picture this: A perfect orb of creamy burrata cheese, topped with shavings of parmesan atop a piece of toast. The nuttiness of hazelnut, the distinctness of parmesan, a beautiful mozzarella crust and soft cheese inside, and just to add another dimension, some grilled fruit jam. Unforgettable!

Lebanese Style Grilled Chicken & Pickled Chilies: This dish was almost a cross between the traditional shish tawook and regular grilled chicken, and a secret ingredient, the five-spice powder added a beautiful punch to this dish. It went well with the creamy garlic dip served on the side.

Grilled Lamb Chops & Spicy Chickpeas: No grill event can be complete without chops, and this dish of lamb chops on a bed of hummus on the side of spicy chickpeas looked promising. A perfect cut of lamb which was crisp on the outside, and perfectly succulent on the inside, this is what the perfect chop should be like!

Double Chili Marinated Scampi with Creamy Crab Rice: Another beautiful preparation, targeting seafood lovers, the scampi (Dublin Bay Prawn to be precise) was delicious and perfectly cooked with the slight aftertaste of the chili it was marinated in. It was the perfect foil to the brilliant, creamy crab rice that it was served with.

There were so many brilliant preparations that they served here that I lost count of, but the very Brit smoked half-roast Chicken with a potato and onion pudding, the delectable smoked cheese filled garlic bread and the supreme pork chops marinated in fresh herbs and served with a cauliflower puree are worth a mention.

Verdict: This is one festival you shouldn’t miss, especially, given the current rainy weather in Bangalore. Sizzling Grills, Beer Cocktail in one hand and the pitter-patter of raindrops in the background, I couldn’t think of a better Brunch idea! Highly recommended!