This little eatery with a menu written on a blackboard offers the real deal for lovers of Italian food.
Located on a quite residential area off 100 ft road in Indiranagar, the decor here is basic and reminded me of a neighbourhood pizzeria or diner. A partial view of the kitchen with swing doors which lead to it, lots of wood, and an unevenly painted blue wall create a somewhat rustic, country and homely feel to the place. Loaves of bread are arranged in wicker baskets while the glass display case offers a view of homemade cakes and desserts.
We started our meal with a mushroom soup - I give it five stars - it was fantastic. We also tried the spinach soup - green and healthy - but I found it a little too raw-veggie-flavoured for my taste. The most perfect part of the meal was the salads. First one - pears, walnuts, argula and parmesan - luscious, juicy pears and crunchy walnuts in a bed of fresh lettuce! The second - I think this is probably the best salad I have had in Bangalore - figs, mozzarella and mixed greens in the most perfect citrus flavoured dressing ever! The salads come with a nice bread basket.
For the main course, we tried the smoked chicken and mozzarella sandwich and the grilled chicken stuffed with herb pesto. My vote goes for the second – it was really good with a sides of a salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green peppers) and just-cooked carrots and green beans. The sandwich was ok.
For dessert, we had the chocolate éclair and the chocolate fondue with icecream. The chocolate éclair was yummy with dense chocolate between homemade chocolate cake slices. The chocolate fondue had an half an hour of waiting time and was good, but not great.
The restaurant has a friendly, informal ambiance. However, service can be much better. The owner was great, but the rest of the staff need some training. The waiter seemed to mumble through any questions we asked about the menu and had a “I could care less” attitude. We initially ordered for the chocolate éclair and another dessert (I forget the name) which did not require us to wait. After ten minutes, we got our order of the éclair but no sign of the other dessert. After I called the waiter and asked him about it, he very sheepishly told us it was over. He should have told us about it immediately after we placed the order but did not think it necessary to do so until I asked him about it. Maybe he thought we would forget?
Parking is available on the road outside the restaurant. Herbs and Spice is a good option to visit with family and friends. Do make reservations, it tends to get crowded at peak hours.
Meenakshi