CT Review: No Gatekeeping! I Discovered Bengaluru’s Oasis For Poolside Celebrations & Anjeer Kebabs

In Bengaluru lies an oasis. Where the quiet hum of azure blue water slows you down. Beneath open skies, the gentle breeze reminds you that you’re still in Bengaluru. The whiff of charcoal-roasted kebabs leaves you in anticipation of an evening where you allow yourself to be present and pampered. That oasis is By the Blue, Grand Mercure Bangalore’s elegant poolside restaurant.

Inside By The Blue At Grand Mercure Bangalore

There are plenty of spaces in this city that lure you with buzzy vibes, elegantly plated food and hard-to-book reservations. Plates are passed around, music is grooved to, and a celebration happens in a corner, amidst the buzz. But you seldom find a space that dictates the mood of the evening and effortlessly creates an occasion out of a simple moment. Makes you feel seen, heard and felt in its ambience, gastronomy and hospitality. An oasis, should you say!

At By the Blue, Grand Mercure Bangalore, in a cosy neighbourhood in Koramangala, this poolside restaurant is what poolside restaurants ought to be. Gentle, calm, yet rejuvenating— like water. To celebrate a milestone, I arrived at By the Blue with my loved ones, a bit tired from the weekday traffic.

Surrounded by palms and planters, a pool giving ‘main character energy’ (just as the name suggests) was illuminated by navy blue lights. A table for six was set up ‘by the pool’— Get it? What took me by surprise was a customised decor that welcomed me with warmth. At that moment, like my family and friends, I eased in for an evening that demanded a slow yet intentional celebration.

Celebrating India’s Age-Old Cooking Techniques

Helmed by Executive Chef Vilas Dhankute, By the Blue celebrates India’s age-old cooking techniques. It introduces guests to an oasis where heritage recipes meet contemporary artistry. Every bite evokes the warmth of Indian hospitality. The menu is carefully curated into five sections: Shuruaat (comforting starters), Pehele Kadam (creations packing a bite), Khaane Khaas (dishes from North India), Saath-Saath (accompaniments), and Meethe Sapne (desserts). 

Invigorating the evening was a cocktail menu with handcrafted creations made from Indian botanicals. Take Thandai Creme Liqueur that is Holi in a glass or Saffron & Soul with saffron-infused vodka! My drink for the evening was Pink Himalayan, contrary to the name, a purple-coloured cooler perfumed with rhododendrons from Uttarakhand, served in a glass laced with Pink Himalayan salt, which awakened my palate.

What Did We Try At By The Blue?

Food

•  Delhi Style Aloo Ki Tikki
• Ulti Tangdi
• Chettinad Paneer Pepper Fry
• Mutton Gilafi Seekh Kebab
• Anjeer Kebab with Yoghurt
• Prawns Koliwada
• Mangalorean Pomfret
• Paneer Aap Ki Pasand
• Butter Laccha Paratha
• Pahadi Naan
• Pardha Nashin Biryani
• Lagan Ki Tarkari
  
• Shahi Tukda

Drink 

• Pink Himalayan

Chaat And Kebabs Served Poolside

Over conversations with my family and friends, Food and Beverage Manager Nilesh Kumar and his team served us a stream of appetisers. Delhi Style Aloo Ki Tikki was assembled theatrically table-side against the backdrop of the pool. Crisp potato patties topped with warm matar gravy, assorted chutneys, and cold yoghurt were like savouring Delhi on a plate.

The mellow heat of black pepper in Chettinad Paneer Pepper Fry, coupled with a few tossed crisp curry leaves, made for another fine starter. But for me, the showstopper had to be the Anjeer Kebab with Yoghurt. Figs are lightly crumbled and combined with hung curd to make patties, which are then pan-seared and dusted with curry leaves. Crisp on the outside and pillowy on the inside, it’s indulgence and innovation at its best. 

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Bringing “wows” to the table from carnivores was the Ulti Tangdi. Clay oven-roasted chicken drumsticks are brought to the table in a vertical skewer. Biting into chargrilled chicken in the cool Bengaluru air was comforting.

Another kebab, Mutton Gilafi Seekh Kebab, and Prawns Koliwada were sent by the kitchen. Succulent, perfectly spiced mutton kebabs and the crunchy, spicy Prawns Koliwada both tasted delightful.

Halfway through the meal, and halfway through our appetites, I couldn’t help but be soaking in every bit of Indian hospitality and culinary heritage at its finest. Kebabs roasted on charcoal, flavoursome chaat assembled table-side are best savoured in a quiet yet satiating setting.

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Oasis For Celebrations

To make space for the mains, I strolled around the poolside space, which I’ve been told has hosted plenty of special events and witnessed many milestones. Candle-lights, clinking of glasses to mark a special day, were part of the vibe, and the regular.

For mains, By the Blue, set up a regal table of slow-cooked gravies like Mangalorean Pomfret and Paneer Aap Ki Pasand, accompanied by Butter Laccha Paratha and Pahadi Naan. 

Being a Mangalorean, the pomfret curry took me to the coasts, while my North Indian-food-loving family kept taking seconds of the Paneer Aap Ki Pasand, a robust housemade curry. Cooked in a clay oven, the breads were the perfect vessels to mop up the sauces.

In a restaurant celebrating North Frontier cuisine, it’s criminal to end a meal without biryani. Pardha Nashin Biryani arrived at the table like the most awaited guest at a party. For vegetarians at my gathering, it was Lagan Ki Tarkari. The dum-cooked biryani was sealed with a flour crust, only to be dramatically unwrapped in front of us. Aromatic rice, the warmth of the spices and the succulent mutton that just fell off the bone, was special. 

Under the stars, both biryanis were lapped up and how! As we tucked into the dessert, a bowl of creamy Shahi Tukda, indulgent but cloyingly sweet, I realised By the Blue is a for-any-occasion space. Even better, for no occasion! Because when you’re seated by the poolside, served a mind-blowing piece of Anjeer Kebab, with home-like hospitality, you know you’re in the middle of an oasis.

Where: By the Blue, Grand Mercure Bangalore, Koramangala 3rd Block
When: 7 pm to 11 pm
Cost: ₹2500 for two approx.

Cover Image Courtesy: Sannjanaa Shenoyy/Supplied