Salivating Salvation. Review on Moksha, J P Nagar, Bangalore

Aptly named, this unique 'concept vegetarian restaurant' has several items on the menu based on ayurvedic and medicinal principles. If that conjures up an image of massage and oils in your mind, the interiors of the restaurant seek to dispel that image at first sighting. Painted a bright yellow and orange, the restaurant has a kitchen right up in front, where you can see the cooks ply their stuff. There is a counter separating the kitchen area from the rest of the restaurant and bar stools are thoughtfully placed next to this counter. So you can chat up the cooks as they prepare your dinner... The day I went there, there were quite a few people sitting on the bar stools learning a few cooking secrets.

The menu card needs translation as the item names are almost as lengthy as the descriptions provided. Exotic as most of the items sound, the description helps clear the air a little. Some of these I had not heard of until I visited Moksh. Where else in the world would you find Sandalwood juice ? (that's what the menu card said !) Anyway, we went by the recommendations of the pleasant mannered staff there, and no regrets. You get a combination of North Indian and South Indian items at Moksh with Punjabi style rotis and Kerala style vegetarian curries. A lot of herbs are used which provide a unique flavour to the food. Try the kebabs and one of their appetizer drinks for starters, move onto rotis with urali theeyal or subz baoli hundi. Follow this up with their biryani. If you have some space left, try any of their desserts. We went as a fairly large group and hence tried all of their desserts. Pure salvation !

The restaurant also serves cocktails. There are not too many tables, so it makes sense to book your table there if you are going as part of a big group.

Average cost of dinner per person Rs. 400.