Diner offers playful fusion food designed to be shared by friends

Restaurants that specialise in fusion food commonly offer only bite-sized eats. But, what makes the food here fun is the playful manner in which each of the dishes is presented, and also in generous portions priced reasonably — designed so to be shared among groups of friends, colleagues and family members.

For instance, their khakra dabeli nachos is an Indian take on cheese nachos, replacing the tortilla chips with instead. A sweet potato and cheese mix, the khakra, tomato, onion salsa, peanuts and sev that go into the dish are presented individually on a platter — which you can mix up yourselves like a bhel or have the waiter mix it for you. With the sweet potato cooked to a creaminess, the molten cheese, and crunchy khakra, the dish stands as a very strong contender against cheese nachos. The Burmese chaat is another dish that manages to fuse the flavours of a Burmese curry with the much-loved potato-filled samosa. The creamy and coconutty flavours of the warm gravy elevate the humble street snack. The restaurant’s signature crispy chicken comes in a huge plate with hand-pounded and crumbed chicken fried to a perfect crisp, adding an African peri peri spice sprinkle on top for a punch.

The restaurant’s ‘Bowls for friends’ are noteworthy and display several fusion attempts. The South Indian bowl is a bold attempt at presenting lemon rice and a dosa waffle, made using a waffle iron, together with a chicken or vegetarian Chettinad curry. Any south Indian would be sceptical and wary of this meddling, but the bowl surprisingly works! The gentle hit of tartness from the lemon rice, spice from the chicken curry and crunch from the waffle combine well in a mouthful. There’s also a Mexican burrito bowl, which is a platter of burrito made out of beer-battered fries, salsa, and chicken or vegetables, along with a spicy basil rice with red beans and corn. The huge bowls were slightly intimidating for us light eaters, as they can be a whole meal for two or even three such people who consume food in small quantities. The Burmese curry also features in a bowl designed for friends, with the toppings like sautéed mushrooms, carrots, spring onions and peanuts served attractively in a bowl of rice. At the table, the ingredients are all mixed up with the rich Burmese gravy, with an element of theatre and fun. Apart from the fusion bowls, the menu also offers pizzas, steaks, north Indian kebabs, burgers and sandwiches.

We finished off the meal with their choco devil, a slice of dark chocolate ganache over a sponge cake, which was slightly too sweet for a dark chocolate dessert. The trio profiteroles, which came with fillings of white chocolate, dark chocolate and strawberry, were delightful bites even though they didn’t have the expected crunch from the choux pastry. If you’re looking to head out for a meal with friends without burning a huge whole in your pocket, Globally Local offers great choices.