Enter a Mediterranean reverie. Candlelit tables and gorgeous high ceilings, and I am instantly shoreside in Mykonos. Olive Beach, Bangalore, took us through a tasting course rooted in fresh local produce, but each bite takes you on an all-expenses-paid vacation. We sat down in conversation with Chef Dhanya who talked about the philosophy behind Olive Beach Bangalore’s latest menu!
In conversation with Chef Dhanya
Your tasting menu blends citrus, fresh produce and even Indian touches like tandoori notes. How do you decide what works together?
Chef Dhanya: It all comes down to research and trials. I work in R&D, so my role is to test flavours repeatedly, understanding what complements what and what needs acidity or depth. For this menu, I spent almost three months experimenting. Some elements evolved from our Chef’s Table launched in October, but most were refined through multiple rounds of tasting and adjustment.
Even the desserts feel unexpected. What is the philosophy behind that?
Chef Dhanya: We enjoy pushing boundaries. It is not about whether flavours traditionally go together. It is about whether they create a memorable experience. The tasting menu brings together elements you would not normally imagine in harmony.
If you had to describe the new menu in one sentence, what is the philosophy behind it?
Chef Dhanya: Honestly, it’s difficult to put it into one sentence because it represents months of hard work and trials. But if I had to describe it, I would say it is about creating a beautiful experience with elements and flavours you may have never imagined would go together. The idea is to bring unexpected combinations into harmony and present them in a way that feels cohesive and memorable. That is what this entire menu is about.
Citrus, Smoke and Silk: A Cocktail-Paired Feast at Olive Beach Bangalore
Our first course started with the Gruyère cheese soufflé, and we paired it with the delightfully bitter and refreshing Bombay Orange cocktail. The dish was cheesy, decadent; it had a sour nimbu and candied walnut salad that perfectly rounded out the bite. If you want a milder sip, we cannot recommend the Jasmine gin cocktail enough which is just the refreshment you need that cuts through the richness of Gruyere cheese. If you want your evening coffee, we recommend the Naughty Negroni, which is one step up from the espresso martini. A buzz to remember.
Chef Dhanya brings our second course, which is a Poached octopus in apple brine, with crunchy chorizo, potato salad, pickled carrots, and a fennel-based sauce, seared in coconut molasses. The octopus, a notoriously chewy meat, was delicately uplifted with the earthy fennel-based sauces, and the coconut molasses added the perfect punch of smoky sweetness. The potato salad soaked in that fresh fennel felt like the perfect way to round out the dish! Meanwhile, our third cocktail makes its way in, Herby Goes Bananas—a fizzy cocktail, with a spice-forward aftertaste that will remind you of star anise and fennel.
Our third and fourth courses arrive with an entourage of their own! Beetroot cappelloni was our main pasta dish in a refreshing beurre blanc sauce. The beetroot shone in every way, from how it pairs with the ricotta to how it peeks in and out with the pasta. A bite of the candied beetroot with the pasta, and the sauce was one I will remember.
We also get a roast chicken, and the appearance of this course may be deceptive. We promise you it’s unlike the ones you’ve tasted. With a delightful tandoor inspiration, it remains grounded in its Mediterranean spirit, featuring herby saffron accents in the sauce, crunchy zucchini, and creamy mash as the cherry on top. If you’re tired of the same brown mushroom reduction with your roast chicken, this dish should be your next order.
For dessert, we noshed on a passion fruit tart, paired with limoncello jelly finished with a light thyme and vanilla ice cream and the crunch of choco soil. The passion fruit pillow tart's texture, juxtaposed with herby ice cream, creates the kind of interplay of flavours we want in desserts. It strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and sourness. It extracts the punch of the limoncello, and it just works with the passion fruit and ice cream. Combine them, and wait for the fireworks as your tastebuds lap them up.
We also had a traditional mille-feuille, again enriched with a limoncello glaze. We paired it with a dish of wild honey ice cream and crumble. When we tell you it's one of the best mille-feuilles in Bangalore, you should trust us. The delightful surprise of the floral accents of the cream, paired with the wild honey ice cream and the crumble, is such a refreshing bite, so different from the default decadence of desserts. When you incorporate the occasional citrus surprise of the candied orange, you have a truly satisfying dessert.
Last bite...
If you want your first date to count, this is the restaurant that creates a heady, romantic atmosphere that will get you to talk. A veritable candlelight dinner spot, drinks that will keep conversations flowing, and food that takes you on a European vacation—all from a clandestine spot tucked away in Wood Street, Bangalore!