Exclusive: Mango Mania Takes Over Bengaluru, Treat Your Taste Buds With Best Summer Dishes!

Add as a preferred source on Google

We're approaching the peak of the mango season across India. 'The king of fruits' as these are rightly termed, are celebrated not only for their rich nutritional profile but also for their versatility in culinary applications. This fruit captivates the hearts and taste buds of people from all walks of life.

As a popular seasonal ingredient, mangoes get infused into menus across restaurants with vibrant flavors, colors, and textures, making them a perfect addition to various dishes during their peak seasons.

Bengaluru's love affair with mangoes is evident in the wide range of dishes crafted to highlight the fruit's lusciousness. Check out the list for best dishes here!

1. 'Mango Soup' at Bunny Bar

Mangoes add a tropical flair to both sweet and savoury dishes, making them a favoured choice among chefs for seasonal menus. Their sweet, juicy flesh complements a wide range of flavours, from the heat of chilies to the freshness of herbs, allowing for creative culinary applications all over. It is no wonder then, that some chefs love to pay with the depth of the flavours.

Corporate Chef Narender Chauhan from the newly opened Bunny Bar in Bengaluru has introduced a 'Mango Soup' to the menu. In this mango soup, a hint of mango adds a subtle sweetness to an otherwise classic savoury summer soup. Charcoal roasted raw & ripe Mangoes are blended with cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and garlic; flavoured with lime juice, chilli, and coriander. The mango in this is detectable, but not overpoweringly sweet, as it's balanced with acidic ingredients. The soup is a burst of zingy tropical flavours, and when served warm makes for an ideal meal on hot summer days. Who would've thought??!

Mango Desserts at JW Marriott Hotel

The best part about mangoes is the multiplicity. Chefs draw inspiration from the luscious Banganpalli to the fragrant Kesar and delicious Alphonso. JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru's Bengaluru Baking Company have awarded the centre stage to 'mango' this summer.

Offerings like Banganpalli Mango Eclairs, Mango Chantilly Cream with the Tamilnadu Malgova or the fusion of Karnataka Totapuri Mango Mousse with dark chocolate cremeux and Karnataka Black Pepper Crumble in Totapuri Mango and Chocolate with Black Peppers, are quite an array of desserts for patrons to try there. At the newly opened Cafe Fyole, Chef Rakhi Advani has included a 'Mango Parfait' elegantly presented in a slim Martini glass.

Chef Victor Choudhury's Hi Tea at The Ritz Carlton Bangalore

Incorporating mangoes into menus aligns with the growing trend of using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Restaurants that highlight seasonal produce not only offer the freshest flavors but also support local agriculture and reduce their carbon footprint. During mango season, which varies by region but typically falls in the summer months, restaurants can take advantage of the abundance and peak quality of the fruit. Chef Victor Choudhury at The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore, insists on using the 'alphonso' for the Mango Sablés Breton that are part of the 'Mango Hi Tea' at their Lobby Lounge this season. He mentioned how alphonsos have no possible replacement with another variety hence this Sablés Breton discontinues as the season ends.

Mango Pizzas at Nomad Pizza

Popular pizza chains like 'Nomad Pizza' are suffering from a mango hangover too. With a range of 'Mango' special pizzas like the 'Mango Chorizo' or the 'Mango Sun Dried Tomato and Rocket Pizza', there are 'Mango Burrata Salad' and 'Mango Arugula Flatbreads' too on offer.

Longboat Brewery's Mango Specials

The Longboat Brewing co.'s Raw Mango Chicken Tikka is a testament to the fusion of traditional flavors with a contemporary twist. Tender chicken, marinated in a tantalizing blend of spices and yogurt, finds its perfect complement in the zesty tang of fresh raw mango served with refreshing greens chutney dip.

Mangoes hold cultural significance in many cuisines across South Asia and tropical regions. Featuring mangoes in menus allows restaurants to celebrate and introduce these culinary traditions to a broader audience. For instance, mango-based dishes are integral to Indian cuisines, among others, the famous 'Uppumanga' curry from Kerala cuisine is a heritage dish and 'Ambe Upkari' a traditional ripe mango curry from Konkani cuisine. Drawing inspiration from the Indian traditions, the mango brunch at The Clarks Exotica Convention Resort & Spa features dishes such as the 'Mango Fish curry' and the 'Mango Kadhi'.

Victor Benito's cocktails incorporate Mangoes

'Aam Panna', a sweet and sour raw mango concentrate which is extremely popular as a summer drink, ends up becoming an inspiration for most mixologists.East side distillery's Head Distiller, Victor Benito, and his team of expert mixologists have curated a range of innovative cocktail recipes with mango as the hero. Take for instance, the 'Portal of Nostalgia', a Sweet and sour mango cocktail with Portal Gin and a slight herbaceous freshness of curry leaves lingering on the palate on the finish. The garnish of raw mango with salt and paprika takes you on a nostalgic journey to the beach vacation. Also, the 'Mango Mirage', a Nomad rum cocktail with a rich, velvety mouthfeel and texture, tropical flavors of mango, hint of passionfruit, slight tannins which invite for a sip one after another.

Deck of Brews & Other Breweries concocting Mango Specials too!

The undisputed 'Brewery capital' Bengaluru even has a brew concocted with the fruit. The super popular Longboat Brewing Co. in Marathahalli sells their 'Mango Hefeweizen' beer like hot cakes. Made with the freshest, juiciest alphonso mangoes straight from the farm, this beer is a hot favourite among their patrons.

Another place, "Deck of Brews' has introduced a cocktail, Indian Summer, a refreshing blend of vodka, fresh mangoes, jalapeno and Mangowitbier garnished with dried mango paper with fresh mango wedge with chilli powder and salt. The drink starts off a little fruity and ends with a lingering spice. Mixologist Bhutesh Chinna from the pan asian restaurant Cantan has concocted an interesting cocktail with tequila, puréed ripe mango, passion fruit sorbet and sour mix, rightfully termed the 'Mango Passion'.

Not ones to be left behind, Courtyard and Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Outer Ring Road have recently unveiled 'Mango Mania', a festival of mangoes across their restaurants and bars. There are Mango cocktails and mocktails to be savoured, and a host of mango desserts to accompany the meals.