So, what is the concept behind a no concept restaurant?

Chef Karan Upmanyu opens ParTTwo, with a seasonally evolving menu of small plates and chic cocktails

Chef Karan Upmanyu has an impressive resume. Indian Accent in New York, Tickets in Barcelona, Restaurant Botic in Girona, and Toast & Tonic in Bengaluru where he was the head chef. Now he opens ParTTwo, which refuses to box itself into the label of ‘restaurant’ or ‘bar’. Instead it is choosing to say – “it’s what you want it to be”. ParTTwo wants to break the mould with a seasonally evolving menu of inspired small plates and chic cocktails. Curious, and confused, I make my way there for a mid-week dinner.

The red corner building housing The Biere Club on Lavelle Road is iconic for being the first brewery in Bengaluru. ParTTwo is the second innings of the space, hence the name. I make my way to the second floor. It has a classic chic vibe. Wood panelled walls, mid century modern light fixtures and retro posters make it warm and inviting. 

Over dinner, Karan joins me for a chat. “There is no concept. I got tired of the overly concept-driven and themed places that are opening. I thought, what does Bengaluru really want? Bengaluru wants to go out and have a good time.” He wants to strip it down to the basics. The menu is also not restricted to any cuisine. “It is just things that I like to eat, driven by ingredients and techniques. The idea is to change the menu every four to six months. The current menu has summer in mind.”

The menu: Asian-inspired small plates

“It is all small plates, with a few DIY style bigger sharing plates.” I start with sweet potato chips, served with an assortment of dips. The yellow and purple chips are a visual delight and also delicious. The dips ranged from herby to creamy. Next, I try the burrata. Served atop a peanut tahini sauce, this cheese is topped with shaved lettuce, crunchy wonton crisps and kale. Think, a salad where the burrata is the hero. I enjoy this dish because of the textures. I try the potato laab, which does not hit the spot. The crispy smashed potatoes are topped with lemongrass and seasoning. The potatoes are not soft enough inside, and the seasoning lacks a punch.  

The tuna nori bites are a DIY-style wrap dish, where the tuna is dressed in a flavourful seasoning, and is served with rice, toasted nori sheets, soft egg salad, avocado mash and fish roe. The idea is to make a bite of nori wrapped tuna with a bit of everything else on it. This one is a fun sharing plate. The menu I try skews Asian in its inspirations. Sauces such as gochujang, nam jim jeaw, galangal chilli glaze, and miso white BBQ are used in the dishes. 

The drinks: GI-tagged cocktails Ingredients in their cocktails are inspired by a regional Geographical Indication. So for example, the Malabar spritz, has indi limbe, a variety of lemon from North Karnataka. The signature ParTTwo martini is made with GI-tagged jasmine from Udupi, blue pea infused gin, vermouth, Mezcal and bitters.