With the addition of Bowl'd into CMB's ever growing food tree, you can expect a completely healthy albeit fully indulgent option for when you're craving something quick and tasty. They're keen on paying the utmost attention to detail, which is quite evident in their uniquely curated menu as you will soon see.
We stopped in on a hot afternoon to try out a poke bowl and some juice.
The Starters
They've got quite a menu, with interesting savoury and sweet dish options. We decided to go all out and try one of each section. Their dishes are presented beautifully with careful attention to detail, and each element playing a pivotal role in the overall effect.
The Chicken Karaage (Rs. 650) starter, comes with about six tiny chunks of chicken, assorted julienned vegetables, and is garnished with a monochrome sesame seed combo and spicy mayo.
It's crunchy, packed with flavour and subtle spice notes. The batter is crispy, and the meat is soft and tender.
Just for fun, we opted for a serving of the Cauliflower Karaage (Rs. 550). This, in my opinion, is an excellent starter and is only different from its chicken counterpart in terms of texture and protein presence. It's fantastic. You can even skip its chicken-y relative and indulge in this for a guilt-free bite.
It's coated with the same batter but is somehow better in terms of taste with its strong umami flavour. A definite 5/5.
The Bowls
Poke (poe-kay) bowls are a new entrant here, and Bowl'd does it best. They've got a range of bases, toppings and sauces that you can pick and choose from. You can either opt for a bowl off the set menu or build your own.
From the white sushi rice, red rice, and zoodles combination- we opted for both our bowls to have the sushi rice base. You can go for a half-n-half option if you want to have the best of both worlds.
The sushi rice base was well prepared. The rice was fluffy and each grain had a light sheen like little pearls. The vinegar content was sufficient. Overall it's a good base.
This is the Shoyu Tofu bowl. It costs Rs. 800 and is laden with a whole lotta tofu, edamame, sliced cucumber, carrots and red cabbage, along with shredded nori and wonton crisps.
We went with the spicy soy sauce which you will find rather mild if you're more of a chilli devil, so make sure you specify how spicy you'd like your dish to be. The idea here is to let all these elements contribute in terms of flavour without excessive condiment use, so you get a feel of the bowl in its raw, natural form.
My Salmon bowl cost Rs. 1250 and was a worthy purchase. The reason for this is that they absolutely do not skip out on the salmon. You get way more than you're used to, and the fish is sashimi-grade and incredibly fresh.
Aside from the abundance of diced salmon, the bowl comes with diced tomatoes and avocado, edamame, and is garnished with flying fish roe, sesame seeds wonton crisps and wasabi mayo.
It's a blast of flavour in a bowl. There's also a small side of wakame (seaweed), and my favourite: pickled ginger. All this paired with a generous lashing of passion-fruit sauce made it a gastronomically appealing meal.
Dessert & Drinks
The Coconut Panacotta (Rs. 550) is a delicate dessert that is minuscule, but enough for two to share. This dish is more of a palate appeaser and is meant for tasting rather than indulgence.
The panacotta in itself is creamy and light, deriving its flavour boost from the watermelon and lime granita topping. The granita is delicious, and binds the entirety of the dessert with its sharp, yet sweetly seductive pull. Toasted coconut flakes embody the corners adding a light crunch.
Now, for the drinks.
The deep green concoction is the Gotukola Limeade (Rs. 250). It's a hefty glass of blended gotukola and lime juice (naturally) with no artificial sweeteners. They drizzle in some good old kithul for that full pani scene, so no qualms on the sweet end. It's tart and sharp, with the puzzlingly savoury taste of gotukola coming through. A little heavy perhaps, but zesty nonetheless.
The pretty crimson drink is the Strawberry Iced Tea (Rs. 350). I absolutely loved it and regretted not getting it for myself. It comes garnished with strawberry slices, and is a perfect balance of tea and fruit infusion.
The kahata presence here is strong, so the tea isn't just a forgotten element that's disguised by the acidity of the strawberry element. Opt for this, or the lime variant if you feel like something light.
Service & Ambience
Service here is friendly, personal and fast. You won't have to experience too much of a wait since the food is made to go anyways.
The ambience is fantastic. It's great how they've managed to take a limited space and turn it into a soothing, highly personalised spot with a kooky mural running across a wall. There are also potted succulents placed artfully here and there.
The outdoor area can get a bit hot, but it's equally as pretty. They've strung up large swings you can lounge around on (but don't swing too hard).
Conclusion
Bowl'd is a great spot for a filling and health-packed lunch. The ambience is wonderful and their drinks and desserts are on par with the quality of their mains as well. Not a single dish is left out, so whatever you choose is sure to satisfy.
