The Food Bar – Coimbatore

Simplicity Coimbatore ,The food bar

“Fat people are harder to kidnap! Stay safe. Eat lots here”- These are the words written in coloured chalk on a blackboard propped at the entrance of The Food Bar. Just over 6 months old, this restaurant has gotten to be a popular hangout not just with the adolescents or young adults but also for those looking for a quick, wholesome lunch or dinner option.

The restaurant occupies the first floor of a building which is accessible by a narrow (slightly steep) flight of stairs.This could be a challenge for the elderly or those suffering from knee issues. Parents of toddlers and young children must also take care while climbing as the gap between the steps can be unsafe.

The walls inside comprise of a black and white colour scheme interspersed with book cases ,artwork and niches to break the monotone. A recipe for a peach cobbler dominates a wall while on the opposite side a zen tangled image of a tree climbs up from the side of the wall and fans out onto the ceiling. Lots to look at while waiting for one’s food to arrive !

I got in touch with Naveen ,one of the partners.He says that the idea of starting The Food Bar was that of his wife Kavya and her friends Mantrini and Sowdha. While the initial thought process was to open a continental eatery,market studies suggested that a multi-cuisine restaurant was the more popular choice in Coimbatore.

Coimbatore doesn’t really have a good track record for sustaining new eateries. I can almost feel you readers nod your heads in agreement. Do you wonder why that is ? There are several schools of thought in this regard. The primary thought process is that people in Coimbatore have little exposure when it comes to appreciating a different concept or cuisine. While that may have been the case a decade ago, things are slowly changing. The other issue is that people here are a well travelled lot and will not settle for mediocrity.

The two things that I believe to be of utmost importance in managing a restaurant is the quality and consistency in the taste of the food and how well the staff at the front end have been trained.It’s also vital for the owners to be deeply involved in the day to day affairs of the business.

Patrons frequenting the food bar have been mostly due to word of mouth. The partners have made a conscious decision,I’m told,not to advertise and instead let their work speak for itself. This is my fourth visit to the food bar and each time I have only sampled their Asian food.

With regard to the  starters,the mushroom with cashewnuts and chicken with cashewnuts has been a favourite.The chef cooking the Asian food seems to have a consistent hand when adding the spices and flavourings which ensures that the dish tastes the same each time. The Thai red curry with a mélange of colourful vegetables is also very tasty.It would be nice if they offered jasmine rice as an option for those diners who may not mind the added cost.

If like me you have grown up eating ‘Indian-chinese cuisine’ then you will enjoy tucking into the schezwan noodles and American chopsuey which is served at The Food bar. It brings back many  memories of eating at iconic Chinese restaurants in India (Shinkows,Cascade, Golden dragon etc)

On the last occasion when friends and I had lunch at the Food bar we decided to try a dish from the Indian section of the menu. Given that one friend was visiting from another state I thought why not introduce her to the “pallipalayam mutton”. Tandoori rotis were ordered as a side for the mutton and we were pleased at the melt in the mouth texture of the meat as well as the well balanced taste of the masala. It was just right on the spice and seasoning. We tried the churros for dessert and they were a little burnt on the outside. I’m sure that’s something which can be easily rectified the next time around.

Naveen mentioned that they have a separate chef for each cuisine.This not only keeps the cooking areas separate but it works towards satisfying a variety of tastebuds.

While the response has been positive ,the partners are struggling with their profit margins. They are committed to buying only the freshest ingredients and are determined not to compromise on that front. It’s difficult when customers compare prices of some dishes to eateries in other parts of the world and expect the costs to be lowered.

Establishments which pride themselves on quality must be encouraged. We share posts about heath raids conducted on restaurants where the cooks or management were found using spurious or banned ingredients ! Where does that stem from ? It’s because the customer refuses to make the connect between the escalating cost of good produce and the price of the dish.

Good service, a hygienically run kitchen and well prepared food must be given the respect it deserves. And do remember to thank your server on the way out !

The Food Bar,

58A, Race Course Rd,

Race Course, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641018