We decided to be a little adventurous and try out some Vietnamese food. This is how we found our way to Phobidden Fruit in Indiranagar. The interiors of the joint were very nice and made you want to have a nice slow lunch with friends over good conversation. For the appetizers we chose to start off with a plate of Garden Rolls. These rolls were vegetables wrapped in a crunchy lettuce that came along with a soy sauce that completely contradicted the fresh taste of the vegetables. We actually enjoyed this dish quite a bit. We also ordered a plate of Ben Thanh Chicken which was strips of chicken in a mildly spicy sauce. It tasted very similar to the chilli chicken that was served at a roadside dhaba. That was a bit disappointing. We also tried the Vietnamese Chicken Sambal. This had a nice tangy tamarind flavour to it. After the Garden Rolls, this was dish was the best part of the appetizers.
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| Garden Rolls |
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| Ben Thanh Chicken |
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| Vietnamese Chicken Sambal |
Some of us were in the mood for crab so we ordered the Tamarind Crab. Unfortunately, the crab that was served was not fresh at all and had an odour that put us off. We opened the crab only to find the meat was also terrible in texture and tasted off. The sauce on top was exactly similar to that of the spicy chicken we had ordered. Not wanting to risk it and fall ill, we returned the crab dish. I must thank the management for not making a fuss, and enquiring if we would like something else. They were also kind enough not to charge us for the dish. Not all places would be so kind.
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| Tamarind Crab |
For the main course, I ordered a bowl of Prawn Pho. This noodle soup was accompanied with fresh herbs and sauces with which we could tailor the spice levels to our liking. Besides being hot, the quantity of the pho was plenty and took us quite a while to finish. Unlike the crab, the prawns were quite fresh and crunchy. Be warned, those with a small appetite should stick to eating only this. Another friend ordered the Hoi An Chicken Salad. At the risk of sounding uncivilized, this dish is probably what the Vietnamese version of bhel puri tastes like. Chicken pieces tossed in a tangy-sweet mix of shredded vegetables and peanuts. I must admit, I enjoyed the taste of this salad.
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| Prawn Pho |
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| Hoi An Chicken Salad |
For dessert, we tried the Coconut Sorbet and the Lemongrass Ice Cream. Unfortunately both of these were very mild in taste and did not leave one with the satisfaction of having had dessert. I’ve had much better Lemongrass Ice Cream elsewhere. This was a thorough disappointment.
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| Lemongrass Ice Cream |
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| Coconut Sorbet |
Overall, we weren’t too impressed with the quality of food at Phobidden Fruit. While service was prompt, and they were very nice not to charge us for the stale crab, I do not believe we would be revisiting the place any time soon.
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