India, July 15 -- It is a truth universally acknowledged in Bengaluru that stepping into a mall on a weekday evening usually promises two things: fluorescent lighting and the distant hum of food court chatter. Yet, on the 5th floor of 1 MG Mall, chef Avinash Martins' new restaurant, Janot, completely disrupts this expectation. Also read | Inside a hidden sanctuary in Bengaluru that isn't just a majestic members-only club but a whole new world

Dubbed a 'cuisine-agnostic, ingredient-led' space, Janot feels less like a mall destination and more like a high-altitude sanctuary. It only opened recently, in June, but its ambition is already fully formed. By the time I was halfway through their eight-course tasting menu, the urban chaos of MG Ro...