080 … No this is not the enhanced and anagrammed version of the next James Bond movie but is the name of the swanky new lounge in the domestic terminal T1 of the Kempegowda International Airport. The lounge marks its identity by taking on Bangalore’s Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) Code 080, thus also affirming its allegiance and bond (no pun intended 🕶️) to the city whose threshold it is located at.

The lounge is now nearly 8 months in operation but I use the term New because I finally had the fortune of venturing out of the city after a miserable 2.5 years which were ridden with Covid and other unpleasant medical happenings and hence this was my first sight of the airport’s upgraded features.

And this was also the first time I was happy to hear that my flight was delayed by an hour because I got really comfortable here and the extra waiting was a pleasure 😃

So glide into this stylish place and check out what amenities it promises to offer those who seek its comforts before taking off into the air.

About the 080 lounge –

The lounge is operated by Travel Food Services (TFS) and has been in action since  June 2022. This space is perched on the mezzanine floor (also called 2nd floor) and adjoins the existing Above Ground Level lounge. The 2 are separated at the ‘head’ by a divider but both lounges are visible to each other across the semi oval’ish chasm in between.

About Travel Food Services –

Travel Food Services (TFS) is said to be India’s biggest Food and Beverage operator in the  travel retail sector. With a presence in major cities across India, they also manage other airport lounges at cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai etc, apart from other railway and highway hubs.

Features of the 080 Domestic Lounge –

Designed for style and comfort, its 12 curated spaces cater to a range of passenger needs. Yeah it dozen’ get better than this 😀

Beginning with the warm golden glow and pleasing aesthetics of the reception desk which is easily accessible by the stairs, escalator or elevator, the connecting passage then opens on to the other facilities of the lounge.

VIP/Luxe lounge –

To the left after the entrance is the VIP or Luxe lounge which is for those who wish to avail of enhanced services, which include an exclusive space to hang out, an a la carte gourmet menu to choose from apart from being able to also dive into the regular buffet, table service, alcohol from the Whiskey bar and other such luxuries.

One can get cozy in the large comfortable couches clad in traditional Ikat patterned upholstery with rust orange and indigo colored options or also sit at the modern blue chairs, as one sips from a cocktail or mocktail or anything of choice.

I chose the indigo because it matched my clothes and my phone pouch … and was flying Indigo too (am permitted a few lame jokes for taking the trouble of bringing so much information to your fingertips 😏)

Ok I also sat on the rust ones for good measure.

You have the option of watching TV or just doing your thing with your phone or laptop … away from the hustle and bustle of the main lounge.

What I liked about the menu here, apart from the actual gourmet offerings of course, was the ‘flier’/aircraft related language that was used to label the various sections of the meals.

 

Privacy and pampering come at a price of course. To find out details, read until the end 😊 Until then, bask in the glow of further details.

Whiskey Lounge –

This bar is located next to the VIP lounge and serves a range of world class whiskeys, apart from other alcohol.

 

Snug Lounge – a cozy space adjoining the bar, with circular sofas upholstered in teal and backed by gold, scattered with multi colored throw cushions.

Library – on the right there is a circular (that’s starting to sound like a theme now 😎) library with a compact set of reading material which one can pick and choose to read in any of the seating areas or in the little ‘pods’ that surround it (yes circularly 😉). I did not have time to check out the books.

 

Connect lounge/business booths – further right are 2 blue booths that are private and I assume reasonably sound proof and are provided for people who want to conduct their business or other work in seclusion.

For those who would rather peep into other people’s business, there is a large screen TV where one can pick from a range of channels including news, sports, movies etc. This is the Cinema zone which is yet another circle that lies straight ahead and to the left of the aforementioned blue booths.

Further left is another seating area with semi reclining seating and to its right are some more recliner options.

 

The Fire Lounge ahead and left, has a faux fireplace that hopes to give a sensation of warmth. With a large, conical kind of center piece that I assume represents a chimney (albeit golden rather than sooty), this too has the option of sitting around it on sofas or at tables.

Relax lounge/bar – Deeper inside to the right, in black and gold (yes I like saying gold), is the second bar of the lounge, which is accessible to those who would like to purchase mocktails.

Dining area – Finally we arrive at the area of my specialization, which is the food 😉

The space is quite vast and the seats are comfortably arrayed. The fresh food is laid out on long counters along the periphery of the room and there are also live stations and shelves holding soft drinks and other packaged fare. More on the cuisine coming below …

080 Transit Hotel – There is also a transit hotel run by TFS but I did not get to see this. Will update the details here once I visit.

Cuisine –

Chef Abhijit Saha, Bangalore’s very own celebrity and culinary genius, leads the team that manages and curates the cuisine.  I had the pleasure of chatting for a few minutes with the Executive Chef Dominic Gerard who gave me an insight into Chef Abhijit’s concepts.

Their intention is to provide gourmet local and global fare that will please a range of palates. Thus we have hearty and robust Mediterranean dishes gently lying alongside some soothing coconut laden Thai or fiery Pan Asian, which in turn nestle harmoniously with rich North Indian and flavorful South Indian fare, with due prominence to some hyper regional food thrown in to keep one connected to one’s roots.

A salad bar, starters, main course, accompaniments like papads, pickles etc, a dessert bar, beverages etc, are the usual components that comprise a lunch or dinner.

They also have a range of breakfast items in the mornings and snacks are served at certain other times of the day. Timings are given below.

From the tiny meal that I was able to have in my limited time there at lunch, the locavore cum foodie in me would recommend the Amaranth and coconut pudding served with saffron and spice poached pears. This dessert is also vegan.

And this was the Multigrain Greek salad they wanted me to taste because I seemed like a person who likes to eat healthy 😁

During my second visit I tried something Asian –

And this eggless caramel baked yogurt studded with a rasgulla, was absolutely delicious.

Timings – 

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For more pictures see My Facebook – 080 Domestic Lounge Also catch me on My Facebook, My Facebook page, My Twitter and My Instagram

Please Note – This is a collaboration, based on the invitation of the 080 Lounge and I thank them for hosting me with their warm hospitality. The narrative is based on the inputs that I received from various sources as well as my own experiences.

Nov 15th,

Nov 30th and

Dec 22nd, 2022