The Genesis of FOMO
Bengaluru's vibrant food scene constantly sparks new ventures, and FOMO, a new Asian restaurant, is a testament to this dynamism. Founded by wildlife photographer
and entrepreneur Sanket Reddy and experienced Chef Prashanth Puttaswamy, the eatery was initially conceived with the acronym FOMO meaning 'Fear Of Missing Out.' However, after an extensive twenty-day culinary expedition through Northeast Thailand and Vietnam, the name was artfully reinterpreted as 'Flavours Of Modern Orient.' This journey was instrumental in shaping the restaurant's philosophy, steering it away from globally popular dishes to unearth and showcase more obscure yet equally delightful culinary treasures from the region. Chef Puttaswamy, with his extensive 24-year career in the culinary world, including significant roles at Olive and Lupa, and his experience in expanding The Fatty Bao from a single outlet to seven across India, brought invaluable expertise. Sanket Reddy, an entrepreneur in commercial real estate and land banking with a passion for wildlife photography, found common ground with the chef through a shared love for food. Their friendship, nurtured over nine years through community connections and shared culinary explorations, paved the way for this collaboration. The duo embarked on their inspiring trip in October 2025, focusing on rural Thailand and North Vietnam. Their itinerary was packed with gastronomic adventures, involving six meals a day and deep dives into local kitchens, where they cooked alongside families and absorbed authentic recipes. This immersive experience allowed them to bypass the more frequented culinary hubs like Bangkok and instead explore regions like Udon Thani, Chiang Mai, Isan, Hanoi, and Huê, seeking out small establishments renowned for single-dish specialities.
Ambiance and Design
The 42-seater FOMO restaurant, conveniently located on 100 Feet Road in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, was formerly a boba tea shop. The entire design, branding, and communication were meticulously handled in-house by Cadence Architects. While the restaurant avoids an overly thematic approach, it subtly incorporates symbolic elements. The brand's visual identity features a praying mantis, often depicted wearing a Vietnamese conical hat (_nón lá_), which serves as its mascot. This choice is deeply meaningful, reflecting the mantis's symbolism of focus, precision, and calculated action, traits that Chef Puttaswamy embodies in his cooking. The interior design features ombre-effect walls and a dark ceiling, creating an intimate, almost cavernous atmosphere. Custom-designed, clustered light fixtures cast striking shadows, adding a dramatic play of light and shadow. These fixtures, with their triangular forms, subtly echo the shape of a mantis's head. On one side of the dining area, panels illustrate the culinary journey that inspired the restaurant. Strategically placed horizontal windows offer diners a direct view into the kitchen, promoting transparency in the preparation process. The choice of tableware is also deliberate, with crockery and cutlery sourced from Thailand and all cane furnishings originating from Vietnam. In a unique departure from tradition, instead of fortune cookies, diners receive their daily aphorism by scanning a QR code on a small mantis figurine. Sanket Reddy explains the mantis mascot's significance, drawing parallels to its role in Southeast Asian art and culture, and its predatory traits of calmness, focus, and successful execution, mirroring the chef's precision in culinary techniques, temperature control, and cooking methods.
A Delectable Culinary Exploration
FOMO's menu deliberately sidesteps commonly recognized Asian staples like Pad Thai, Kra Pow, and the ubiquitous Thai Green Curry, opting instead for a deep dive into regional cuisines. Each table is presented with small vials containing unique condiments: seasoned salt infused with Timur pepper and a potent bilimbi hot sauce. Bilimbi, a fruit familiar in Kerala and Coastal Karnataka, is also native to Southeast Asia, highlighting a delightful culinary bridge. The menu also features the _achappam_ or rose cookie, a fascinating example of culinary diffusion, having travelled from India via Sri Lanka with Dutch traders to the Far East, where it's known as the 'dok jok' cookie, meaning 'lotus flower' due to its shape. An amuse-bouche inspired by Northern Thai cuisine offers a complex flavor profile, coated in palm jaggery, chillies, tamarind, and kaffir lime zest, delivering a delightful explosion of sweet, spicy, savory, and citrus notes. The restaurant emphasizes hyper-local cooking techniques, including hand-pounded pastes and charcoal grilling, and features lesser-known indigenous ingredients such as _santol_ (cotton fruit), _taling pling_ (bilimbi), _cowa_ (garcinia) leaves, and _phak chi farang_ ('foreign' coriander). _Salak_, or snake fruit, widely consumed in Southeast Asia, is sourced from Mangalore for dishes like their Signature Burrata Salad and _Moo Krob_, a crispy pork belly dish served with green apple som tam. The _Nam Tok_ salad, a specialty from the Isan region, features slices of marinated tenderloin flash-grilled and tossed with roasted rice powder, fresh herbs, pickled garlic, lime, and lemongrass; its name 'waterfall' originates from the meat juices sizzling from the pan. A vegetarian rendition of this salad is available, using fried raw jackfruit. The _Gai Yang_, or charcoal-grilled chicken leg, is pounded flat, served juicy alongside a papaya salad, ensuring each dish bursts with freshness. Tempura-fried betel leaves offer a Thai interpretation of _palak patta chaat_, inspired by an Isan restaurant in Bangkok, garnished with fried shallots, crushed peanuts, _nam prik pao_ (chilli jam), and a choice of minced chicken or tofu in chilli basil. The traditional Isan specialty of salt-crusted fish is presented as salt-baked seabass, a fillet enveloped in banana leaf and served with accompaniments. FOMO's crab omelette is a rich dish topped with garlic and chilli crisp crumble, finished with a swirl of prawn bisque. _Salapao_, or Thai steamed buns, are baked for a crispy exterior and filled with either chayote and asparagus in green curry paste or smoked, grilled chicken in holy basil. Notably, nearly half of the menu is dedicated to vegetarian options, including grilled lotus root, grilled eggplant satay, and Thai sweet potato chayote and garlic chive cake.
Beverages and Sweet Endings
While FOMO does not serve alcohol, its beverage program is thoughtfully curated, drawing inspiration from Southeast Asian botanicals and ingredients. Guests can enjoy a selection of kombucha available in three distinct flavors: ginger, mango, and lime, catering to a refreshing alternative. For those seeking a caffeine fix, the restaurant offers a sufficient variety of coffee options. Given the extensive nature of the main savory menu, the dessert selection is deliberately limited, offering a welcome respite and a sweet conclusion to the meal. Highlights include an indulgent Vietnamese coffee tiramisu, a testament to rich flavors. Sanket Reddy’s personal favorite, the Crepe Cake, is lauded for its light and airy texture, providing a delicate counterpoint to richer dishes. Another unique offering is the Impossible Cake, a delightful dessert featuring a dual layered composition of caramel custard and chocolate cake. The unique preparation involves baking the flan at the bottom of the pan and the cake on top; during the cooking process, these layers invert, giving the cake its intriguing name. The breadth of discovery within FOMO's menu is such that diners are likely to experience a strong sense of 'FOMO' if they don't return to explore further offerings, encouraging repeat visits to fully appreciate the diverse culinary landscape presented.
