Bangalore for the Gluttonous

I have been meaning to scribble this post for sometime. What else can you expect from a hardcore foodie ?! I have been a Bangalorean for 5 years now and Man I love this city ! One of the best things about namma bengaluru is the selection of restaurants. Over the years I have been to quite a few but there are some where I do an encore ever so frequently. I don't claim these are the best but for me they sure are ...

If I have been a good good boy and you want to treat me for being that way then you would have to take me to SAMARKAND where I will bury my canines into the most sublime biryani ever created. They make these in copper pots which are sealed with dough and cooked on slow fire. When it is time to serve they come and break the dough seal in front of you and leave you alone to savour the contents. Another interesting concoction is the Sabut Chooza which are "tandoor-ed" on skewers and brought to your table while still skewered. As they say "A bird in hand is better that 2 in the bush". Also worth mention are the chandini kebab and the tille waali kulfi. You can find this place on Infantry Road.

An interesting transformation fueled by the Bird Flu has been my shifting focus to Seafood. I hope we don't see a Fish Flu now. So anyway two joints that I frequent for my seafood temptations need mention. There is a place called KUDLA near the Kanteerva stadium on Richmond road that serves authentic Mangalorean food. This where you can stick your fangs into the choiciest selection of Something Fishy. I usually start with the Kane Rava Fry and the Butter Garlic Prawns. Rice with Goan Fish curry using Anjal (also known as Seer fish or Surmai) makes an excellent main course. You can be more adventurous and order some good crustacean delights.

BANGLIYANA tucked in a narrow lane in Kormangala is another favourite. This is not your normal restaurant but more of a meal room. You choose among the particular day's speciality fish curries and the rice, dal and a veggie dish are complementary. My favourites are the Bhetki Paturi (boneless bhetki fish cooked in banana leaf) and fish Kalia. This place is rather light on your wallet as well.

NOODLE BAR in Bangalore Central lets you design your own noodle dish and even if you are not good at it (I know I am) you will always be pleasantly surprised with the results. I would go on to say that this is the best place in town to grab a big bowl of noodles.

When in the oriental mood I normally head towards CHINA PEARL in Kormangala that I like for the excellent value for money meals. Best place for continental is SPIGA on Vittal Malaya road. The ambience of this place stands out. It is a basically a multistoried villa converted into a restaurant.

On those rare occasions when I do decide to go veg the best place in town is QUEEN'S on church street. Although not a pure vegi joint the veg dishes really stand out. A very compact place, the walls give the appearance of being laid with mud. Methi Dal tadka and Aloo Jeera are my favourites over here.

Finally the Forum. How can you not mention Forum when discussing Bangalore. SAHIB SIND SULTAN has a best ambience in town with the scene from a typical Indian station being the theme. So you either get your table in the train or on the platform. I love the train. Only problem with this place is the waiting period and they are never too eager to accept reservations.

TRANSIT is the food court in the Forum and the variety is mind boggling. Sometimes I just stand there and wonder which one to try ! My favourites are the Panda House, Subway and the Seafood counter. Excellent value for money !

Hence ... Bangalore Rocks. So the next time you are in Bangalore you know where to take me to :)