Koshy's koshis kijiye

Koshy's needs no introduction for any true blue Banglorean. N for rest of the janata here is Koshy's for you...Wind back your memories to say a decade or two. How did the hotels then look like...More like current day Udupi hotels........Rows of straight backed chair n tables laid with the sole purpose of 100% space utilization.......with no concessions for comfort or aesthetics!! Add staid, plain looking walls n waiters dressed for the Raj era and we have just described the most happening n buzzing joint in Bangalore!!

Surprise huh?? So what makes this the hottest place? Food?? Well I wouldnt think so.....you hv 'n' no of other joints in city serving better value-for-money food!!

So whats the magic tht makes this place click?? Some (Like our dearest friend Mr.Binoy) believes tht its just over-hyped!! But well I dont think so...I hv been there twice n theres something abt this place tht drags you there! N if u ask me why.....the answer lies in in its magic to attract all kinds of junta - arty, intellectual, Page 3, tech junkies n the typical middle class!!! No other joint in the city will u c this mix-n-match of people.......restaurants usually tend to fall into two categories ~~ One where u go n hv a relaxed three course meal(the only catch being the wallet factor) n the other value-for-food joints generously peppered around the city!

But not at Koshy's ~~ Here u literally c the chapraasi rubbing shoulders with the page 3's!! Go on a evening when u hv nothing much to do n just observe the people around n trust me you wouldnt be disappointed! On one side you'll find a prim n proper elderly couple while on the very next chair you would fine a couple of 'stoned' teens n on the next you'll find a group of the 'Intellectual-NGO types' having a heated debate on the problems of the world n ofcourse in some corner you'll find somebody wearing a bemused expression lapping up all the happenings around :).

So next time you're in a mood for 'people watching' you know where to head to!!

ps: A few suggestions if u r heading to Koshy's ~~do not miss the photographs that adorn the wall....You'll get to c a few rare photographers of Good-old Bangalore! N dont forget to take along somebody who is from the inner circles of academic-NGO world n you can treat yourself to a live commendatory of the secret lives of people you'll meet at Koshy's!

A flavorable Memory

Confusing title hey?? Ok go on n read the next line below n u are all set to go:

We (Me n my hubbs of course) found this quaint, small, new eatery in Koramangala called '64 Flavours' n when we landed there(a little more than 3 weeks now) it was just 5 days old...so yeap we were treated like royalty! The place has this cool chic look abt it........stylish, minimal, contemporary!! (I loved their bathrooms) A brief deco on the place....I was given a lot of gyaan by their manager, so may as well pass it along! Place is run by 2 IT professionals with an aim to promote local music, art n food(they have these cool paintings by few local unknown artists)! N the significance of '64' in the name ~~ Well the year 64(1964) was significant in world of Rock Music plus the plot no of this place is 64 (anti -Climax hey)!!

Now to the crux of the place ~~ the food of course!! You are given a complimentary welcome drink which is supposedly an exotic concoction of their bartender......well if u ask my opinion it wasn't anything to write home abt......But my taste buds cant be trusted in all cases! We started with ordering a bottle of the favourite 'Corona' for my hubbs n a 'Bartender Spl' Cocktail' for me. But hey did I get lucky....... The bartender was supposedly waiting to show off his cocktail-mocktail skills an to be fair he did a very good job at it! N to nibble along, had ordered 'Mutton Dukkah' (simply translates to grilled mutton.......Ok may be am doing a gross gastronomic injustice here but well that is how it tasted) ...n the portion served was just sufficient enuf to nibble!! But Ofcourse they were exactly on mark as far as its effect on mouth n senses(eyes including) is considered! N then the main course.....we decided to share a plate of 'Prawns Mango Salsa' (Rice served with Prawns n a bowl of something like mango-chutney to go along with)...... N man were they yummy! Proof needed?? My hubbs loved the prawns...n this is saying something considering he just about tolerates sea food!

Hmm N didnt I mention something abt me getting lucky~~ well at the end of all this, the bartender brings along another concoction of his ~~ A strawberry with Basil leaf. The drink so well made tht each sip bought out the fine lingering taste n smell of Basil n man did I love it!!

All that was missing to make the experience complete is but ofcourse my favourite dessert section!! But I was in for a big disappointment as they havn't yet started dishing out dessert...their funda being they'll start on it once they are confident of doing a good (or make it lip-smacking) job there! Fair enuf...but v v unfair to me I tell you! (But considering I am not someone who would put up with such injustice in my life, ensured tht my hubbs treated me to a Corner House Ice cream )

So to sum it all up: a purrfect goal for ambiance, decor, music. A can-do-better goalie as far as food is concerned ~ cocktails n main course is purrfect goal but the starters portion can be bit more generous n ofcourse eating out is never complete without desserts. N to the big question of the wallet factor~~ well we were the early birds so with the inaugural discount the bill came upto 800 odd rupees!!

So in case u r in this part of town n waana chk out something new, drop into 64 Flavours for a A flavorable Memory!!

~~Happy eating~~

Wine, Dine n Unwind-New Restaurant Mantra

Long gone are the days when restaurants were purely utility based----- straight backed chair, 2 page menu serving regional indian food, 3-4 soft drink brands is what the hotel was all about (well there would have been fancier ones, but then these were the majority). But in last few years the 'eating out' culture has reaaly caught up(thnx to the heavy IT Pay packs)

Now the restaurant even down the street is a multi-cuisine restaurant with all fancy decor n lighting!! A few fancy join go so much out of their way to build a ambience that most of us end up visiting to enjoy the place rather than the food!! But well nobody is complaining(what better than a glass of wine, a plate of pasta n a CHOCOLATE MOUSSE to unwind on any day) n a few of my fav places include:

100 ft Restaurant: This is a 'Boutique Restaurant'(true to its literal meaning, its a boutique + restaurant) .... so while you are waiting for your food, you can do some some cool shopping(atleast window shopping yaar; but trust me they do have some chic fashion accessories n 'Knick-knacks'!! Shopping n gr8 food...can u think of a better combo :)

Jalsa: This restaurnt takes u back to bygone mughal - e - azam times....Stewardsdressed up as 'Akbar', their female counterparts as 'Jodha Bai' n the hotel itself decked up as a 'Mughal Palace'!!! . The ambience is made complete by the regular urdu shaayari recitals, giant screen playing umrao Jaan songs......U feel as if u hv been transpoted to a 'Theme Park' till the head waiter who is wearing a full Mughlai Darbari getup, complete with necklace and a big gown and maching Juties greets you an suggests you to try out the rich mughlai food (the sweetdish, rabri with malpua is my fav here)!!

Angeethi: The 'dhaba in the middle of the city'. The decor is right out of leaflet of Hyderabad or Lucknow with an advertisement of raw mutton, filmi posters featuring really old movies like Sholay. The filmi low lying cots, hookahs n the 'Pan-Wala' completes the authenticity of the arrangement. Chandini Chowk is another restaurant with the same theme

Gufaa(Ohri's): As u enter the restaurant u feel as if u hv been literally transported to a 'Gufaa' what with the creepers hanging on the wall, tables like tree trunks, waiters dressed up as hunters and the lighting being provided by what seems like fire in tree barks! Try their Pathari gosht kabab. Its yum!!!!

N another one in the list is Barbeque Nation though not for their interiors but rather for the innovative idea of keeping a barbeque grill right in the middle of ur table n letting u roast your own food! N trust me u will end up literally licking up the food....

The other one which is a bit 'hatke' from the rest is '20 feet High' An open air restaurant & bar ......The whole place is set up on a parapet like extension of a building which is (you guessed right) 20 Feet high to give u the feel of a European Street side restaurant.... N ofcourse serves u exclusive Eupoean food (Steaks, Sizzlers, Beer et all)

The other place which is again known more for its ambience is Samarkand ...The cuisine and the ambience(Bit like 'Angeethi')) are designed to transport you to the exotic lands of Mangolia, Afghanistan and Samarkand. This serves North West Frontier Cuisine.
For a taste of the cuisine from the forbidden kingdom there are two places that are worth visiting. The Taste of Tibet in Brigade Road and Momo Hut in Koramangala. Everything from Momos, Shabalay to Shaptra and Tingmo are available for putting your savoury senses to forbidden pleasures

N if u wanna eat some good authentic Punjabi Khanna try 'Kund' - a small unassuming place in Indira Nagar. You will surely come back for more!

If u r in Karnataka make sure u try the regional Mysore Masala Dosa(A small street side eatery in Kormangala dishes out real tasty ones), Mangalore Fish curry, Beef Pulliammunchi n Coorgi Pandi Curry! For all other southern delicacies all under one roof one can always try Malgudi thats spread all over Bangalore

Well these r just a few.........Untill then "Bon Apetit" :)

To read reviews of other resturants in Bangalore vist Koshys, Umerkot, 64 Flavours!