Bangalore, Bangalore!

Those pesky auto drivers need to learn some
MANNERS!!!

I have been wondering of late...it usually takes me at most a quarter of a year to get out of the place I live in to enjoy a decent vacation trip. But this time its been almost a year since we really kicked the boots, packed our suitcases and reserved some bus tickets. August is not the month nor season that comes to mind when one would want a dry pleasant trip to Bangalore yet, surprisingly from the moment I stepped into Bangalore, I was literally "walking on sunshine".

Asha...Niraasha

Yeah, you can see the "extra bed" on the bottom right corner..

I must tell you that this is not a one-jot blog-post. Namma Bengaluru deserves much more than that! So don't bat your eyelids lest you miss my personal account of this city of so called GREEN. After a sleepless night (mom and her restless ups and turns...and the annoying rattling sounds of her bangles all night), we landed in Anandrao Circle, Bangalore. Gandhi nagar area is what we have been familiar with and besides, it is the boarding and departure place of both our visits. After almost half an hour of searching for some good hotels, we ended up in Asha Regent. I had been there before (about 2 years ago)..it's safe to say that the place

Don't let the bright yellow wall fool you

was good..back then, I mean. I went with my gut feeling and my past experience with the hotel and the hours of research I did online. Sometimes even such an unflappable combo doesn't serve one well..and it failed me this time. The room was small (not fit for 3 persons) and the extra bed we ordered was a dirty old mattress slapped on the floor..the curtains were really disgusting and dirty. The bathroom commode wasn't in a proper condition and the ceiling fan rattled. Yet the cupboard was very spacious, there were n-tables and lamps on each side of the bed, neat room, complimentary breakfasts, cable TV and 24x7 hot water supply. All of this at 1400 rs per night plus tax. I would have much preferred the Suntrupti hotel on 6th main 'B', but there wasn't any vacancy. I would have gotten a triple deluxe room at just 1000 rs or so..Oh well.

Of breakfasts and backups..

We freshened up and Fi ventured out to get some breakfast from Kamat's (Masala dosas) and funnily enough, he also ordered the complimentary from the stay in hotel! As we were famished, we ended up gorging the masala dosas which were fabulous and fresh to the bite. The sambar was so good I wanted to drink it all off! Then half an hour or so after our breakfast came the bell-boy with the weird smelling free food. It really smelt burnt and tasted even weirder. Thank heavens for Fi actually getting the previous one! Total money spent = 100 rs.

    GFA: Baker's treat 

General food additives or GFA as I call it, is a one stop shop for everything a baker or a dessert chef needs. And work-wise, so did we. There are 2 girls who help about with the things that you need with utmost humility and the patience to tackle even the lengthiest of shopping lists. While the owner administered from behind the cashier's desk, the girls cut my shopping time in half. There are a plethora of baker's goods available here, a shop I liken to a small and neat Udipi hotel. Nothing is out of place. After almost an hour of buying chocolates, spatulas, forks, trays, molds, and what not..I and Fi thanked the owner for doing business with us and walked out. I have yet to try the chocolates I bought there for compatibility with my kitchen and recipes..but I am surely one satisfied customer.

Naughty, Naati Chicken

I didn't even notice that guy standing
 there when I was clicking this board!

It was in 2010 that I tried out this authentic Bangalorean cuisine and I still am not able to wipe off that slobber from the side of my lips every time I remember eating muddhe mutton saaru. Nati or Naati koli is nothing but free range chicken that gives the best lean poultry meat there is...even taste wise. And to this category belongs my beloved Mudde(Ragi ball) - Mutton Saaru (Mutton curry). I even remember eating naati koli kebabs by the platefuls at a throwaway price. To me, this cuisine beats even the famed butter chicken and tandooris of the north. It has found a true convert in me, and therefore I was bent on introducing the same to a milder,more (food-wise) naive Fi. Although we tried hard to search 'Gowda Mess' in Gandhi nagar area.,we were told that they shut shop. Yet, we didn't loose hope and searched for more in the area.

We came across one particular 'Sudha Military Mess' (in the by-lane opposite Royal Lodge,Near Kapali Theater ,Bangalore). The moment we stepped in, I kid you not, everyone literally stopped eating for a moment, turned around and stared blatantly! I guess they thought, "did these people get lost on their way to KFC?" It's a poor-man's hotel but I didn't care much for their stares as far as the food was concerned. While I fiddled with my mobile phone, Fi ordered the take-away and we moved out as soon as we came in..5 minutes in all. Ragi muddhe, Rice, Koli Saaru, Khurma and some kebabs. The ragi balls were a bit dry but the saaru was mind blowing. The kebabs were juicy, moist and spicy. We also ordered some of the same in 'Maruti mess' another day,and I found the ragi balls they served to be much more moist yet the saaru was way too spicy . I managed to treat Fi to a culinary delight and He says its worth going back to Bangalore just to eat some Muddhe - Mutton Saaru....true!

These humble foods pack quite a punch! Incredibly tasty!

So tasty that I wanted to keep on eating even after I was way past full.

Lunch for 3 = 160 rs!...........what a steal!

There are so many of such travel-tales that I want to share with you but I don't think one post would suffice it all. Hence I'll be back with some more reviews, experiences and food-ventures from Bangalore soon! 

Note: Every comment and remark made about a place,area,person or thing in this blog-post is purely my opinion and based on my experiences and should not be taken for a solitary fact. I do not intend to hurt or defame anyone or anything via this post.