Food

A cuisine inspired by countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea - Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and many more. And since a sea surrounds them, seafood is a huge part of the cuisine. Apart from that, fruits and vegetables with an emphasis on rice, grains, beans and pastas is the main feature. The most prominent mode of cooking is grilling or broiling with generous use of olive oil. Ruh, set up with an ambience inspired from these nations surrounding the sea with sand and pebbles for floor. The place is decorated with long curtains, red and golden lanterns, ornamental mirrors…

   Piping hot BFK...Baitu Filter Kaapi. Baitu is a Bangalore institution...it's actually, "divide the coffee by two". This gives a lovely thimble-shot of piping hot coffee where one doesn't have to worry about the calories or the caffeine...and yet have the lovely taste of filter coffee on one's palate for a long while!      The fractions can get even more complicated...it can be 2 by 3 or 5 by 7, and so on....in Mumbai, such division of chai is called "cutting chai". We also have the concept of "Half Tea" or "Half Coffee" or "Mini Tea/Coffee" here in Bangalore. Adigas,…

Restaurant at the end of the ORR was how Kanua was described to me. And unlike the Douglas Adams' restaurant, food is the protagonist here.Inspired by coastal and Konkani cuisine, the place serves some great food.The open architecture and use of wood in the interiors transport you to a coastal home. The menu tells you the story behind Kanua and their philosophy. Neer dosa. Pic courtesy: Wikimedia commons Kanua is the name of a rice variety that is now extinct. The menu says that this is their attempt at rediscovering, recreating and reviving, the lost cultural history.And this, they do.…

So this time, it’s Karnataka cuisine. While interviewing Sakuntala Narasimhan, a senior journalist, she said there is dearth of restaurants that serve authentic Karnataka food in the city. So Citizen Matters did some digging. Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, popularly known as MTR, is a vegetarian restaurant that came up in Bangalore in 1924. It also claims to have introduced the popular South-Indian breakfast item, Rava idli. The legend goes that during the world war II, there was a grave rice shortage in India, MTR experimented with Semolina (Rava) instead of rice to prepare the idli batter. And as you know, it…

This time, we pick two restaurants, run by women, that don’t cost a bomb to eat in and serve some great food. Bored of going to cafes very often? How about trying a 'teafe’? Chaipatty Teafe in Koramangala will definitely not disappoint you. Aromas of hot pakodas and Maggi noodles welcome you. The place has floor level seating giving a homely comfortable feeling. Schezwan Frankie. Pic: Anisha Nair There is a mural of the ‘Last Supper’ on one wall, only everybody is drinking chai and not wine. The room also has a shelf neatly stacked with junk jewellery, cups and…

Craving for authentic Italian cuisine today? A date, family gathering, friends outing or a formal office meet, Chianti in Koramangala, caters to every kind of foodie that you are. Enter and you are greeted by a waiter who will assist you throughout your journey from the Zuppa (soup) to the Dolci (dessert). A very classic and elegant ambience with brick red walls and beautiful lamps hanging from above. A bar on one side and cozy seating arrangement, with soft music in the background. The attention you will get from the waiters will definitely make you feel special. 10 points for…

Vegetarian delights! Eurasia Pasta and Barbeque in Jayanagar would be one of the best choice if you want a variety, the vegetarian way.Rooftop, balcony or a cozy indoor seat? Choose your table according to your mood. The ambience is quite commendable. The place is surrounded by trees and plants to give a fresh feel and calm environment. The waiters are always around your table and ready to assist you with whatever you want. Tortilla chips with salsa, cheese corn balls, Crostini Vesuvio, Hummus and Mutabal with Pita bread, garlic bread. Pic: Anisha Nair A plethora of starters to choose from.…

Food blogging is growing in India, and a lot of food enthusiasts are sharing their wonderful recipes online. Each of them have their unique stories, experiences, and of course, their food recipes. Here are three food bloggers who live in Bengaluru doing what they love doing, and a peek at their journeys.Blog beginningsArchana Doshi, on her food blog , calls herself a “chef, blogger, author, food writer” and more. She is a software engineer by profession but when she became a mother, she had to leave her career behind. At this time she decided to blog about parenting, and a…

With so many coffee joints sprouting up around town, us Bangaloreans are pretty much spoilt for choice. Along with coffee that you can pick up and drink on-the-go, meals that are made to go with that fresh cuppa are the new deal. Mixed Berry Cheesecake. Pic: Gaana Srinivas Several upmarket coffee joints offer great combos so that your coffee becomes a full blown meal. Pairing it with freshly baked pizzas and sandwiches is a current favourite. Of course, muffins and cookies remain constant companions of the brew. But what kind of coffee do you choose? Caramel laced, chocolate laden, or…

The waiter opens the door for me with a warm smile. It is a breezy rooftop restaurant at the four floored Tibet Mall. Though the ambience is simple, Hotel Tibet serves some of the most popular and authentic Tibetan cuisine. Tibetan Veg Platter. Pic: Anisha Nair Though this restaurant serves continental and Indian cuisine too, Tibetan cuisine is definitely the first choice. Tingmo is the Tibetan soft bread rolled and baked with orange colour on the sides. This is the bread that is used by Tibetans regularly. What stands apart is the Silky Noodles with vegetables soup, also called Thenthuk.…