MAHJONG ROOM RICHMOND ROAD

This review is for a two time visit to the same place and eating almost the same dishes on two separate days – at Mahjong, Welcomhotel by ITC group on Richmond Road. This is the Chinese place in their group of restaurants in the same building. I had lunch here with my friend. The interiors were definitely welcoming – soft light and plush red carpet all around. Rather quiet during lunchtime and we had the place all to ourselves and could talk peacefully to our heart’s content. Here’s how it went: VEGETABLE CLEAR SOUP First Visit: Awesome! Second Visit: Awesome! CHILLI GARLIC NOODLES – MY FAVORITE DISH First Visit: Delicious! Second Visit: Delicious! BROCCOLI, BABYCORN AND CASHEWS IN HOT AND SOUR SAUCE First Visit: Total 5 stars. Very tasty and different. I Was inspired to try it out at home. Second Visit: They were out of broccoli and substituted it with cauliflower. Still tasty. Stingy on Cashews the second time. DESSERT: Their dessert menu needs to be upped. Hardly a good selection and the coconut macaroon dessert wasn’t available both times. Nothing to go wow about in terms of choices. First visit: Chocolate pastry – Yumlicious melt in the mouth pastry. Loved it. Second visit: Brownie with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Nice. TEA: The pea flower blue tea – endless cups we consumed. Warm and soothing. I could have this everyday. SERVI CE First visit: Slow but good. Second visit: Slow but good. The minuses: I can’t understand this. They simply don’t have cutlery on OUR table nor do they bring it when they get the dishes. We had to take the fork and spoons ourselves from another unoccupied table. Sometimes they place the dish and go to bring the serving cutlery and the food isn’t steaming anymore by the time they come. I don’t know why something as basic and essential as this is not placed on the table and it happened both times!!. Prices are on the high side so you do expect top notch service. Make sure you are loaded when you go. Would I go again: Yes just to satisfy the cravings for Chinese food/takeaway and also to try their other restaurants. Would I recommend to others: Yes, try it once because it is a nice quiet peaceful place. Overall rating: 3.5/5 Ratings for reviews 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it. Details: Mahjong, Welcomhotel by ITC, 6, Richmond Rd, Richmond Town, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560025

DESI MASALA BREAKFAST BUFFET - JAYANAGAR

After receiving dozens of videos offering breakfast buffet for just Rs. 99/- from my various whatsapp groups, I headed to Desi Masala, the place advertised in the video. I must say I love the idea of a breakfast buffet and there are very few places in the city that offer them. I do like the whole idea of a variety of south Indian breakfast options in one place and to eat to my heart’s content. The total cost did amount to Rs.110/- with taxes. It was around 10 a.m. when I went there and surprisingly not at all crowded. This review is only for the popularly advertised breakfast buffet. The place was clean and spruce with good seating and soft lights. On offer were Roti/paratha in triangle pieces, puri, veg curry, masala dose, idli, vada, khara bath, kesari bath, lemon rice two varieties of chutneys, sambar, coffee, tea and juice and a few other items. I made sure I ate a little of everything. This was mostly self service though I did have the most polite waiters asking on and off if I needed anything to be brought to the table. The pluses, apart from the price, were that the chutneys were good, all items tasted good and I did like the vada and dosa (idli could have been better). However, the very concept that I fell in love with was what worked against it too – all the food was placed in trays for customers to help themselves like in a buffet (breakfast buffet after all) and this includes dose’s and puris – and when this happens food gets….COLD! Cold dosas and upma and idli and cold flat puris. That was probably the biggest drawback for items like dosas and puris and most, in fact, need to be served piping hot! So you see while the buffet idea was brilliant, it wasn’t all that hot practically. I feel something needs to be done about this – either a better heating system or live counters for at least dosas and puris. Because very few are going to relish cold breakfast and going by the feedback from others in my social circle who tried this place, they feel the same. For the price, it is worth a try once, only if you are in the area. This is not a place I’d go my way out in notice put up all over the place asking customers not to waste food and if they do, they need to pay Rs. 699/- lovely message for those who pile up their plates mindlessly and then waste food because they are unable to finish. I do hope they up their game and this concept kicks off well in the city. Overall rating: 3/5 One time try only for the breakfast buffet in my opinion. Ratings for reviews 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it. Details: 4th Block Bus Station, 9th Main Road, Jayanagar, Bangalore

CHARLIE CHAPLIN LA VEGANO INDIRANAGAR

Charlie Chaplin La vegano is a relatively new place all vegan near Indiranagar, close to ESI hospital. This is a small all vegan place. After weeks and weeks of pigging out on south Indian tiffin everything spicy and fried, this was a welcome change. The first thing that hit me when I walked in was a sense of calm. No loud music, no crowd, comfy chairs, bright interiors with posters of Charlie Chaplin and his quotes on the table which I can never get tired of reading. Started with Greek Salad: Very colorful with loaded veggies and crumbled feta cheese. I asked for separate dressings. It was light on the stomach. Followed by Peanut butter and banana toast – I never had this combination ever, but been reading about it in novels and longed to taste them and here was the chance. This one was a letdown. The bread was really chewy and not so easy to eat with the peanut butter on it. I would probably skip this. Followed by chocolate milkshake which was….nice. More or less how I make at home. I did get the herb potato burger as takeaway and this made a really delicious evening snack. This is the kind of place which is great to catch up with a friend you want to have a heart to heart with, or for a quick snack by yourself…no waiter hovering around, very quiet and pretty much left alone and very clean. Service is quick and courteous. The manager did ask for feedback for improvement after it was all over. I would have loved soups and sandwiches to be added to the menu. Some of the items they have are wraps, rice bowls, burgers, shakes and juices, pizzas and some desserts on display – all minimal choices and all Vegan. Prices are okay but portion size isn’t much. I mean, I am okay with it because I am not a heavy eater but if you are one of those with large appetites and used to enormous lunches (think buffets and Andhra meals) then this is not the place.. Would I recommend a visit? Definitely. Whenever you are looking for some quiet time off by yourself or with a friend and you are in the area, head over to this place. Would I go back again? Yes to try out some of their other items on the menu or takeaway a quick light snack. Overall rating: 3/5 Ratings for reviews 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it. Details: 10 to 10 pm. 3274/A, Ground Floor, 11th Main Road, Near ESI Hospital, Hal 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore

NAMMA IDLY SHOP ULSOOR

Being a fan of idlis (and doesn’t matter how it is spelt as long as it tastes good) , I am always on the lookout for good idli joints to try out. I have passed by Namma idly shop several times with the intention of trying the place out but never got around to it…until this month when, coincidently, a group of Idli This is located near ulsoor lake, opposite shanthi sagar. We met real early and the air was crisp and cool..just right for a plate of steamy idlis, piping hot sambar, two styles of watery chutneys – coconut and red chutney and crispy vadas and this is exactly what I got – the place did not disappoint. This is a strictly stand and eat darshini style place so if you are looking for seating arrangements you won’t find it. I started with a plate of idli and vadas and the mentioned accompaniments. The food is more tamil nadu style so the idlis weren’t the fluffy variety but soft all the same. This, in itself, was quite filling for me so I couldn’t really experiment with any other food. I ordered another extra vada amidst a really packed crowd out of which most were from our group. The rest of the members of the group tucked in variety of dosas, paddu, pongal, rice bath, and there is even a little tea joint next to it to round off thebreakfast with a cup of steaming tea. Most of the items were quite reasonably priced and won’t dent your wallet. The place seemed clean. Service was real quick given the pressure they were under catering to so many people at once. I do wish I had the stomach space to try out the paddu which looked absolutely delicious but that’s for another day. If you are around the area, and craving south Indian breakfast, then do give this place a try. For me as I often mention in my reviews, the benchmark of any good place is whether I would revisit and where Namma Idly Shop stands, I definitely would and would love to try out the other items on the menu. Overall rating: 4/5 Ratings for reviews 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it. Address:Lakeshore Manor, 38/18, Ishwerya, Meanee Ave Rd, Bengaluru, 560042

KHALI DOSE AT MAHALAKSHMI TIFFIN ROOM

A group of friends and I were recently having an animated conversations about the best Dosas in Bangalore, and one mentioned that MLTR or Mahalakshmi Tiffin Room as it is known, on DVG road is a must visit place for Dose. Surprisingly, I go to this area quite often but never knew where it was, so recently when I was in the area, I headed to this place. It is one of those off beat joints which looks like an old, old house, quite small in space and hardly any seating. It was already packed with people, which is a good sign I suppose for any eatery. Menu seems limited. I ordered the famous Khali Dose talked about by many online and off, which came with watery spicy chutney and sambar. The dosa looked like the Set dose without all the accompaniments. Taste was really different and delicious. There was something so homely about it, worth the Rs. 45. It was rather filling in itself since there are two dosas in a plate and I regret not ordering anything else. Looks like a lot of old timers regularly visit here because I saw just about everyone having it with coffee. Service is NOT with a smile. Nothing warm and welcoming about the place or the staff here. In fact, there is a sign put up saying no quick service. I suppose when you know your worth why bother with frills and fancies. There are some places which has good food, you wish they’d build a bigger, neater space and expand etc. This place, however, seems to have a history that cannot be messed with. Would I go there again? (a bench mark for any review), definitely yes but will probably get takeaway. Overall rating: 4/5 Ratings for reviews: 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it. Details: Mahalakshmi Tiffin Room, DVG road, Basavanagudi, Bangalore.

IDC KITCHEN INDIRANAGAR

This one is going to be short and to the point for this month. THE NAME: IDC Kitchen THE PLACE: Stands for idli, dosa, coffee kitchen located on Indiranagar Double road, close to Lakme Salon. THE FOOD: Mostly Idli, dosa varieties and coffee, rice items and other beverages. THE FOOD I ORDERED AND RATINGS: THATTE IDLI: 4/5 – Slightly sourish but tasty all the same. Very good sambar, red and coconut chutneys MASALA VADA: 4/5 three a plate and very small. Great to go with rice items but not as a stand alone snack MASALA DOSA: 4/5: Quite good though not wow PULIYOGARE AND CURD RICE COMBO: This was unexpected good despite getting it as takeaway and eating it at night it remained fresh and tasty! Totally worth buying again. CHAPATHI: 2/5 quite a disappointment – tiny ones and gets tough real fast. THE AMBIENCE: Good seating and jam packed with crowd on a Sunday noon. THE STAFF: Courteous and friendly and gets the orders right THE SERVICE: Real quick and efficient. It is over the counter darshini style service than table one. THE PRICE: Reasonable and pocket friendly. You can get a good meal especially with the rice items. I haven’t had coffee here so cant comment. The Quantity may not suffice for some heavy eaters though. THE DETAILS: 34, Media Domain, Double Road, 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bangalore. Opens 7.30 am. Careful about the timings though. Some items are available only at certain times but IDC is available at all times CONCLUDING THOUGHTS: Worth a visit. I would definitely pick up other rice items from here and they have quite a list. Not the kind of place you can leisurely sit and chat with friends over food and coffee. It’s one of those eat and get going places. Grab a bite if you are craving south Indian food and are in the area. Overall rating: 4/5 Ratings for reviews: 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it.

NISARGA GARDEN DVG ROAD

This is becoming my new hangout. At first, it started out as just wanting a quick bite to satisfy hunger pangs when in that area, but now I go often. The place is spacious with ample seating and bustling with people, and waiters walking around taking orders and carrying the most delicious looking food in trays. In the initial times, I dint find them very attentive but now that I am a familiar face and (probably a generous tipper) I get served real fast!! I like the chaats here, available only evenings after 3.30 pm. The puri they use to prepare the chaats are the crispest ever – tried their panipuri, sev dahi batata puri, sev puri, masala puri, idli vada, puris and bondas – the last two as takeaways. I always end the meal with a cold fruit salad with ice cream that really hits the spot. Menu is vast – from south Indian to northindian, Chinese, chaats, desserts and shakes. Prices are reasonable. Seating is okay. My major crib is there are flies about or rather ONE fly that seems to haunt me every time I go there. At first, I thought it is because of a standard place I choose to sit, but nope any place I sit, that one fly is after me! Strange, but true and annoying. . Don’t let this put you off though. It’s probably only me. Apart from that, food is tasty and filling. Do give this place a try when you are in the area. I’ll keep going to try out more items from their menu. Overall rating: 3.5/5 Ratings for reviews: 1-No! No! No! 2-Just about average 3- Good. Can give it a try 4-Great!! 5-Yes! Yes! Yes! and I’ll tell all about it. Details: Nisarga garden, DVG road, Basavanagudi, Bangalore, Close to Sai gold palace.