KIRAN RAO BATNI writes from Bangalore: At a long luncheon meeting with a couple of American visitors today, we did some serious overtime talking about food.
One of the guys started talking about food from Germany, Greece, Italy, Israel, China, Japan, and how he’s had a great time experimenting with the local culinary delights. He mentioned how he loves eating the local food wherever he travels, and how it’s one of the best parts of a job involving travel.
“Local food is actually the best and the safest option anywhere in the world,” he said. “You go to Japan, and you eat sushi. Period. Don’t even try anything else.”
Of course, what he said made eminent sense.
We all nodded wisely.
It took me a while to realise that in Bangalore, what we had ordered for lunch for our American visitors was naan, malai kofta (for the veggies) and chicken tikka masala (for the non-veggies), and that there was actually nothing local about any of those dishes. Wheat is not even South India’s staple cereal!
If local food is best and safest, every dish on the table was “local” to places at least 2,000 kilometers away from where we were sitting in Indiranagar.
I’d like to leave Churumuri readers to ponder the following: Why is Karnataka’s local food not to be seen in so-called decent restaurants? How have we so coolly accepted North Indian food as “local” food? Is wheat the real staple food of the bold, beautiful, rich and famous? Are rice, ragi, jowar bad linen to be hidden from foreigners to save embarrassment?
When will foreigners ever understand the diversity of India? Should they blamed if they think all Indians speak Hindi and eat naan, malai kofta and chicken tikka masala?
Is it wrong to talk about India’s culinary diversity? Should we be defensive about our own delicacies? Should we always take visitors to North Indian restaurants? What has happened to entrepreneurial skills of Kannadigas who feed the world? Is it really so difficult to serve our own food in a neat, classy manner in our own City?
Are we being ambassadors of Atulya Bharat when we forget our own culture, cuisine, and cereal?
Also read: Gutter chicken: The Punjabification of our food
M’am, can I have one more of these lovely balls?
Real estate sharks gobbling up our best eateries
Cross-posted on Kosambari
churumuri 
Last time I checked (last week that was), most of the ‘decent’ restaurants in Mangalore were still serving idli-sambar, dosa, kori rotti, anna, saaru etc. Only the higher end restaurants had totally gone ‘North Indian’ in their menu.
Don’t know much about B’lore and other cities.
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Some suggestion:
1. Dakshin in Windsor Manor,
2. MTR (if you can battle the crowd)
3. Nandini & other Andra outlets
4. Halli Mane in Malleshwaram
5. Kamat (Yatrinivas in Gandinagar, & others).
Nobody will take you there – you have make an effort to visit these places.
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Indiranagar perhaps is not the best place to look for local delicacies. perhaps Bansahankari,n.r.colony,basavagudi, are the places you need to look for. Still the mindset in bangalore is to have the best and healthy food be served at home and leave the over-spicy,exotic,okay-quality, food to the restaurants.
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I fully agree with this writer. We have a deluge of Northie food joints with meaningless names like “Roti Ghar”, “Roti Mandir” to name a few….What is wrong with these guys, it is not only the food that sucks at these places but also the names :)
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Bangalore is no longer a “South Indian” city it seems. It is so hard to find the remains. Ever wondered why we don’t get South Indian filter coffee in Barista or most of the “happening coffee parlours”? Thankfully, the art of the South Indian filter coffee is still alive in our kitchens, and will be until our grandparents are around at least :)
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Ah don’t get me started. It is the one thing I hate about restaurants in Bengaluru (and Mysuru for that matter).
Thank God for the darshinis.
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FYI & FYA …
Mudde Madappa hotel in anandrao circle (Next to TCS) serves authentic [ Mudde + Bus Saar ] bangalore stuff.
Atleast I try(tried) propagating Kannada/Karnataka Culture where ever I go along with other Indian cultures/cuisines, you can’t help but try to convince foreigners that India is a diverse country with multitude of cultures.
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poli,
There used to be restaurant in 3rd block jayanagar serving akki rotti/raagi rotti with authentic kai chutney….I dont know if it still exists.
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Also another thing about the bangalore is the number of paav bhaji/masala puri joints that have mushroomed everywhere. Whatever, happened to those push carts selling hot bonda,bajji,pakodas :)
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I have tried many of the shanty sagars for dinner and all they have is north indian food only! Not to mention that in western countries, Indian food = northie food like indian film= hindi film(may be because the restaurants are run mostly by paksitanis)
Why our menu names have also undergone a drastic change. I dont know how many times I have fought with the Iyengar’s caterer at Murthy Angadi for displaying ‘dosE’ and ‘Dosa’, vaggarne avalakki as ‘pooha’ and things like ‘baingan’ or ‘bhendi’ sambar.
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Swamy
karanatakda local food yavadu?
utakke
bangalore / musore norige adu ragi mudde.
uttar karanatak davarige jolada rotti, mulagai pallya
Dakshin kanndadavarige anna.
adare beliggena nahstakke idli, dose, uppittu agbeku adu yella kannadigarige
bangalore norige joladaroti utaserangilaa. uttar karanataka davarige Mudde serodilla.
maneyalli ade tinntivalla? Horage bandare ade tinnabeka?
hingagi namma karanatakaad uta namage beda. hotel hyage nadisodu?
adakke uttar bharathiya uta. heegaagi uttarabharatiya hotelgalu avu jasti.
Hotel ave jasti adamele avaru kottide tinnabekalla?
Adaru unity in diversity nammali eede.
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Even allowing for the ‘popularity’ of North Indian ‘cuisine’, executives like Kiran Rao can do better than ordering MRF-tyre like Nans, chewing gum chicken tikka and a whole assortment of rubbish masalas that give the new meaning to RRs (Roaring Rectums) the next morning! Even in Indiranagar there are quite a few idly vade dose restaurants!! Rao has to make a better effort than simply shooting the bull after a greasy North Indian meal:)
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Like many have pointed out, there are quite a few joints with local food but it is also up to us to frequent those or order food from them. Supply and demand go hand in hand and one cannot complain about there being no food places without making an effort to go to them.
That being said, this problem is not unique to namma nadu alone. In the US too most people mostly prefer food that is not local when they cater or eat outside their home. Pizza, pasta, tacos, tikka masala or anything you name are not exactly local in nature. This is attributed to that is the US like our country is very diverse and cannot be compared to other countries where one culture dominates. Little wonder that our country is called a sub-continent.
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>>Indian food = northie food like indian film= hindi film(may be because the restaurants are run mostly by paksitanis)
>>
Koppal,
There are also lot of “Authentic Udupi restaurants” in the US run by Tamils of madurai/chennai..serving mullagawtaney soup (i am still trying to figure out what that is in udupi cuisine)..:) Go figure. But as you rightly said most indian restaurants are punjabi (indian) owned or pakistani owned. You can tell the ownership by looking at the name of the restaurant…akbar, mughal,taj etc are owned by pakis where are house of india, india house,india palace etc are owned by punjabi indians.
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the best akki rotti and chutney is served at the Cosmopolitan club in 3rd blk, jayanagar…beg or plead someone who is a member there to take you there and its worth the trouble. Also, there is a small gem in 9th block jayanagar called as Vyshali …give it a try
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Buddi yaware, you have surpassed yourself yet again! hahahaha!!
Now, it’s been many years since I visited the motherland, but I have always wanted to see a south indian eatery serving traditional south indian cuisine served by lotus-eyed, traditionally decked, jasmine-mallige scented servers( female of course) with long oiled hair and half-sarees in a traditionally built home-like structure with red-oxide floor, dark wooden beams on the ceiling. There will be insence of pure sandal oil burning away and ancient vedic samana hymns will be chanted continuously by an old priest with earlobes that have travelled way south, maybe some choice carnatic music, live…
Of course, that’s never going to happen :-)
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Kannadigaru “idli-sambaar” anthaare, nija. “Thyrode” anthaaralla haage. Aadare “anna-sambaar” anno paddhathi nammalilla. “Anna–saru” athava “anna-huli” sari.
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Sum kirla,
Cosmo club, Sunday koli biriyani also. Order with chill beer and watch the boys play criss cross games of cricket in the ground – big thumbs up! Of course the beer is also made in Karnataka – so one cant complain.
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DB says it like it is. The only place on earth I’d prefer northie MRF tyre (LOL :D) over udupi cuisine is in the US of A – where like mayura points out – not only is udupi’s fair name misappropriated by kongas but to add insult to injury, they also have the cheek to pass the neer-bore-ucche of a mulligatawny ‘soup’ (actually a bastardised mix of MTR jalajeera powder mixed in pathetic ‘rasam’ with kaig bandashtu huNse haNNu paste to add/bring brown colour plus kaig bandashtu pepper pudi and topped off with atrocious amount of uppu and saaladdakke adaralli naalak hasi meNsinakayi bere tEl biDtare) as Udupi cuisine!!! AAK! :x
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I don’t think north india cuisine has hurt local cusine in any way in Karnataka. The local restaurant owners failed for a simple reason that they lacked the vision to explore the market. C’mon guys admit ‘Karnatakans are extremly lethargic people’.
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@ Sir VA , if not for the scented women servers …some of ur needs can be met here http://bangaloreblues.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/a-cultural-and-culinary-night-out/
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@ AG , abs right ..and finally stop for a paan under Gaurav restaurant nearby
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Sir VB wrote
>>Now, it’s been many years since I visited the motherland, but I have always wanted to see a south indian eatery serving traditional south indian cuisine served by lotus-eyed, traditionally decked, jasmine-mallige scented servers( female of course) with long oiled hair and half-sarees in a traditionally built home-like structure with red-oxide floor, dark wooden beams on the ceiling. There will be insence of pure sandal oil burning away and ancient vedic samana hymns will be chanted continuously by an old priest with earlobes that have travelled way south, maybe some choice carnatic music, live…
>>
This used to happen in Windsor manor…for the most part I mean…I dont know if it still happens….I was mildly surprised when a pretty damsel came and offered mallige dindu to the girls in our group and waiters wearing kacche panche and mysore peta came to serve the food on baale ele….however, the vedic hymns were replaced by piped indian music..
So give it a try when you are in Bangalooru next time..
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I have had a number of friends from various countries and they have always enjoyed south indian food especially dosas. There is no dearth for good south indian restaurants especially in South India and should not be an excuse for not goign to a south indian restaurant. There are a lot of non-Indians who love the south indian food and they go to Dosas in SF or Das prakash or saravana bhavan in the bay area on their own with their family once they have been introduced to the cuisine.
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Kiran Rao
you have given the answer in your write up “YOU ordered the naan etc”. Even in Chancery Pavillion you can get a perfectly Bangalore lunch or dinner if you ask for it. At an international seminar at Chancery Pavillion we were served typical Bangalore food with Koasambari, gojju, to every thing the “locals’ eat, including ‘Tale mamsa’ and ‘mudde’. You just have to decide what food to eat or serve, thats all. South Bangalore has all sorts of food choices – Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, chinese, North Indian, South Indian, Italian, Mexican, etc etc
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Ashley,
Thank you. Your fantasy is at once terrifying, Harry Potteresque and funny! But I see that you are pining for some home cooked food.
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Agree with many, most recent being subbulakshmi that the author did little to talk about the local cuisine himself. ‘We all nodded wisely..’ — guess it wasn’t wise that no one pointed out that the food ordered was not local to the city-state.
Talk of missing a good opportunity to help further our cuisine and the fact that this visitor WAS interested in local cuisine, and ate, what he thought was local ! YOU failed to educate the visitor that naan & co were not local. There may not have been much to order that was local, but sometimes just a mention is enough to rouse the curiosity..
Unless it was a one time meeting and not a continued relationship, you could still Blackberry him/them and point them to restaurants catering Karnataka’s cuisines in the US. They will not be anywhere as good as their Bangalore counterparts, but will still give them a small glimpse..
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Yet another instance of a rant by a south indian who feels they’re getting increasingly marginalized by rampant north indians. Before you vent, I would advise you to stop and think for a minute. north indians do not go out of their way to advertise and poplularize their cuisine all over the world. If their food still finds a lot of takers among desi and firangi people, surely you ought to give some credit to their style of cooking. it’s not too hard to understand why – what can you suggest that will beat tandoori chicken, chicken tikka and butter chicken? or paneer tikka masala, dal tadka and aloo gobi for the herbivorously inclined? sadly there’s no south indian equivalent to delicious punjabi fare. you could argue that dosa, idli and sambar are eternal favourites of north indians and i myself have come across ‘northies’ who drink sambar. what stands out though is the universal appeal of punjabi food as opposed to south indian fare that is restricted to only a few. even if you take the line that punjabi food is popular only because it’s heavily promoted, i don’t see what stops anyone from promoting south indian food as prominently. being a south indian myself i would like to conclude by saying..south indian food may be good, but north indian food is better, which is reflected in worldwide sales and popularity of the stuff.
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I am a South Indian with a preference for North Indian food. So, I think I can provide some inputs here on why South Indian food hasn’t gained too much popularity beyond our Dosas.
Very few people the world over can relish sour food and even fewer can enjoy Tamarind.
We tend to chop food too fine thus denying the joy of biting/chewing. Punjabi dishes generally have bigger chunks of veggies and panneer while we make things semi-solid most of the time.
Some ingredients like asafoetida are not well received by many.
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my friend Anon- this wasnt a rant whining about being edged out by the ‘superior’ Punjabi food. I suppose the writer was trying to introspect into why local cultures arent respected as much as they should be and then goes onto suggest that culinary diversity shouldnt get swamped in a globalised and therefore sadly monotonous food culture. There isnt any comparison and competetion between Dose and Tikka mate. But I supose you like to rant and there is something called projection in Psychodynamic Psychology- maybe you would find it interesting to read.
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That’s right, you tell ’em Gaby akkow.
Rao Batni has brought up a simple and thought-provoking point. This is very obvious if one reads the artcle properly. Comparisons between two varieties of cuisines are not applicable to the context that is being served here.
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You go Gaby!
anon,
So you want to say the burgers served at McDonalds are best food in the world? Because they are doled out by the millions and consumed everywhere? Or maybe the ubiquitous cheap ramen is the greatest culinary delight for your tastebuds? You consider this kind of junk food ‘superior’ to gourmet food you would get in a good Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, Indian etc. restaurent?
I like punjabi food myself (not the oily **** served in most places in the name of Indian food though). But that has nothing to do with what the author has written.
Understand the article before you are make a fool of yourself by equating mass consumption with ‘superiority of food’. Or do you want it to be translated to hindi?
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Yes. Bengaluru is invaded and conquered by the culinary armies of the north. Like the East India Company had their first post in Kolkata or somewhere, we had the first Sukh saagar/Shaanthi saagar or Vaanthi saagar (I prefer to call so all such hotels who refuse to serve coffee) in Gandhinagar. From that place it has caught on to every nook and corner of Bengaluru like an epidemic.
The sale of “tikka’ masala and Gobi manchuri etc on push carts and street carts is ample evidence that the invasion of Bangalore by northie food is complete. The Idlis and ‘Motte dosE’s are on their way out of push carts. Of course we have yet to see Pizzas being peddled on push carts.
In a similar manner the national capital is invaded by Chinese (food). One can see several vans dishing out noodles during lunch time at and around many sarkaari daftars in Delhi.
I heard there is local food fair (santhe), which is still surviving, held every weekend night somewhere on a road parallel to RV Road. I have yet to visit it. Of course our media thinks it is infra-dig to shed light on such happenings.
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ingredients in north indian food probably explain their rugged ,rough behaviour.
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babuds Says:
I heard there is local food fair (santhe), which is still surviving, held every weekend night somewhere on a road parallel to RV Road.
Well its the Thinde Beedi that you might be referring to here.Ask directions for V V Puram circle or better still VB Bakery and lo and behold you come to a smallish street.Thats the place you are looking for folks.
Maja maadi.
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dr Ramesh, I fall at your feet!!! please tell me what ingredients make you rugged? Maybe that’s why North Karnataka people use “Soolemaga” in every sentence. Have a break (fake) doctor! You’re suffering from jaundice and whatever you see will is yellow. Please stay away from your F@##ing comments. Use only in KRV posts please… (Maybe as a kid you were humped by a North Indian or a Tamil or a Marati, your attitude to the ‘outside’ world shows that) I am OK. You’re not OK!
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babuds. “Your people” are too vulnerable. In other states the idli/dosa and north/chinese co exist or the latter is on its way out. Ajino motto has the ability to shift tastes. But it has proved wrong in your neighbouring states. You bet? If Bangalore has refused to change it is your own people’s making. All I can say is you deserve Vaanthi Saagars!!
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Isn’t there an almost santhe’ish atmosphere at the edge of Jayanagar 9th Block? When they have all the sellers peddling stuff on some weekday (or is it weekend?)
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Let’s make an even subtler point. There is no such thing as Karnataka cuisine – what we have are the cuisines of Karnataka. Of all the Indian states Karnataka has the greatest variety of cuisnes – three distinct vegetarian cuisines – (with their own sub-varieties) – and many different non-vegetarian cuisines – at least five.
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There is a trend in the US towards rejecting ‘popular’ junk food and going back to local and natural sources. This is very common in forward thinking states of the US like Massachusetts and California, and is fast spreading elsewhere too. Naturally grown produce, organic food, non-processed meat from the butcher (like our ‘wet markets’) and coming back in style slowly and surely. And the are only gains this way. In addition to helping the local economies, cutting unnecessary industrial processes, cutting artificial and unhealthy ingredients in diet; this also has bigger advantages of avoiding health problems like diabetes, heart problems etc.
And this is happening after years of going the other way towards mass and over processed food – which by the time it ends up on your plate it has very little to do the grain, vegetable of meat it originally came from.
We have thankfully not yet reached this stage in India. Hopefully we will learn from these mistakes – and cherish our local cuisine. It is a good thing to try out other foods on a regular basis. But not giving in to unhealthy mass-produced junk as our staple diet.
And unrelated blog story which I was reading yesterday captures this well:
” If you were dropped at a random point in America today, nearly all the food around you would be bad for you. Humans were not designed to eat white flour, refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated vegetable oil. And yet if you analyzed the contents of the average grocery store you’d probably find these four ingredients accounted for most of the calories. “Normal” food is terribly bad for you. The only people who eat what humans were actually designed to eat are a few Birkenstock-wearing weirdos in Berkeley.
If “normal” food is so bad for us, why is it so common? There are two main reasons. One is that it has more immediate appeal. You may feel lousy an hour after eating that pizza, but eating the first couple bites feels great. The other is economies of scale. Producing junk food scales; producing fresh vegetables doesn’t. Which means (a) junk food can be very cheap, and (b) it’s worth spending a lot to market it.
If people have to choose between something that’s cheap, heavily marketed, and appealing in the short term, and something that’s expensive, obscure, and appealing in the long term, which do you think most will choose?”
The blog itself is about something else – just cut and paste the relevant section: http://www.paulgraham.com/boss.html
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AG,
For a fuller understanding of the junk food market and its perpetrators and its ill effect on the US population read Micael Pollans “An Ominvores Dilemma”. It is a great book
:-)
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Thanks mayura, will definitely read get hold of the book you suggested.
I suggest: Fast Food Nation, The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser.
A fascinating read. Can be viewed as a cautionary tale for the middle and upper classes in India about what could happen if we went fast-food all the way.
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AG
I have seen the documentary fast food nation. But I will read the All American meal you mentioned.
You are right. I am concerned at the way the current indian population is taking to american junk food..it is really worrisome in the long run on the health of the indian population.
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Mayrua–
The names of Indian restaurants in the U. S. have to do with our unfortunate history. And also with the limited knowledge of our history that U. S. customers possess. Hence those Mughal names even for the restaurants run by Indians.
Isn’t it ironic that Udipi has been hijacked by non-Kannadigas for their chain? Not “Udupi,” but “Udipi.”
Hungry people eat whatever they have to hand. That explains why so many of us have recourse to the same fare day after day. Variety is for those who know what it is. There is nothing anybody can do about the proliferation of non-Kannada grub joints in Bengaluru or Mangaluru.
Eating anna saaru requires skills that are needed when consuming chappati and bhaji, a less messy business.
The outlook for Kannada comestibles perhaps is not that grim. Three decades ago, there wasn’t a single restaurant on M. G. Road where one could eat anna huli. Now I can count at least three. At all three one can order in Kannada.
The restaurant business provided a good employment outlet for Kannadigas once. If nothing else, one could become a cleaner and move on to becoming a server (just as in transportation where one began as a cleaner and managed to become a driver). If I have the money, I can always feed myself. How about the diminished job prospects for Kannadigas in their own state? In their own capital?
Let’s take a break from heavy theorising. Within a hundred feet of one another, restaurants in Basaveshwara Nagar offer anything one wants to eat, including “kaalu soup.” Go past Nelamangala and you will have your pick of dhabas selling fake punjabi fare and our own Kannada joints offering “handi ssaru.”
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We are so enamoured of America and things American. America is a country where a third of the population is clinically obese. I see rotund people in upscale areas of Bangalore all the time. Bore Gowda in Mankuthimmana Halli continues to be skinny and Jaswanth Kapoor in Koramangala is like our own Santa.
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@PTL “Three decades ago, there wasn’t a single restaurant on M. G. Road where one could eat anna huli. Now I can count at least three. At all three one can order in Kannada.”
Can you pls shed light and reveal names of these three pls?
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Thank God, at least people realize that ‘South Indian menu’ does not mean ‘udupi menu’ alone.
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Yella OK–
Brindavan for those who cannot afford more than forty rupees. I do wish I could remember the other two, where the tab is around one hundred and fifty rupees. There is one on Brigade Road, too
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Is Karnataka’s local food same as Shivalli Brahmins’ pioneered ‘Udupi Cuisine’?
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There used to be a Shanbag cafe on residency road near Imperial Hotel- they used to serve very good masala dose and fairly decent ootada thatte ( In the language of blasphemy also called Thali). BTW my cousins raving about this place called Saapaad Raaman- opposite the Opera theatre at Brigade- Residency junction- I know it isnt anna- huli- kosambari but Saambaar in my opinion comes a close second and beats Naan and Mali kofta anyday. Any reccs about this new placxe.
Whenever I’ve stayed at Bengalooru there’s been Mixture and Kasi halva/ Domrot from Lashmi Vilas near Dharmaraya Gudi- fantastic stuff- I honestly believe all true bangaloreans should taste this once before they die. Apocrypha is that the great DVG often visted this place for SKC!
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There is also the Ballaal on Residency Road. But they are thali people. I guess thatte meals went out with full meals and plate meals. A little restaurant near the Legislator’s hostel offers excellent “laghu bhojana.” For breakfast or afternoon thindi Bombay Krishna Bhavan near the Mill Corner is the best.
I am proud of the quality of the food and the cleanliness of the kitchens in Bangalore.
Those streetside dose camps and the rest have to go, no matter how affordable they are.
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Tamilians now run the best South Indian restaurants.no need to envy though :D
call us konga or whatever we pwns kannadigaru in almost every ways! ;)
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Paandithevar:
There is a little bit of overreaction on Shishya’s part. “Mulligatawney” is an old recipe known as “Molaguthanni” in its Tamil form.
Forgive us mangas for calling you Kongas. You don’t mind references to your land as “Konganaattu,” viz, “Konganaattu Thangam.” What do you call us Kannadigas when you are not charitably disposed? How are we to take you defaming us in “Veerapandya Kattabomman” or “Imsaiarasan Pulikesi?”
All right, you claim you best us in all contests. Even if it were true, is it important enough to brag about it? It is really this sort of attitude that makes it difficult to resolve substantive issues like sharing the Kaveri waters equitably.
For the record, I have enjoyed eating at Kadambam. The dosa packets on Bengaluru-Chennai trains are entirely wonderful. You perhaps run the best Tamil restaurants, but that is not the same thing as saying you run the best South Indian restaurants. Our peninsula is area specific when it comes to eating.
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Well would you care to substantiate your claim? BTW what do you mean by ‘pwns’?!
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PLT
>>Three decades ago, there wasn’t a single restaurant on M. G. Road where one could eat anna huli. Now I can count at least three. At all three one can order in Kannada.
>>
This is not true. Brindavan hotel is there on MG Road since early 70’s and were run by udupi guys and the food used to be excellent, till some tamils took over the hotel in the ’80s.
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In most of the five star-three star hotels,posh hotels,Airport hotels you cannot find south indian rice preparations in their menu card,like”Bisibelebath,Kadamba,Idli sambar “etc.Probably they cannot inflate its rates as everybody knows its cost unlike those so called chinese items they can have any rate,ordinary households dont prepare it.
After a long wait in the airport if one needs something to eat has to compulsorily take those cutlets as one cannot go out nor any other hotels are nearby. It is time some pressure is brought to see that south Indian food especially breakfast(tiffin) are made aavailable in the Airport restaurants
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Gaby
>>been Mixture and Kasi halva/ Domrot from Lashmi Vilas near Dharmaraya Gudi>>
And also benne murukku at the same place you mentioned…it is heavenly…also try damrotu from V B bakery available on sundays only :)
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pulikeshi,
Konga is not a derogatory term…it is actually an old kannada (halegannda) which denotes the tamilnadu of today…same as vanga(for west bengal), utkala(orissa) etc.
So no need to be defensive, when you call a Konga a Konga :) It is perfectly ok.
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Gaby,
pwns = pounce….i guess
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now since “Konga” word has reined in some respect, hope Dr.ramesh will have to search for a new one!
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as mayura as rightly said, kannadadalli
konga — kapi , konga naadige serida vyakthi antha.
nothing wrong in using the term.
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Dr. Ramesh. You are all in one. You represent all the three monkeys! see no good, speak no good, hear no good. You are here to promote Mudde Gowda who have along with Mudde gumped half of Karnataka!
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ananth shenoy avare,
if u know to read and write kannada, please go thru a KANNADA NIGANTU meaning a dictionary and look for the meaning of word konga.
this is a typical sangh parivar mentality , if any one differs from their opinion they brand the person with all sorts of names.
if there are people like u around , how can one expect good things.
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Swamy Vaidyare ,
Konga comes from the original of Ganga referring to the the Paschima Ganga Samsthana ( remember Shivanasamudra, Durvinitha etc- if you have read kannada other than your Gowdra Purana).
Konga equated to Markata in slang is a making of the cheap patriots.
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dr. Ramesh, But you started it. You have mastered the art of sterio typing. Maybe for you all Shenoys are RSS. So am I!?
>>this is a typical sangh parivar mentality , if any one differs from their opinion they brand the person with all sorts of names<< Remember your own words next time you post a nasty comment.
You can’t eliminate people like me! but you can decide whether to look for good things or not!
since JD (S) doesn’t represent Karnataka, please stop campaigning for Gowda. Let the professionals do it. Keep “Churumuri” Clean. Breath in… Breath out!
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I think the problem is that the places which serve pure South Indian food are not posh enough for foreigners from rich countries and dont have inflated prices to go with them. I had once persuaded an American to accompany me to Vidyarthi Bhavan in Basavanagudi to get a taste of South Indian food. He came with me but refused to eat anything citing that the environment was “unhygenic” and was irritated that we had to wait for 30 minutes to get an uncomfortable seat.
BTW there is a place called Halli Tindi on Bull Temple road which has Akki roti, ragi roti and other south indian delicacies served daily.
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The so-called North Indian — Punjabi is more apt — food these shanti sagars and others of their ilk serve is rubbish. I pity poor Bangaloreans who patronise these eateries. It is much like the “bada-sambar” and “uthpam” that restaurants dish out in North India. There is more to North Indian cuisine than Punjabi.
One cuisine fad of Bangalore I don’t understand is “gobi manchurian.” I discovered another manchurian variety which used banana instead of gobi. Equally disgusting.
Also find it outrageous that even Kannadigas should be calling dose “dosa.”
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Konga—-refers to Kongu nadu(coimbatore)
even the word Kannadi refers to Shepherds from Karnataka who were our nearest kannada friends during olden days
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The worst part is they have changed the names of delicacies from Mosuru Vade to Dahi Vade. Even in restaurants run by kannadigas,that too in Mysore, menu always lists it as Dahi Vade rather than Mosuru Vade.
The names of kara boondi and all condiments have undergone complete change thanks to arrival of North Indians.
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