Lunch at Bugle Rock Kamat

and strolling around Basavangudi

Starting of with Holige, spring onion, Zunka (Pithale vadi) , papad and Majige(Butter milk)

Having grown up in the heart of Mumbai walking around was something I enjoyed. While in Colaba every evening going for a walk to Gateway or Cuffe Parade meant having the salt laden sea breeze in your face. I loved to see the bobbing boats on the water front and the twinkling lights.

In Fort the walk was mostly from home to Bombay gymkhana and the back lanes. If walking on the main road it meant peering at all those beautifully decorated shop windows, my favorites Satguru's, Khadi gram udyog, HMV etc.

In Bangalore I love to stroll around Basavangudi. Yes Basavangudi or Bull temple that is almost the trademark of Bangalore. It is a charming South Bangalore locality dominated by Kanada speaking people. The green canopy of trees lets you take a walk even in the hottest of seasons and still enjoy a cool breeze caressing your skin. Most times my strolls here start of with the darshan of Dodda Ganesha or the big Ganapati but more famous than that is the adjacent temple of the 15ft tall and 20 ft long monolithic Bull. This temple was built 500 yrs ago and there is even a legend associated with it.

Bull Temple

In the evenings this place is home to thousands of birds and bats. It used to be a pleasure to watch the flocks fly over the terrace of my old place while I sipped on tea. I have seen so many parrots, kites, mynas, doves etc.

We were out for some work in the area, after wrapping it up we wanted to have an early lunch at the Bugle rock Kamat. I love this place as it gives a nice view of those huge trees lining the road from the second floor dinning hall. We were early and eating at Kamat for us is always the Yele Oota or meal served on banana leaf. This is not a place where we would like to eat idli or dosa for lunch. So we decided to take a stroll and come back in time.

Humm... even after the darshans and loitering around watching the tourists that visit the place we still were the first ones to reach Kamat.

This place has a North Karnataka theme. They serve food on young banana leaves. We ordered the special meal. It would include Holige they said. We were early so the service was really slow. That gave us time to enjoy the view by the full glass panelled window. We had requested the captain to have the blinds pulled up near our table so we got an unobtrusive view of the street below and the greenery.

The men serving were dressed in dhoti and kurta in keeping with the theme. The meal started of with a glass of Majige, then the Holige and copius amounts of ghee served generously. There was the whole range of typical North Karnataka fare right from Zunka which was like Pithale vadi, spring onion, fresh sprig of methi, roasted papad, Moog dal kosumbari, raita, green vatana bhaaji, methi dal and Chili bhajji. Curd is served in a separate small bowl and in the begining itself. This is confusing when you are in for a traditional lunch. Serving curd signifies the conclusion of the thali meal. All through you keep wondering what's next in line and how much to eat what! They don't serve all the items at one time, they keep serving and you keep eating :). The trick is to eat a little of everything and wait for the next thing.

Then followed the special soft Jolad roti and Vangi rassa. Some how I always find they under do the brinjals or may be the the tamarind juice they use keeps them half done, especially near the stem. I am wondering, did they serve us from the pot that was still cooking ;)! Don't know, we were the first ones in there!!

On the table are about 3 varieties of chutney pudis and a pickle. You never really touch them because your banana leaf is so laden with goodies.

Then the rasam and sambar follow with the rice. Even the rice is more like the thick village quality. Is this deliberate? They could easily serve better quality rice.

The meal ends with fruit salad with a mini scoop of icecream of local Bangalore standard. The fruits are mashed, what a put off :( and it even had mango pieces with the skin on! I would like to skip the fruit salad with icecream business in any thali restaraunt in Bangalore. I have never liked what they serve, whether it was MTR, Maiya's or this Kamat.

Yeah but I liked the sweet paan and the banana they serve at the end. Very traditional.

You pay a 140 Rs. for a special Thali on a weekend here. On the whole a good experience. I like to sit there and spend time on an unhurried lunch but as a regular I must learn to weed out what I don't like about the food.

Jolad roti and Vangi Rassa, Moog dal Kosumbari, raita, Green Vatana bhaaji and Methi dal in the back

Another thing I have noticed a schedule for inhouse musical performances pasted in the lift but whenever I have gone there I have never seen or heard any. My friends the Chorghades have been luckier, they were able to catch on some of those.

Kamat is dependable when I have to ensure that Dad will enjoy eating out. He is a thali person these days, age changes people you see and plus just a day before he gave me company at Domino's for lunch so this lunch out was for him.