The Heaving Table at OOTA hosted by Shibanee Sagar
Show off mode on! Don’t say I did not warn you 😃
Many years ago there was a video that was viral on social media when it was limited to FB. It was a video of 2 chefs and their epic journey across Karnataka researching, tasting and learning about it’s hyper local cuisine. I was totally mesmerised. I had returned to Mumbai and so did not get a chance to check out the restaurant immediately. It was named Oota. Pictures floated across social media from patrons. I shared all the links on my school group on WhatsApp. It was just the beginning of WhatsApp too. Shibanee hadn’t mentioned it to us classmates until then. Several times I drooled over the pictures on the internet and told my classmates that I was dreaming to eat there.
Left to Right me, Chanda, Shibanee and Vidya
This time when I visited BLR I planned to meet up the Annites who lived there. I hadn’t met Shibanee and Anaheeta after school at all. It was a long gap since I had met Vidya and Chanda too. My only condition was that we meet at Oota and that too with Shibanee.
Well Oota Bangalore is a hospitality venture a passion project by Shibanee’s husband Kamal Sagar. Together they run the architecture and design company Total Environment. If you are a Bangalorean you know how amazing their work is!
At Oota that passion reflects in its menu and ambiance. A huge space of wood and metal furnishings and decor. Ethnic in character. A wonderful space to hold the theme of hyper local Karnataka menu.
So when we met after 38yrs we exchanged euphoric hugs. Shibanee and Vidya were already there. Chanda joined in after sometime. I was given the privilege to order knowing that I was so passionate about food. For an ethnic fine dine Oota menu is designed to impress the technocratic crowd of Bangalore. So I chose from the tablet screen. The attendant helped and recommended that I choose from the ongoing Mango Habba menu. Shibanee
generously instructed that I should taste everything😁
So you see the first picture. The table was heaving under all that food. While She herself ate a simpler thali before she rushed to a construction site. I was thrilled that she could give us atleast an hour together.
Anaheeta missed meeting Shibanee but we stayed longer and caught up on all those 38yrs.
What we ate:
1. Started with a A unique raw mango cooler from Havyaka Brahmin cuisine, Malnad which looked like mango Panha yet it was different sound and taste too. Trroiin! the drink gets its name from the act of downing it in one gulp. Made with raw mango, green chilies and salt, and seasoned with mustard seeds, jeera or cumin seeds, hing (asafoetida) and curry leaves. Decorated with a slice of mango with salt n red chili.
2. Goli Baje, Coastal Karnataka. Deep fried spiced flour dumplings flavoured with cumin, coriander and yoghurt
3. Sabbakki Vade, Coastal Karnataka. Deep fried sago pearl cakes flavoured with fragrant dill leaves and peanuts
4. Maddur Vade, South Karnataka. Deep fried discs of rice, semolina, onions, rice flour and spices originating from Maddur
5. Biscuit Roti, Coastal Karnataka. Mangalorean stuffed sweet and spicy pooris
6. Khara Kadbu, Karnataka. Steamed spiced lentil and rice dumpling
7. Capsicum Bajji, Green capsicum stuffed with tamarind and mint chutney, onions, carrots, lemon and sev
8. Anjal Fish Fry, Coastal Karnataka. Seer fish shallow fried in coconut oil topped with crispy masala crumbs
9. Platter of crunchy papads
10. Platter of lipsmacking chutneys
Right to left : Shibanee, Chanda, Vidya and me
11. Desserts
Ragi halubai for Anaheeta
Mango Shikarani with warm mango holige for moi
Pecan pie for Chanda
Mango icecream with cut mango for Vidya
The food was superbly researched and executed outstandingly. Not one dish to complain about. That is the level of passion Oota shows and feeds the patrons with. I am genuinely blown away with the food.
Proud of Shibanee and Kamal 🙏🏽
I wish I can take someone special for a meal there soon.
