Bangalore was always known to me for its eating joints all over the places and since i had not travlled much, i could go out only to a couple of places. However, this time, i found time and decided to check 'The food street' (Can you believe it, one complete street only for food?)
All those people who enjoy the palates, if you happen to go to Bangalore, just do not miss this place. Just ask anyone on the street and they will guide you to the location!
The food street is a lane which has small shops on either side working furiously to satisfy the growling stomachs that assemble there every evening after 7 PM. You have to eat standing and will have to move from one stall to the other. (It helps, since you can pass that off as an exercise and end up eating more!)
Eating there is such a pleasure, since you can see them making the food in front of you and they serve it pipping hot (just imagine in the cold of Bangalore winter!).
Polis (Sweet rotis made of dal and jaggery, with cocunut stuffing) are a hot favorite. Polis are beaten into flat round shapes with just the hand by placing the dough inbetween two plastic papers greased with ghee. Then they are put on a frying pan and 'toasted' till they turn crisp golden brown. Once done, they are greased with huge helpings of ghee, folded into a triangle and served hot in disposable plates! Yummy, the mouth waters even before the poli reaches its destination! Strongly recommended for those with a sweet tooth.
This is to be followed with 'Thuppa Idlis' (Ghee Idlis), prepared in the shop next door. The idlis are steamed'rice pancakes'. The idlis that are made are exceptionally soft and are topped with ghee. One plate has four pieces and is served with two varities of chutney and sambar.
You then hop on to the 'Benne Dosa' (Butter Dosa) stall that is a few feet away. As with idlis, the dosas are served steaming hot. The main attraction is the way the ghee is added to the dosa when it is being prepared..it resembles a gardner watering a plant! The guy just makes a small hole in a 2 ltr pack and presses out a jet of ghee onto the dosa being made on the pan.
The masala variant is sprinkled with chilly powder and mashed potatoes...with chutneys and sambar accompanying the hot brown dosas! The masala variant is a must have. You also have set dosa (six small dosa...to make you feel that you have eaten less!) that is a fast moving item.
Intersperced with the South Indian dishes, the Chinese and the North Indian dishes also jostle for space. Gobi Machurian (A seemingly oriental marriage of the Indian and the Chinese) is a hot favorite amongst the visitors.
Similarly, lovers of Chaat (North Indian Fast Food) will have a wonderful time, with many stalls dishing out spicy and tasty varities.
A really different preparation that i loved was the variation adopted to make the simple corn (American and Baby) a mouth watering item. The corn is grilled over coal (ingeniously using a small portable fan to stoke the flames), chopped into small pieces, lime is added along with other 'masala items' and served in humble newspaper cups with a small spoon. The corn could never have tasted more heavenly.
Choice of desserts are aplenty, but my favorites being the Kulfi and the 'Gulkand'.
On the face of it, it seems it is a providence that the people of Bangalore have been blessed with a very active tongue that appreciates good food and to help them in their pursuit of good food, all the good cooks make their way to this city and more specifically to the 'Food street'!