Category: bangalore

BJP in Bangalore North – Karnataka elections coverage part four

Looking around the whitefield-krishnarajapuram area, one gets the feeling that the BJP is strong in these parts. The area is dotted with advertisements by the party, and the local party office is also quite prominent. No other party has any sort of visible presence here, and considering that this area is semi-urban and has a large number of Reddys (that I figure out by the names of the leaders, etc.) I would classify this area as a BJP stronghold.

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BJP in Bangalore part two – Karnataka elections coverage part three

“Bangalore South is not as Brahmin-dominated as you think”, Rajeev Gowda had told me about two years back. “There are an equal number of Vokkaligas here. So I do have good chances of winning”. Unfortunately for Prof. Gowda, Basavanagudi, where he lives, is currently represented by former mayor K Chandrashekar, another Congress Vokkaliga.

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The BJP in Bangalore – election coverage part two

If reports earlier in the day by TV 9 are to be believed, the BJP has finalised its candidates for the 28 constituencies in Bangalore. On the whole, they seem to have done a decent job of it, though it was widely reported that there was a lot of infighting and lobbying. The chief cause for concern, however, is that a number of realtors have been given tickets.

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Coffee pricing at Chalukya

The pricing of coffee at the Samrat restaurant (part of Hotel Chalukya on Race Course Road) is interesting. This is a popular old restaurant, and being in an area full of government offices, is perennially crowded (despite its large size). It is a sit-down kind of restaurant, though you might have to share a table with strangers if you’ve gone in a group of less than four.

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The Barista Way

The Barista outlet outside Barton centre on M G Road seems to have come up with an excellent way in order to improve their “table turnovers”. They simply play loud and jarring music in order to make the stay as unpleasant as possible for the customers. And new ones keep pouring in so they are able to rake in a larger base on which to spread their enormous fixed costs (rent)!

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Vidyarthi Bhavan seems to have got it right

Recently, I had written that the old restaurants in Bangalore need to cash in on their loyalty factor and make use of the inelastic demand in order to remain profitable. Vidyarthi Bhavan in Gandhi Bazaar seems to have gotten it right, at least partially. Of course, they remain closed for lunch and dinner, and on Fridays, thus not making full use of the “capital”, but they seem to be pricing well.

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Saving the old “hotels”

Recently, an article on the CNN-IBN site about old eateries in Bangalore shutting shop made its way into my inbox a number of times. Read it the first time, and put a “well left” on all subsequent occasions. And recently, in response to some other totally unrelated post, someone wanted me to comment on it.

initially i thought it’s some arbit stupid reform-bashing left-wing article, so replying to it won’t make much sense. However, fact is that a few of these golden oldies are closing down, so I thought it does make sense to put in my two naya paise.

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not so janapriya

They were launched with much fanfare six years ago, and were touted to be the next big thing in easing Bangalore’s transport problems. “This is the way buses are run internationally”, politicos and bureaucrats proclaimed. “Why generally waste resources on a conductor, when the driver can do his work also?”

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Jowar Rotis

In the classification of food as North Indian and South Indian, one really nice thing which gets left out is North Karnataka cuisine. And the Govindrai Kamat group has managed to create fine dining out of this supposedly down-market food and has dedicated the terrace of almost all their restaurants for this!

The ambience is superb. Most tables are on the edge of the terrace and you get to look at the city. There is a live classical music performance daily, provides a nice background while you?re eating, and also keeps you occupied while you are waiting. Waiters are in the traditional Bombay-Karnataka attire ? dhoti-kurta and Gandhi cap.

Food is served on a plantain leaf, and starts off with a glass of spiced buttermilk (and chilly bajji if you opt for the special meal). Main course consists of jowar rotis (jOLada bhakri as it?s traditionally called) ? super-soft super-thin rotis made of jowar, mass-produced and yet served hot. Side dishes include a brinjal curry (something like baingan bharta), a dal, a green curry, raitha and raw onions and greens. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the butter here! Really good stuff! As much as you can eat. It is then followed by the more south Karnataka fare of rice with sambar, rasam and curd. With the traditional plantain and paan to close the meal.

Definitely recommended. And at Rs. 70 per head, it?s a steal. Just make sure you drink lots of water though while you?re eating ? the rice-obsessed South Karnataka stomachs might find it tough to digest. Available at Kamat restaurants on Bull Temple Road, Minerva Circle and Gandhinagar, and maybe in a few other places.