reasonable

My date with millets.

My date with millets.

Blog, Food and Drink

I wrote this review on 7 March, 2019.

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The bisibele bhath, idlis, vada and kesari bhath looked just like the regular fare dished out at any Bangalore darshini. But there was nothing regular about them. They were all made from millets.

Lunch today was dedicated to the goodness and yummyness of millets. This was the first time I was sitting down to a multi-course millet meal. This lunch had been on the cards for the past four months. But since my friend and I had been keeping hectic travel schedules, we kept postponing this. Until today.

Siri Dhanya Upahara Darshini is a small restaurant near Coles Park in Bangalore East, that specialises in millet-based food. Spread over a small ground floor room and two rooms on the first floor, it is a bungalow repurposed into a restaurant. The decor is functional, though aesthetic. Service is attentive, yet non-intrusive. The food is tasty and filling, with the cooks doing a good job of blending millets in, without sacrificing texture or flavour. Moreover, they had shown restraint with the sugar in the kesari bhath (unlike in most of our other eateries).

The menu is similar to that of the typical Bangalore darshini. But most of the dishes are made from millets. While we had the dishes I mentioned earlier and a cup of coffee, I kept stealing glances at the tempting thali that was being devoured at another table. I have made a mental note to have that on my next visit.

The bill drew a mild gasp from us, because it was less than Rs. 200/-!

I understand that this restaurant is really popular amongst the local populace and pulls in a number of regulars. Thankfully, it was quiet when we went; so, we could yap as we ate. 

If you live anywhere close to Central or East Bangalore, this is a place worth checking out.

What we had:
Kodo millet bisibele bhath
Ragi dosa
Foxtail millet idlis and vada
Little millet kesari bhath

Siri Dhanya Upahara Darshini, Promenade Road, near Santosh Hospital, Coles Park.

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A summery affair

A summery affair

Blog, Food and Drink

With its excellent food and cheery decor, Cafe Monet is a good place for European delights and cold, summery drinks.

I wrote this review on 13 March, 2019. 

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Lunch today was a delightful, summery affair at Bistro Monet on 80 Feet Road, Indira Nagar.

My friend had a smoked chicken salad, followed by a mutton kheema and mint chutney sandwhich (made with a croissant), while I chose a ‘caramelised onion and mushroom sandwich’ (made with brioche). We had the lemongrass lemonade to go with the food.

The smoked chicken salad was (I am quoting my friend) ‘light, flavoursome and comforting’. The bright colours of the salad made for a wonderfully textured and calming visual.

The mushroom and onion sandwich was my indulgence of the week. I normally have a light lunch, or I find that my tummy goes to sleep taking all my senses in its wake. 😀
But the gooey cheese, the mildly crisp onions and well-cooked mushrooms combined to more than overcome my guilt of indulging. At least, this was a bloody tasty meal!
The butter-glazed brioche was so shiny I thought I could see my face in it. Sprinkling some chilli flakes into the sandwich added some oomph to it.

The mutton kheema and mint chutney sandwich was a hit too. My friend oohed and aahed his way through it, which is a big deal for him. The meat was cooked well and spiced just right. The tang of the mint chutney was a good foil for the spice of the meat. The puff pastry was fluffy and light, with just a hint of crunch in its flakes.

While all this action was going on, the lemongrass lemonade was trying its best to keep our palate calm (it did succeed to some extent!). Anyway, it managed to bring our temperatures down by a few degrees.

Bistro Monet has cheery interiors that are easy on the eye – the walls have bare sections alternating with sections that have framed food photos put up. Wooden tables go well with the light chairs and sofas. The well-lit counter and kitchen added life to the place.

I particularly liked the area just outside the door, which is lined with plants and had a lovely wooden bench.

Given all this, the prices came as a surprise. Our bill came to just Rs. 778/-, including a second mutton sandwich, that my friend took home.

An interesting addition to the cafe map of Indira Nagar, Monet stands for great food, good service, superb prices and a warm, breezy vibe. This cafe delivers on every count.

Note: We paid for the food and drinks.

Bistro Monet, near CV Raman General Hospital, 80 Feet Road, Indira Nagar, Bangalore.

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