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Highway is a place where we stop over for a break and grab some good food. Imagine a place that has all the ingredients of a resort tucked away amid nature where you can spend time and may be also forget the journey ahead. Well, those are the attributes of the recently opened MALGUDI VATTIKA at Mysore Road. It is a place where you can get mesmerized in the nature and the display of antics. Yet it is a normal dine-in restaurant on the highway. My gosh, it felt tough on me so coz it has got so much to offer that I am not sure if we can call it just as a restaurant.nd FBAB meetup along with a bunch of enthusiastic foodies.
Let me share my experience during my recent visit as part of the 22
First Thoughts
The moment you hear MALGUDI, our mind automatically reminds us of the MALGUDI days serial that was aired on Doordarshan channel.
For sure the creation of R.K. Narayanan was greatly appreciated by people. The moment you hear anything associated with the words, it rings a bell and gives a good feel.
My friend initially told me about this place and our plan to meetup along with other foodie friends. I immediately agreed as I wanted to visit it from a while. There are simple reasons for this.
- The setup is quite beautiful in itself. Entrance has this huge sign board which makes you feel like you are entering into a small village or township.
- Ample greenery around the restaurant where you can go for a stroll or even lie down after a good meal.
- Antic pieces adorn the restaurant. The owners seem to have spent time and effort to pick each and every item that is put up for the customers to see. Some of the items I could recollect are – old telephone machines, those huge iron suitcases which we called ‘sandook’ in Hindi, old musical instruments, old paper cut-outs, brass glass, cart (tanga in Hindi) at the entrance which was probably used in the past, stand for keeping stick & umbrella for elders, old sofa sets and cutleries and many more.
- Unique menu card which is display on a wooden plank shaped like a fan.
- Seats are quite well spread out so that it does not become crampy and people have to squeeze. I hear the capacity is 60-80 people.
- Separate section outside the main block where there are number of wooden stools and tables are kept. It reminds us of the college days where we used to sit in such things.
- Lighting around the section I mentioned above. Though I have not been able to see it in the night. I can make out how it might look.
- Plenty of olden games that we have played in our younger days are available for kids to pick up and play.
Infact, elder can also enjoy a game of – Snake & Ladder, Ludo and other games.
Apart from that there are some of the age old games which our parents and grandparents played during their younger days. We were probably exposed to few like – Pagade, Choka-Bara and other games.
I can go on and on writing about the things that makes it quite memorable at MALGUDI VATTIKA but I think that it is best experience by being there.
Location
I have shared quite a bit of info on the place and written about many of the features. Now, it’s time for me to share info on the location and how to get there.
If you are driving from Bangalore to Mysore, the most famous landmark apart from the college is the ‘Wonder La’. This restaurant is situated on the opposite side of the Wonder La. Not bang opposite but 1-2 kms before. It can be missed out if you are speeding. So, after you cross the RV engineering college which just on the outskirt of Bangalore drive slowly so that you can watch out toward the left side.
For those coming from Mysore side, you will need to be looking out for Wonder La and then soon after you cross, look to the right side. MALGUDI VATTIKA is situated to the right side.
Food
There are quite a few good things I have shared about the place and the ambiance. Now, coming to the most important part which is the food. For a traveller sometimes, we might present a great place but then the food needs to be on the spot, coz everyone wants to feel good after eating and drive on.
Lemon Soda
This one of the best drinks to start before lunch and after a long journey from city to restaurant on Mysore Road.
The taste was perfect.
Butter Milk
It is very important to cool your body during day time or during a long journey. Butter milk served here was pretty okay, as I did not see it being thick and somehow felt that the salt was a bit less. Adding those enhanced the flavour quite well.
Obattu + Chilly Bajji
This is a different kind of combination including the traditional favourites together.
Obattu or the sweet-chapatti was well made and it was properly heated on tawa. It contained the coconuts which added to the flavours. Ghee was also added quite well on the same to enhance the flavours.
Chilly Bajji was surely one of the best I have tried in a long time. It had the right amount of bajji and very little add. I relished the complete flavour.
Paneer Tikka
A pretty well made starter where the Paneer seems to have been well cooked in the Tandoor. It was not too dark and the mint chutney served along with it was mind pretty good.
The only suggestion would have been give more salads like cut pieces of onions and lemon which usually enhances the flavours.
Thali
An afternoon lunch or evening dinner usually comprises of thali which has a set of various items packaged into a meal. They have 2 varieties of thali that is available.
The contents of both are almost similar but for 2 items which includes – Poori/Johar-Rotti or Brinjol Curry/Aloo Curry. There isn’t any unique name associated with the thali, but they call it out different.
- Thali with Johar Rotti
- Thali with Poori
The contents of the thali include – Daal, mutter + gobhi subji with gravy, channa subji, sambar, rasam, salad, paapad. There is some nice vegetable curry which are usually made at home including – Ivy Gourd (thondekai in Kannada), Ridge Gourd (heerekai in Kannada) and Beans which comes with the coconut gravy.
Raita and pickle are quite common part of such thali.
Each and every item is quite tasty and goes along very well with the Poori or Johar Rotti.
The special ingredient that came along with the Johar Rotti thali i.e., Brinjol curry was pretty good. The only thing I would have wanted them to do was to make it a bit more thicker. Otherwise the brinjol was well cooked and the gravy did have the taste.
Another point to be highlighted is that the food is served on a banana plantain leaf that is placed on the huge plate. The plate in itself is special as its outside part is made of copper.
Sarsoan Ka Saag + Makhai Roti
This for sure is known to everyone as being the speciality dish from North India. It is very essential that the ‘Saag’ is well made as if it is slightly under cooked, the flavours will not come out. The curry was done very well, with the right amount of masalas.
The Corn/Makhai Rotti was pretty okay with the loads of ghee sprinkled on it.
I would have wanted it to be a bit softer. Edges seemed to be over roasted for some of the Rottis. This is a dish for sure to be consumed immediately after it is served. Coz leaving it in open makes it drier and it breaks quickly.
Vegetable Biryani
A pretty well made biryani with lots of vegetables like – carrot, beans, spring onion and red chillis. The taste was enhanced with addition of paneer in it. There was no salaam but yes the raita was served along with it. The rice used for sure was the basmati rice.
It is hard to compare the biryani with the places that focus on making biryanis. But yes, it is pretty good in itself coz there isn’t much oil used in it.
Anyone craving for biryani during journey can surely grab one.
Overall Experience
There is no doubt in saying that this is the best lunch experience I have had away from the city. The place is so relaxing that I feel like going for every weekend and spending some quality time with family. With the backdrop of the lawns and the lush greenery around, I may also want to take a nap sometime. My rating for this place is 4.0/5 which the place truly deserves.
We were also given a complimentary glassware in which traditionally pickles used to be stored. And to surprise us even further, some wonderful Belgian Chocolates were added. I would say that this was an experience way beyond imagination.
My rating in every other department like – Food, Service, Drinks, Ambiance is 4.0/5 for this place.
Food for 2 at this place would cost anywhere between INR500-1000 depending on your hunger.
My foodie friends who were part of the meetup
included – Naveen, Sudarshan, Sujay, Pratheek, Navneeth, Honey Islam, Dushyant, Loopamudra, Mahima, Poojitha, Samhita, Hari Camala.
