Raghavendra stores - Malleswara, Bengaluru

Very recently when I had been to Bengaluru once again for few pending works, breking the fast which was observed after the previous dinner was necessary. This time I stayed in a place called Malleswara which is like the heart of Northern Bengaluru. On Saturday, my friend Manikandan who was introduced to you guys in one of my older posts, agreed to join for the breakfast. On that day, weather was cold for me (it happens when you get adjusted to Chennai's weather) and planned to have a hot yet strong kaapi before Manikandan comes to pick me from the hotel.

Phone rang & Manikandan on the other side told, "Rajanna! I reached. Where are you?" I was having the last portion of kaapi, replied "give me a minute, I will come!" We had a brief discussion of our breakfast & which place to be explored. He being the North Bengalurian wanted to visit Vidyarthi bhavan, which is an usual adda for a South Bengalurian like me. After, 5 minutes of disscussion, we finalized to try our breakfast in an old establishment called Raghavendra stores, just outside the Malleswara Railway station. After a crazy riding in Mani's scooter, we reached Raghavendra stores & my tummy was losing patience too. 

Initially, we ordered a plate of single Idly-vade which had to be dipped in chutney, which is completely  different from the Sambhar dip of Idly-Vade. Mani ordered a plate of Bisi Bele Hulianna or Bisi Bele Bhaath which acts as the heavy breakfast & is a must need to withstand the Bengaluru's winter. We got our plates which had the art called idly-vade dipped in chutney for me & the Bisi Bele Bhaath for Mani. Finding a place to enjoy as well as savour the breakfast is too difficult especially during weekends. 

Finally, we got a place to stand which was considerably less crowded.

Idly was extremely fragile that it was already high because it had drunk nearly 60% of the coconut chutney or in other words it had absorbed the chutney. Hence proved, that the Idly available in Raghavendra stores is excellent in terms of quality. The idly was extremely hot or piping hot, which was just taken out from the Idly steamer & served along with the double fried uddina vade. Vade(s) are usually double fried before it is served. Uddina Vade was extremely crispy & it too started getting high due to chutney. Idly was too fragile that it almost got deformed when it came into contact with the spoon & a small portion of idlly which had absorbed chutney was given complete bath of chutney before it went into my mouth. Ah! the expression came from my mouth due to the texture of idly, the taste of chutney & the hotness of the idly.

Now, the vade was asking for the same & I had to give bath to the vade before I started munching in my mouth & the burst of flavors can be experienced in your mouth. Initially, the coconut as well as the chilly's flavor of chutney which will be trying to suppress the flavor of vade will be futile, as you get the flavor of ginger which would be hidden in the vade. Ultimately, you will be getting the flavor of uddina beLe or urad dal, by the time you would have minced the small piece of vade using your teeth.

Every establishment has a specific ratio of ingredients while preparing the idly, vade as well as Dose. That might be the primary reason of these dishes becoming unique to certain establishments. 

On the other hand, Mani was enjoying the Bisi Bele Bhaath or Bisi bele Hulianna, which is like having a part of meal during breakfast. Bisi Bele Bhaath ususally consists of mix veggies, Dal & Rice which will be cooked together. A special masala is usually prepared with spices which is prepared with a prescribed ratio which has been passed through generations in that particular establishment. Once the masala is mixed with the cooked veggies, dal & rice mixture, it is tempered with seasoning of mustards, Jeera & asafoetida or hing which is usually spluttered in the oil or rare chances in ghee & mixed with the Bisi Bele Bhaath before serving it with the khara boondi for the customers.

Now, I was in need of a masale dose & I ordered a plate of Benne masale, sans the red chutney. Benne masale was served with chutney & a curry which had its main ingredient was potato, a scoop of the curry was topped inside the dose & folded before plating. Dose was roasted to an unique colour which made it to resemble the Moon (Dark colour) on the day of full moon. The first to last bite of the dose was extremely delicate as well as crispy due to the lashes of oil which happened while getting roasted, which ultimately makes the customer like me to settle for one dose & finish off the breakfast with a cup of kaapi. The curry was delicious which had minimal traces of onion & dominated by the boiled potatoes & was seasoned with mustards, jeera & hing along with the seasoning of corriander leaves.

Before, completing the breakfast I had a cup of strong kaapi for two reasons, to wash away the oily food remains from my throat as well as to withstand the Bengaluru's weather. This was the brief report about an age old establishment in Malleswara, Bengaluru.

Time to present the report card :

Taste- 8.5

ambiance- 9

service - 10, self service

Value for money- 9

Time to sign off from this post & will keep posted about an establishment which I had visited in the upcoming posts. Take care, stay safe & healthy.