First published in Bangalore Mirror
Given the dearth of seafood options in Indiranagar, it shouldn’t be difficult for a restaurant serving coastal cuisine to mussel its way in. That’s perhaps what prompted a Sadashiv Nagar original to seek new shores. (map, this is above Beer Cafe) The fabulous décor does a fantastic job of reeling you in as soon as you enter the place. The elegant and comfortable chairs and benches, the photos in distressed frames, the wall art, the tastefully selected floor tiles and lighting, and my favourite, the tiled roof that recreates the charm of an old world home, are all elements that provide the perfect ambiance for the cuisine being served. Given that we had a lot of ground, and water to cover, we began in right earnest.
The place does have a bar, but the options didn’t go beyond the standard liquor menu and a few house cocktails. So we decided to try the Solkadi and the Bonda Sherbet. The latter, a combination of tender coconut water and lime juice, was especially good. The Punarapuli Saar sounds like a respectful way of addressing someone in this part of the world, but is actually a kokum rasam. It works as an appetiser, and in this case, was a very tasty and flavourful one that set it up very well for the rest of the meal.
The first starter we tried was an obvious one because I consider the Chicken Ghee Roast the bacon of the fowl world. When it’s there in a Mangalorean cuisine menu, it’s got to be had. This one didn’t disappoint – rich, fantastic masala with just the right amount of spice, and well cooked chicken. It would have helped if the pieces were small, but that’s a minor complaint. The Kaad Kanchel Pepper Fry was a pleasant surprise too, especially since it wasn’t our first preference. The dishes we had asked for were seasonal. The marinated and deep fried teasel gourd was just the right level of crunchy, and tasted a bit like the more common bitter gourd, but without the bitterness. The Prawns Pepper Fry brought down the bar a bit, since its pepper masala was quite bland. But the Bombay Duck Tawa Fry managed to do all the damage control that was necessary with shallow fried fish and a mildly spicy masala.
We began the main course with a Veg Stew and Appam. The stew is different from the Kerala version – the coconut milk is replaced by grounded coconut. While we preferred the former, the dish on its own was quite good in terms of flavours and consistency. The Appam on the other hand fell short. The Marwai Pundi, a combination of clams and rice dumplings in a rich masala, is a meal in itself and was so good that folks on the table were shellfish enough not to pass! The Chicken Kundapura we tried next came a very close second. The coconut based, moderately spicy gravy made for a superb combination with the equally well made Neer dosa. The Fish Pulimunchi, which is the inspiration behind the restaurant’s name, had to be tried. The Anjal fish itself was well cooked but there was a bitter aftertaste to the spicy, tangy flavour mix that was promised, and that took away from the dish quite a bit.
The menu had a couple of options and the Tender Coconut Soufflé looked like a good bet. In terms of consistency, the dish was closer to a custard, but they got the flavour superbly, and the coconut malai presence was unmistakeable. Suffice to say that if we had the belly space, we’d have ordered another one!
A meal for two – a couple of (non alcoholic) drinks and non veg starters, two main course dishes with breads, and a dessert would set you back by about Rs.1800. The place scores on multiple levels. Even before the food makes it to the table, the décor gives the restaurant a distinct identity and sets up the ambiance very well. The service, barring the initial attempt to force mineral water on us, is helpful, friendly and prompt. The food is spot on and we liked everything except for a couple of minor hiccups. In essence, a place we fell for hook, line and sinker!
Pulimunchi, #307, 2nd Floor, KP Square, 100 feet Road, Indiranagar, Ph: 080 41233940