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It’s raining options

The best way to beat the monsoon blues is to eat out

PHOTO: M. PERIASAMY

Dig in The monsoon is just the right season for some spicy food

It can get quite boring during the monsoons if you find yourself stuck at home. All you have for company are the pitter-patter of raindrops. But if you do manage to venture out, there is nothing like some good food to beat the blues.

Perfect for the season are Hyderabadi Biriyani, Chettinad’s hot and spicy chicken dishes, nawabi pulao, Kerala’s chemmeen kozhambu and appams, Kashmiri roganjosh, and pure veggy Jain, Gujarati or Rajasthani thalis. All these and more can be found easily in Mangalore.

The most “in” joints today are the Vaishno Dhabas. They serve hot stuffed butter parathas, mellow palak paneer, jeera rice, thick dal tadkas and kebabs of stuffed tomatoes with roasted capsicum and paneer. Owner of the Vaishno Dhaba at Urva Stores Manoj Bhagat says: “We have a limited number of dishes, all from Jammu Kashmir and Punjab and Sindh regions. But our patrons range from Kerala to Maharashtra and the locals love our cuisine.”

The food at the dhaba is right for vegetarians such as Aditya Kanchan, an IT professional. “I basically like food that has less or no oil but is moist with butter. I like less of mirchi but more of spices and onions. This combination is available only here,” he says.

The latest entrant to the city is the Iranian Shwarma, fluffy and dry rotis stuffed with electrically roasted portions of shredded chicken and topped with freshly powdered spices. Each costs about Rs. 25 and is quite filling. Youngsters hover around these joints found in uptown areas of Mangalore. They say it goes well with a soft drink.

Anwar Manippadi, presently the Chairman of the State Minority Commission, brought Pop Tate’s to Mangalore. Located at Balmatta, it is famous for the rotisserie chicken. There were even times when one had to book a portion of it in the morning to get it in the evening.

The places to check out in Mangalore are: Danish – Ice and Spice at Bendoorwell, Pop Tate’s at Balmatta, Vaishno Dhaba at City Lights, Balmatta and at Urva Stores (opposite MUDA), Food Court at Empire Mall, M.G.Road, Gujarati hotel at Bhavanti street, Hot Plate at Mangalore City Corporation Complex, Lalbagh and Chicken Tikka at Saibeen Complex.

M. RAGHURAM

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