It is thanks to friends like Sumeet Chandhok that we discover places like Suggi. I, for one would never have thought that a restaurant serving Malnad cuisine could be found in the depths of Basaveshwarnagar. A branch of this restaurant is also at New BEL road. And so we set out on a Saturday afternoon. After an hour and 45 minutes of wading through slush-like traffic on Magadi Road, a couple of wrong turns down never-ending one-ways and a bit of unexpected sight-seeing at Vijayanagar, we finally landed at the doorstep of Suggi. The security man there told us that the restaurant was packed and we would have to wait for 15 minutes. Very soon we had at least 20 other people waiting with us. Thankfully we were ushered in within the mentioned 15 minutes.

We had already taken a look at the menu while we waited so we knew what we wanted. We called on the dhoti-clad wait staff and asked for Bandas masala (squid masala) - we were told it was not there... then we asked for the neer-dosa-nati-koli combination - nati koli was not there too... hmmm.... no matter.. we pressed on and finally settled for the chicken ghee roast and pomfret tawa fry for starters and neer-dosa-chicken curry for Anoushka.

We wanted the restaurant's Benne Kadabu with Mutton Pulimunchi but had to settle for Kai Kadabu since the buttered version was not available as well. Once all the ordering was done with, we sat back and actually looked around. The place is not very large, accommodating maybe 40 people at one time. Quite a bit of space has been wasted in terms of seating with a large portion of the front being left open. Possibly to give it a more open look. Decor is simple brown and white with some wooden murals and lighting fixtures thrown in. A water curtain on the main facade makes for a pleasant background while you eat.

The food took a while coming and considering we had come from really far the wait was a bit agonizing. First came the chicken ghee roast. Chicken pieces drowned in the traditional coconut, red chilli and a mix of spices that you will get only in your grandmothers' kitchen (if you are from the region). The dish was piping hot, the masala was just perfect and each piece of meat was devoured down to the bone. Yummmy!!!!

Chicken Ghee Roast (notice the bed of ghee the chicken is in)

The Pomfret Tawa fry was fresh, out of the water, coated with the red chilli-haldi-vinegar-coriander powder paste and fried. The outside was crisp and spicy and the inside soft and yummy.

Anoushka neer dosa-chicken curry combo arrived. The neer dosas came in steamer basketsand were the softest I have ever tasted outside my mom's kitchen. 4 dosas to a basket and a copper vessel with chicken curry steeped in coconut milk, red chillis, coriander, pepper corns and the whole range of Konkan spice staples. Delicious - Anoushka polishing off the dish and the dosas stands testimony to that.

Neer Dosa - Chicken Curry combo

A closer look at the cotton-soft neer dosa

Now for our Kai Kadabu and Mutton Pulimunchi. Benne Kadubu are rice balls that have been made in butter. Kai Kadabu uses coconut slivers instead of the butter. This does go well with a spicy gravy and the Mutton Pulimunchi (hot and sour) was the perfect combo. The mutton pieces were generous in number and well cooked. The masala was the right mix of hot and sour. Finely sliced onions which still had their crunch had been used to temper the gravy. This added to the melange of sensations the mouth experienced each time we took a bite.

Kai Kadabu and Mutton Pulimunchi

Kai Kadabu - up close

We needed to polish off the gravies and therefore ordered for a round of akki rotis which resulted in another round of oohs and ahhs. Once done, we really wanted something sweet - the tender coconut kheer caught our eyes and once again we were told nothing other than ice-creams was available.

Its hard to find fault with the food at Suggi. However, the place has a few negatives that can be worked on. For starters, a restaurant that claims Malnad food as its specialty should try and have all its specialties available. Not having nati koli curry and benne kadabu at 2 pm just doesn't sit well. Granted weekends are for leisurely meals, but the wrong side of 15 minutes can get anyone edgy, especially those with children. Time between order and arrival of food needs to be worked on. Malnad food is all about spice and something sweet, especially of the traditional variety would really be nice. To reiterate the food we ate though was really good.

Suggi also has a lot of other items that are non-Malnad on the menu. This is of course to please the crowd that doesn't appreciate such food. The menu is relatively extensive and has a decent selection for vegetarians as well. This meal came to around Rs 650. Very decent for a Saturday lunch. They have one unisex toilet which is relatively clean.

Address: #330, 3rd Stage, 4th Block, Basaveshwarnagar, Bangalore - 560079

Phone: 40907942

Cuisine: Malnad

Cards Accepted: Yes

Parking: Space for two cars outside the restaurant. All the best if you don't get these two spots.