Bangalore restaurants- Food and Travel: Parsi

Sodabottleopenerwala

Wednesday, June 17, 2015Me! In words

The term Parsi brings a lot of lovely memories back for me. A childhood friend, with whom I was almost joined at the hip is Parsi. When we were not in each other's homes, we chatted on the landlines (that's all we had back then) incessantly. We, almost always exchanged lunches on weekends - my mum's pork bafat for her mum's Dhansak. While her parents enjoyed those endless cups of chai, we dug into aunty's scrumptious Kopra Paak that she made on rare occasions. It is in her house that I learnt that you can crack an Eeda (egg) on just about anything... like I said, the memories are beautiful and quite delicious too.

Sodabottleopenerwala recently opened its doors in the city. Much like you would expect of a Bombay style Irani Cafe that has been given a stylized fillip, the place did not have a stool to spare. So when I was invited as part of bloggers table, I happily trotted along. And of course for the fact that I wanted Dhansak and Berry Pulao and anything-with-eeda on it

Sodabottleopenerwala has some really quirky interiors - from its tiles to the walls to the accessories you will find jutting out and to the closely packed tables and chairs. All the colour, chaos and aromas will have you stunned for a few seconds. Once you get your bearings, do take a minute to gaze upwards. A suspended train track with a functional toy train circles the entire restaurant - a great way to keep the children wide-mouthed in awe. And let's admit it, quite a few adults too - I needed to be yanked back into conversations every now and then.

The food at this place is typically Bombay Irani Cafe, with a string of Parsi specialties and a good handful of Irani classics as well. A full-fledged bakery on the premises also turns out goodies like the Shrewsbury biscuit (nice, but not up to its Pune counterpart level), Apple Pie and custard, Lagan-nu-Custard and much more.

We ate and drank a lot that day, which is quite typical of bloggers table. The menu has a balanced selection of goodies for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. And so, here is a look at some of what I sampled that day, while I sipped on my Daaruwala Vimto, .

We started slow with the Spicy Mushroom on Khari - the popular snack biscuit Khari (salty) is given an substantial lift with mushroom and cheese. Makes for an excellent combination with crispiness of the biscuit making way for the soothing combination of hot mushrooms and melted cheese.

To the right is my Daaru wala Vimto - a throwback to the good old days of Vimto, this is a cold mixture of five berries and tequila. The Sol of Colaba is a vodka spiced Kokum drink, Rustom Bantawala - goli soda bottles filled with mango and vodka. Bahu Saaru Che Dikra!!

The original Eggs Kejriwal was a simple mix of bread and eggs with cheese thrown in between and a healthy dose of green chillis sprinkled on. The recipe has traveled a distance from Willingdon Club's kitchens. This version has all of the same ingredients - with delicate, thin slices of cheese. The green chillis are moderately present. Making up for it is the generous presence of red chilli powder. You need a wake-up call anytime - this will definitely do the job.

My tryst with the Chicken Baida Roti has generally been that the Iftaars on Mosque Road. So it was nice to try a Bombay-style version. This chicken and egg combination came steaming hot. You will alternate between blowing the tips of your fingers and getting a piece of the goodness into your mouth. I honestly did not need the chutney to go with it - it has all the moistness the dish needed without coming to pieces in your hand.

You cannot have Goan Chorizo and Pav on the menu and not have me ask for it. I can spend a lifetime eating only this (ok, am kidding, there are lots of such things on the lifetime eating wala list). I would love to know where they source their sausages from - its the perfect balance of tangy and spicy. Cooked with generous amounts of onions, tomatoes and potatoes, you can't help but constantly reach out for the crusty toasted pav to scoop some into your mouth. I did the next gluttonous thing - I used a spoon and shoveled the lot into my mouth. Maaf karjo, maane sharam na thi!

Kanda Bhaaji - not only did this photograph so pretty, but it was a tasty version of this popular dish. Served as the nice in-between courses and drinks.

The beauty of Prawns Patio or Kolmi nu Patio is that it can be had as a side dish, a main course with an accompaniment, as a pickle and and in any other way you may want it- its versatile, uses a bare minimum of ingredients and is lick-the-plate-shamelessly good at Sodabottleopenerwala.

I just can't get over how pretty this dish looks. Breach Candy Awesome Okra makes bhindi looks so inviting. The fried and tempered bhindi is placed on a bed of tomato based masala which has a few ingredients I couldn't put my finger on, but it all came together beautifully.

But of course I was going to have the Mutton Dhansak - served in a classic tiffin carrier - it has three containers with your caramelized rice, the mutton dhansak and kachumbar. I will be honest, I have had a better dhansak in the city. But then, just like a biryani, the iconic dhansak is a subjective matter - something that is humorously pointed out on a blackboard on your way in.

We did have other desserts, but it was the Caramel Custard that stood out for me completely. The Caramel had that perfect level of bitterness to it and the custard was great.

Sodabottleopenerwala is definitely a place to head to weekday or weekend. The food is good, the beverage menu is interesting and the place is an experience. A meal for two is approximately Rs 1200++. The loos are clean.

Address: Plot number 25/4, Lavelle Road, Bangalore

Phone: 7022255299

Cuisine: Parsi, Irani
Accepts Cards: Yes

Parking: Valet