Masala Dosa - CTR

Seems like quite a few people are missing the dosa on my homepage. Many of them have asked what happened to it. Well..it's days were numbered....One of the monkeys I know ate it. (I suspect Shruthi), she always likes eating masala dosa's. One of the favorite place of that monkey is CTR. (Central Tiffin Room), now known as something else I cant remember (Oh! Google informs me that it;s now SriSagar, but I'll still call it what I want). So today I will subject you all to a review of CTR which meets the high standard of my refined culinary masala dosa tastes.

Location: No 154, Margosa Road, 7th cross, Malleshwaram, Bangalore.
Decor: Has chairs and tables and a 'family room'. That alone qualifies it for a 3 star dosa joint.
Ambiance: Eh? yen ri haagandare?
Price: Affordability is their first name.

CTR has the look of the typical old joints which have been around since our parents can remember and looks it. There are always people standing outside waiting to get in. The smell is mouth watering. Once you get a place, point to note: You will almost never get a table to yourself, unless you are a large group you are always made to sit in the nearest available chairs. The place itself is not too big. With a set of mismatched chairs and tables and abuzz with activity and noise. The waiters arrive promptly. Unless you ask them to tell you the menu, they will assume you want the dosa.

The benne (butter) masala dosa arrives almost immediately, the waiting time is probably 30 secs to a min. The dosa is crisp and roasted to the right consistency. The chutney is coconutey and really tasty. I could just eat chutney. The potato curry is a little less for me but it is enough for the dosa. The spice is a little less when compared to other places, so it is favored by most. The sambhar is very good too. Left to me, I'd sit and savour it, but the place is so full that you are expected to finish quickly and leave. A coffee after the dosa is a perfect finish. The coffee there is excellent. Right kind of filter coffee. The aroma reminds me of rainy days and hot filter coffee at home. After the meal, all you want to do is go and vegetate at home. It is deliciously filling.

In all, a great place for a good benne masala dose and good old filter kapi. It is a very popular breakfast place over the weekends and can get very crowded. So getting there early is suggested. Be warned: they really do close after 11.30 am. They open again by evening and stay open up to 9.30 or so. It's a lovely place. With it's old world charm, simple people, prompt service and tasty food. So if you are in that neighbourhood, do stop by at this place. You will not be disappointed.

In conclusion, Shruthi now owes me a dosa as she ate mine. What say shrutha? :)

Janardhan Hotel - Of Dosas and Badam Halwa

I am inspired today. I am going to finally make sense to people who think why there is a picture of Dosa on my blog and no mention of it anywhere. Today I'm going to write about one of our favorite places for masala dosa. Janardhan Hotel.I have always known about this place and have rarely gone there.Cant really explain why though. Then enter Sunitha, a friend since JM Financial days. She loves masala dosas. Actually she loves eating good food. She describes them in a way that makes you want to eat whatever she's describing, even if you just had a full lunch. She's mean :P . We went around to places which served dosas and filter kaapi and eat and drank to our hearts content. Janardhan is one of the places that she re - introduced me to and I'm grateful. Thanks Sunitha... :) , you're a pal .

Location : Kumarakrupa Road, Shivananda circle, across Banjara hotel

Ambiance : It's a really old hotel, large foyer, old style bulky furniture. Old style service.Kannada rules (yay!), clean, airy, spacious enough. Frequented by politician types and an odd assortment of rich looking youth, families and other employees.

Food: Well, since I mostly land there during evening to have dosas, I can only comment on what I've tried. The dosas are perfect. They are the right size, perfectly roasted and with the right amount of palya(curry) with the right amount of chutney. It's perfect because eating one is quite enough. If one's planning to have only dosas then you need to be mighty hungry to have two. Their badam halwa is another delicay I'll probably have only there. Tasty, not too sweet, served in a small packet is how much you can eat, Sweet tooth's like me manage two more. Of course, coffee, it goes without saying. Dosas and coffee are soul sisters. Coffee is great too. Like what my mum makes at home. Oh yeah! try ther maddur vadas, they're really good too. It is a truly satisfying meal. Yes, a meal by itself. The service is prompt. No complaints. They leave you alone to eat your dosas. The prices are really easy on your pockets. 

There is a certain charm to these places that a newer, fancier, pretentious place cannot ever replicate. Try Janardhan once. You'll not be disappointed.