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Ever heard of tasting menus? It is defined as, “A collection of small portions of several dishes served by a restaurant as a single meal.” As of now, it’s a trend that’s slowly catching on in India, but it leaves a majority of the population mystified because if you think of it literally, that could quite literally be the definition of any other Indian thali. While yes, a tasting menu is a ‘Chef Special’, and allows them to showcase their specialities all on one plate; if anybody tried to tell me my Goan fish thali wasn’t ‘special’, you can bloody well expect to be slapped in the face with a fish.
Mumbai has a multitude of options ranging from your regular fish thalis and Gujarati thalis to simple banana leaf thalis, but we decided to venture southwards to see what Bangalore had to offer on one plate — and we were pretty darn pleased with our finds. We’ve been warned by several locals that in Bangalore, they don’t quite use the word ‘thali’ to describe these glorious plates; they simply say ‘meals’. Also, a handy tip? Always save a thali trip for lunch. The only thing you could possibly check off your To-Do list post-thali is an afternoon siesta.
I. Andhra Veg Thali at Bheema’s
Where: 31, Church Street.
The veggies at Bheema’s may change every other day but you can be assured that their service and quality won’t. If you aren’t a vegetarian, we’d suggest pairing your thali with a chicken dish on the side — just ask your waiter for recommendations. Also, be prepared to get your hands dirty; no one eats with cutlery at this joint.
Cost: Do a happy jig all the way to the cashier when it’s pure goodness at INR 190.
II. Andhra Meal at Eden Park
Where: 21/1, Behind The Hindu, Cunningham Road.
Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, rather), the meals are your most pocket-friendly item on the menu! A little birdy told us if you asked nicely, they’ll also pack you some ‘Ulava Charu’ (horse gram curry, touted to be brilliant), if you decide to go with their Carry Meals. Again, order yourself a non-vegetarian side dish or two, depending on your favourite kind of meat.
Cost: Eat it there at INR 185 or take it back home to feast on at INR 320.
III. Kerala Sadhya at Ente Keralam
Where: 12/1, Ulsoor Road, Sivanchetti Gardens, Ulsoor.
If you’ve never been lucky enough to have a friend invite you over for an Onam Sadhya, here’s your chance to experience one first hand. It might not be a replica but it’s one heck of a meal — rice, curries, veggies and more, all piled up on one green expanse of a banana leaf. To wrap it all up is some warm payasam that honestly is the highlight for us. Their meals are only available for lunch though so plan ahead!
Cost: A normal Sadhya is INR 300, but a special sadhya on the weekends comes up to INR 410.
IV. Lunch Meals at Iyer Mess
Where: 4/3, Near Devi Prasad Home Appliances, 7th & 8th Cross, West Park Road, Malleshwaram.
For a no frills, simple meal, look no further. With a standard daily meal of veggies, sambar, rice, rasam, curd, pickle and papad, you’ve got your lunch and dinner sorted. Their dinner only slightly varies from their lunch selection, with some rotis on the side.
Cost: Leave with a full stomach and wallet when a meal here is just INR 55!
V. Andhra Meal at Nagarjuna
Where: 44/1, Residency Road.
One banana leaf. Multiple mounds of rice topped with ghee, rasam, sambar, spinach dal and whatever else your heart could want. Accompanied by the usual suspects i.e. curd, papad, buttermilk, chutney and veggies. Order a Chicken Sholay Kebab, Chilli Chicken or Mutton Pepper Fry on the side. Possibly the best thali — apologies, we meant meal, on Residency Road.
Cost: Pure indulgence only at INR 185.
VI. Naga Thali at Zingron
Where: Solitaire, 62, 2nd Floor, 1st A Main, Koramangala 7th Block.
North-East cuisine is slowly carving its own little space into various cities through pop-up shops, festivals at restaurants and chefs whipping up curated dishes on their menus; but Zingron has a spread that’s been around for awhile now. Cue the Naga Thali replete with steamed veggies, pork chilli, pork ribs, pork gravy, dry hot ginger beef/chicken, eronba and spicy rice all served with one chathur.
Cost: A smaller plate comes at INR 325, but you know you want the whole plate at INR 345.
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