About four months ago, in the early days of enthucutlet, we received an email from a truly enthu reader. Vikram Chandrashekhar wrote to us saying, “A close friend and I are in the process of co-authoring a small piece titled ‘Bangalore Darshinis 101’. Darshinis are typically stand-and-eat, limited menu places all over Bengaluru. Would you be interested in using the article for enthucutlet?” We wrote back with a big enthusiastic yes!
So Vikram and his friend Vijay Mysore (also known as “the ‘CEO’ of Gaadi Gourmet, a world-famous-in-Bengaluru foodie group on Facebook”) co-authored their story, sent us its published link, and together, we made a collaborative enthuGuide of it.
Here it is: featuring nine fun, delicious, satisfying thindis (snacks) found at darshinis in Bengaluru, with recommendations on where to try each of them.
1. Mangaluru buns
This bun is a fried Mangaluru creation that is fruity, sweet, and tangy at the same time, thanks to the banana that gets added to the dough. It looks like a thick poori and we love it with chutney and dalithoy or sambar.
Where: Satvik Kitchen, Datta Complex, CJ Venkatesh Das Road, Padmanabhanagar. Also available fresh on order at Jagli Thindi, 85, 3rd Cross, Brigade Millenium Road, JP Nagar 7th Phase, Arekere.
2. Bonda soup
The joke goes that bonda soup was ‘invented’ when the cook ran out of sambar powder. This dish is available mostly in the evenings. The ‘soup’ is just a watery dal with a dash of lime. The bonda is the same as the uddina vade (or medu vada) except for the absence of the hole.
Where: Upahara Darshini DVG Road, Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi
3. Chowchowbath
Uppitu is rawa upma, Karnataka-style. Kharabath used to be an uppittu, but somewhere along the line they ‘coloured’ it with veggies, and called it kharabath. Kesaribath is a sweet version of uppittu. Bits of pineapple or banana are sometimes added to give it that extra zest. Copious amounts of ghee are added as well. For those who want the best of both worlds, chowchowbath has one scoop of kharabath and one scoop of kesaribath.
Where: SLV Bsk 213, 16th Main Rd, Siddanna Layout, Banashankari Stage II, Banashankari, IDC Kitchen, By 2 Coffee (also known locally as By 2 Kaapi), or South Kitchen in Basavanagudi.
4. Rave idli with saagu or kurma
This dish was invented in a time of rice shortages, during the war. It is made with semolina (rave), yogurt, and tadka, and typically served with chutney and a saagu made from veggies, or just potatoes (the Bombay saagu), or with kurma, which is a mixed vegetable gravy.
Where: SLV Ragigudda, 56, Store St, 3rd Phase, J. P. Nagar. Also available at (non darshini) Mavalli Tiffin Rooms or MTR.
5. Nuchinnaunde
Our answer to ‘protein-filled snacks’, this is a steamed dish made from three different types of lentils. Each piece is loaded with probably as much protein as a boiled egg.
Where: Park View, 45/B, 9th Cross, 1st Main, Opp Mini Forest, Phase III, J P Nagar. Also at Puliyogare Point, 34 Mallikarjuna Temple Street, Basavanagudi.
6. Akki rotti
This is made from rice flour, garnished with chillies and coriander, and served alongside chutney and a saagu. The making of an akki rotti is a tough task – from making the dough and getting the perfect thickness of the rotti, to delivering the precise heat needed to cook it well without burning it. For best results, always eat an akki rotti as soon as it is made. You don’t want to parcel an akki rotti. And yes it’s a rotti with a double t.
Where: Typically available only at a few places first thing in the morning. Try the rotti at NR Colony, Basavanagudi. Also at Eat Repeat, 13, 4th Cross Road, NR Colony, Basavanagudi; and at IDC Kitchen, which has multiple locations across the city.
7. Poori with alugadde palya
Fluffy poori at darshinis is best eaten with an alugadde palya (potato curry) and coconut chutney. However, most places serve them with a kurma or a saagu. Ask politely, “Saar swalpa alugadde palya kodthira please??” and you may be in luck.
Where: NMH 143, Diagonal Rd, near Minerva circle, Parvathipuram, Vishweshwarapura.
Also at Cafe Vybhav (a well kept secret location not even on Google maps) 32-163, Kanakapura Road, Vijayarangam Layout, Basavanagudi. Also at South Ruchis (a non darshin recco) 25, Race Course Rd, Madhava Nagar, Gandhi Nagar.
8. Maddur vade
For this vade, the dough is held together by finely cut strands of onions. Very few places in Bengaluru measure up to the originals made in Maddur.
Where: Few compare to the OG vade at Maddur, but these come close. Raghavendra Tiffin, 150, 9th Main Road, Sector 6, HSR Layout. Also at SLV Ragigudda, 56, Store St, 3rd Phase, J. P. Nagar.
9. Mosaru vade
A vade dunked in curd and served with boondi and tadka on top – a cool vade.
Where: SLV Ragigudda, 56, Store St, 3rd Phase, J. P. Nagar.. Also Upahara Darshini DVG Road, Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi
10. Mangaluru bajji / Goli baje
Goli baje are crisp fried fritters made with flour, yogurt, spices, and herbs. It is called Mangalore bajji in Bengaluru and Mysore bonda in Andhra.
Where: Bangalore Cafe, 9th Main Road, 2nd Block, Jayanagar. Also Jagli Thindi 85, 3rd Cross, Brigade Millenium Road, JP Nagar 7th Phase, Arekere.
Darshini pro tips / cheat sheet
1. Visit a darshini based on your spice tolerance. The chutney gets milder as the day progresses in most places; it’s diluted as the day progresses.
2. Take a chance and visit a good darshini at about 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. The crowds are lighter in the evening, and fresh special fried delicacies make their way out from the kitchen: goli baje, bun, aloo bonda – as per your kismet.
3. If you are going to a new darshini always ask for ‘seperatoo’. You can make it a ‘dippu’ with a refill of chutney or sambar later. The consistency of sambar — that is, the dish’s taste, texture and sweetness — is not the same in every darshini.
4. Try sipping on a straang kaapi with your kharabath / vade / goli baje / buns. Most people want to drink coffee only after food. Try coffee alongside your snack and notice the difference. It just hits differently, and you may like it.
This guide has been adapted from Vikram and Vijay’s original story ‘101 guide to a Bengaluru Darshini and How to Order like a Pro!’
