Lung Fung soup, with pork and prawns, is filling and good. The Cantonese noodles are delicate and easy on the stomach. The fried rice and the crispy chicken, brown and deeply fried, is tasty. The prawn in red sauce is typical of the Chinese fare.
The only disappointment, though, is the momo—the pancake batter is rubbery and thick. The lovely date pancake, perfectly done with date filling, is the best dessert.Micheal Bhang, the manager, is Bangalore’s favourite Chinese. He is kind, smiling and fills one with his affection and service.
Meal for two: Rs 500
Karavalli
Karavalli greets you with the Kerala Tharvad atmosphere—one is reminded of the spectacular backwaters and the sun-drenched beaches of Goa and the family kitchens of Mangalore, what with a soul-stirring aroma emerging from inside. This place offers you a variety of starters to stun you senseless. The Kori Kempu Bejule, cauliflower Bejule, tiger prawns, lobster balcho from Goa, are all delicious. The lobster balcho is beyond comparison.
The idiappam, sannas (made of rice fermented with toddy or yeast) with an array of vegetarian curries like stew and ulli thiel and avial (made of vegetables seasoned in curd and coconut milk) are finger-licking. The Kerala fish curry and dry chicken fry are a delight. Such dazzling coastal cuisine, with a lot of local spices and coconut milk, make it a meal to remember. The array of sweets, the biblica and dodhol and the Pazham Pradaman are a joy to sweet lovers.
The only disappointment is the decor. A few banana trees, elephant heads, traditional lamps and some masks would enhance the look. The cascading water is like music to ears.
Meal for two: Rs 1,200
Sunny’s
Sunny’s has the look of a cafe and the tariff of a five-star hotel. For starters, healthy bread could do with an assortment of speciality breads (bagel, French bread, pitta bread, sesame bread, spinach bread or parsley-flavoured bread) to chose from. The vinaigrette salad, thanks to the vinegar, is very sour and kills the taste of Feta cheese and fresh lettuce. The course of barbecued prawns marinated in a spicy sweet-and-sour sauce is succulent and spicy. The best pasta to date that I have ever tasted comes undoubtedly from Sunny’s. The black-pepper fettuccine with wild mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes are vital ingredients of the traditional pasta. The chunky walnut chocolate with walnut tart is small in portion but perfectly baked and sliced.
Meal for two: Rs 1,200
Raj Pavilion
The Raj Pavilion is a replica of the famed Glass House in Lalbagh. It kindles nostalgic memories of the colonial past.
The a la carte here has unusual fish delights, handsomely brown with nuggets and chips of different varieties and shapes served with Col Skinner’s chutney. The beer is served in yards in some awe-inspiring glasses. But the soup and a salad bar with an array of desserts is ideal for corporate honchos who have time only for a bite.
Col Skinner’s chutney, served along with fish, reminds one of delicacies that were served at the grand shikar camps during the Raj. The buffet is an awesome spread of curries.
Chef Shailender Singh insists that this restaurant is a well-known eatery that dishes out ‘colonial cuisine’. The credit goes to Suresh Kumar and his team for a soul-stirring ‘colonial’ experience.
Meal for two: Rs 1,000
Ranee Vijaya Kuttaiah's third cookbook is in the works
