The Hindu Business Line : Southern comfort food

As far as South Indian food went, Bangalore once offered three options. If you didn't want to dent your wallet , you went to a `Darshini' or a `Sagar' - where you could have idli/dosa or a rice thali for Rs 15-50, or an `Andhra' or a `Chettinad' joint - which do roaring business through their `unlimited' vegetarian meals (in the region of Rs 100) and hard-core non-veg offerings. But on the days when you wanted to pamper yourself, and tandoori and Chinese didn't figure on your list, you had to be willing to take a real hit financially, because a speciality eatery in a five-star hotel was your only choice for genuine below-the-Vindhyas cuisine in a classy atmosphere.

Step in restaurateur duo Venkatesh Bhat and Vijay Abhimanyu, whose mission, they say, is to bridge this gap in the city's dining scene. First stop South Indies was set up in early 2007, and is probably Bangalore's only upscale choice for vegetarian food from all over South India.

Their latest creation, bonSouth serves non-vegetarian cuisine and alcohol. At around Rs 100-200 for a vegetarian dish and Rs 350 for a meat or fish preparation, Bhat and Abhimanyu have priced their food right in tune with their agenda. The market-savvy pair is now offering a `Beat the Recession' weekend brunch at Rs 550.

A balmy Saturday afternoon found us in front of one such meal. There were two soups on offer. Exotically named Malu Kanni mutton soup (pepper spiced lamb soup from Coorg) and Kai Kari Chettinad soup (a vegetable and lentil broth), both were overpoweringly salty and spicy. There was no clear flavour coming through and they actually tasted similar. The veggie starters, however, were good. The carrot kosumbari and channa dal kosumbari (salads both) were tasty and fresh. The sajjige baje (deep fried semolina dumplings from Karnataka) were crisp, but not oily - not an easy feat to manage.

The paruppu thovial (toor dal and coconut chutney) went well with the bajes. The chicken appetizer, Karaikudi kozhi varuval, was akin to what you would get in any Chettinad joint in town.

On to the main course. The Kerala stew - with its rich coconut milk gravy and firm fresh veggies - was everything it should be.

With the vendakkai pachadi (from Chettinad), the sweet tanginess of the tamarind base balanced out the heat of the dish perfectly. The more kozhambu was excellent too, with the sour curd and sweet fresh coconut complementing each other well. Appam and Kerala porota gave no cause for complaint.

There was also fresh rice and warm melted ghee, podis, pickles, and a delicately spiced Chicken biryani from Kozhikode. The two non-veg dishes though, were not exceptional. Bhat spoke of saunf, khuskhus, coconut paste and a special Coorgi tamarind which went into the Mutton yerchi kari from Coorg, but one's taste buds were merely overwhelmed by the salt and heat of the preparation. The gravy had no texture and the meat had not absorbed any flavour. The meen kozhambu too, was not remarkable, though the fish was firm and fresh. Dessert included a tasty rava kesari and a tad-toosweet rice payasam. Fresh fruit was also served.

The `Beat the Recession' meal includes unlimited alcohol. Cocktails with a south Indian twist like Quick Gun Murugan (a mix of tequila, vodka, lime juice, pepper and tomato chutney - shaken on the rocks) and Chennai Cocaine (mix of vodka and south Indian black coffee) are among those served.

Mocktails were also on offer.

This being a brunch, there was disappointingly no filter coffee or milky tea - something no South Indian breakfast is complete without. Also, accompaniments like idiaappam and neer dosa would sit well with a spread like this, but Bhat and Abhimanyu say appam and Kerala porota will remain constant.

bonSouth is tastefully done up and thoughtfully laid out, with contemporary art on the walls depicting culture and customs from all over the South, and a play area for the little ones.

The staff is courteous and the menu detailed, with little-known items like Syrian vegetable cutlet (from Kerala) and the Konkani batata hummana (from South Kanara) bringing forth Master Chef Bhat's 14 years of experience and research in Southern cuisines. Both Bhat and 21-year-old Abhimanyu come from hotelier backgrounds and over the next decade, plan to put `authentic South Indian food in a contemporary ambience' on the global map.

bonSouth 749, 10th Main, 4th block, 80 Feet Road, Koramangala, Bangalore. Phone: 080-40543434. www.bonsouth.com

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