[vijayols]

Selfie with the group






Enjoying the food


Standing and enjoying with the mad rush


Much like the promises to definitely restart our runs from coming weekend are the promises sworn to our other perennial activity of restarting our under 100kms drives around Bangalore.This is a routine everyday on our evening walks and sometimes one of these,to our surprise actually happen!
Nah not either of the two but a plan to visit the famed Food Street of Bangalore the Thindi Beedi.Thindi Beedi literally translates to Tiffin (south Indian colloquial for snacks or Naashta)Area or street in Kannada.Not that Street food is particularly a culture in Bangalore known more for its Darshini’s of fast food joints serving clean wholesome food quickly and cheap but typically enjoyed standing.The MTR’s,CTR’s,Veena stores,Brahmins Cafes,Rameshwaram Cafes et all probably are the more popular Bangalore Food Icons.But the street food at Mosque Road for non vegs(especially during Ramzan and the Thindi Beedi for Veg food lovers all throughout the year from 12.30 till midnight are exceptions to the rule.

So after a few whatsapp’s later the enthusiastic group to make the trip swelled to 9 for Sunday Evening.We of course couldn’t have picked a more unique day and time for the fun activity as did hundreds of fellow Bangaloreans.Luckily the small silver lining was the umbrellas we had carried did not have to be used.Umbrellas against the Bangalore rains in recent times can only help keep your head reasonably dry as you get washed by the flooded roads.

The team making the sojourn were much like the Chennai Super King squad consisting of matured aged members (close to over the hill oldies status.Only appetite wise MIND IT)and heavily dependent on one 18 year old who could eat like a horse.(Like CSK’s Ben Stokes signing).The list of eateries and food famous there was picked by yours truly not keeping this vital aspect in mind as a lot of the food recommended were sweets which none of the team now enjoy, and that category of food was ironically like the Achilles heel of Ben Stokes.It was akin to him playing spin as the only type of food he didn’t enjoy was sweets.

The LIST was made by going through a few You tube Blogs more in Sri Jaishankar during his Bangalore Visit.

We started from VB bakery –

1) KBC- Kara Congess Bun.This has masala peanuts in it.
Verdict-Go for it.

2) Onion Bun- large pieces of spiced cooked onions enjoyed hot.
Verdict-Go for it.

3) Honey Cake- a cake with a hint of honey instead of excess sugar.Was still on the sweeter spectrum though.
Verdict- Go for it.If you have low tolerance to sweet levels proceed with Caution.

4) Kara Bun- Lightly spicy masala bun.
Verdict -Go for it.

5) Bread Butter Jam.- No explanation needed.
Verdict- Can be Avoided.

6) Dum Root Sweet- Sunday special but we did not have it.

We also packed some OM biscuits and Kara bread loaf to take back home.
Overall a great place to visit when here.

Chandra Sweets and Salties- This was technically before VB Bakery but we went to this place later as we did not know where this was.

1) Masala Chaat- Non spicy and supposed to be like home made chaat the taste which would initially not be Yummy but was supposed to grow on you as you dig in.Unfortunately for the team it remained stunted and did not grow.
Verdict- Not really the best Masala Chaat we had even by Bangalores low standards of such street food when compared to Mumbai etc.

2) Special Cutlet-
Verdict- None found anything special about this one.

3) Gulab Jamun- Very Very soft but on the sweet side.( Like I said a sweet would be sweet but probably wasn’t up to our palatable standard)
Verdict- Was soft and melting in mouth but go for it of you love your sweets.

4) Badam Halwa- Nice but again on sweet side.
Verdict-If I was to have only my portion of the sweet ie 1/9 then would have enjoyed but being burdened with the task of polishing ½ of it didn’t enjoy it as much.

Overall nothing extraordinary about the place.

Arya Vysya Refreshment – Famed for its curd Kodu Bole or rings.Missed as couldn’t locate the place.

We had Avare kai Bhajji in a street stall opp VB Bakery which being cold wasn’t the exactly great tasting.

We also bought some fried Avarekai packets in different flavors to take back home from a shop opp VB bakery which was yummy.

Vasavi Janatha Hotel- This was more of mobile food stalls and covered a large area with arguably then max crowd.

1) Avare Kai Dosa- Hot Dosa with stuffing of masala Avare kai which was yummy.
Verdict- Go for it.Was unique and tasty.


Bisi Bisi Avarekai Dosa.The Showman Ship of the cook who aimed the ghee from a distance with precision was great entertainment too.

2) Hot Kodu Bole- Usually found in smaller sizes as a fried snack this version was hot and fresh off the stove with chutney.Mildly spicy with a hint of tartness this is a ring like dough of Rice and curd with some garnishing of Kadipatta and chillies.
Verdict- Taste is unique and goes well with the chutney.Go for it.


The Kodu bole and Potato Stick



3) Paddu – Was well cooked/hot and went well with the chutney.
Verdict-Go for it.



4) Dabeli- Pav with potato stuffing masala.I guess is more a Gujju food.Typically we can be trusted to botch up a non native food.

Verdict- No where close to some yummy Dabelis available even in Bangalore.

5) Khova Hollige – A local sweet which we gave a miss.

Sree Swamy Bhajji-A small shop with road side counter serving Hot Bhajjis.

1) Pineapple Bhajji- A nice and unique one with a pineapple wrapped around the dough and cut in half with masala powder sprinkled.
Verdict- Unique taste and nice served hot.Go for it.

2) Banana Bale kai Bhajji- Bhajji with Raw banana .
Verdict- I guess most bhajji’ s when served hot and not dripping in oil is a winner as this one was too.Go for it.

Masala Potato Curled Stick- This was a wild card entry and looked ¬¬scary being red in color and promising an upset stomach.But surprisingly was yummy and not too spicy.I guess potato can hardly ever fail to taste yummy in any form.



GuruDev Eating House- famed for idlis and Onion Dosa.Missed as couldn’t spot it.

Maruti Chaat Center Bangarpet Chaats- Pizza Pani Puri.Missed as couldn’t spot this.

Sri Om Shakti Corn Salad- Nice roasted American sweetcorn sliced and mixed with combo of either mango or Pineapple with masala thrown in.
Verdict- Yummy.Go for it.Portion size is big though.







Shivanna Gulkund Center- At the end of the street we had the Triveni sweet which was a mix of butter scotch ice-cream scoop/dry fruits/gulkhand /cadbury’s nutties.Since we shared one between the 9 and could taste a bit it was yummy though on the sweet side.
Verdict- Tasty and unique but extra sweet.Go for it if you love sweets.

Road Side Coconut Flower- Had it next to Shivanna Hotel.This is Coconut flower mixed with jaggery.
Verdict- I liked it though it does taste funny.Go for it if experimentation is your thing.





Chai – Kullad Ginger Chai in tea stall near Shivanna.Ok dokey chai.Go for it if you want your chai no matter what.

Mumbai Lassi and Badam Milk- Had cold badam milk /Rabri and Kesar Kulfi.Since I was forced to eat a major portion of the extra sweetness as everyone avoided it but had to buy as it was on the LIST.
Verdict- Only if you love your sweets extra extra sweet.

Pani Puri 5 flavors Roadside- Didn’t have it myself but every one of us who had it said please avoid.

That I guess completed the LIST and pretty much covered a large part of the over 20 stalls on the 300 metres road.

Is the place worth going when in Bangalore?As a tourist to Bangalore a definite Yes.As a bangalorean I loved the place a decade or so earlier when social media had not made this so happening.The place was supposed to be spruced up by April of this year by the BBMP but knowing the high standards of excellence in completion of projects on time we would be lucky if by next year this one gets done.

Crowded on Sunday and after 8 pm but if excitement is your calling and you enjoy the crowds then the food isn’t too bad and worth a good time especially with friends around.

So that’s a wrap up of the Thindi Beedi Experience.


After Party to compensate for the not so great Pani Puri with good old homemade Pani Puri made by Sweety

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[bblost]

What a beautiful thread to wake up to.

Thanks for the very nice descriptions and lovely pictures.
Someday in future when I visit Bangalore, will try and visit these places.

[kiran_aithal]

Wow! What a great way to spend Saturday/Sunday evening in Bangalore (apart from pub hoping). Mind deliberating now 'Should I go today or wait for next day off?'

[chandrda]

Nice photos and description. Its always a nice experience to visit Food Street with friends or family on a lovely Bangalore Evening. Its always better to visit the Food Street in a big gang so that you can taste a lot of variety.

How the menu changes with time and crowd. I have been visiting Food Street for more than 35 years now and some of the food menu, taste and shops have completely changed.

I would visit VB Bakery every week with my school mates for Fruit cake and then for some chats outside on the street like churmuri (loaded with congress, nippat and kodubele), congress masala, nippat masala, bonda bajji, stuffed capsicum & masala vade. Every week we used to follow a different menu option.

I still do regularly visit VV Puram, but avoid going in late evening and night time when its crowded. I prefer to visit early evening at around 5-6 PM when the crowd is just starting. I stick to native food and avoid fusion variety being offered.

Regards

[Sebring]

By god, the street looks unrecognizable. The treats have changed too. Our favourite is the famed idli joint you couldnt find, it's right next to that gulkand shop - and is a hole in the wall. He opens late and everything is over in 3 hours. Their chutneys are divine. I recall the holige/puran poli was a real treat, as were the dosas and great juice from Ganesh. Will plan a visit the next time I'm there.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by kiran_aithal

Wow! What a great way to spend Saturday/Sunday evening in Bangalore (apart from pub hoping). Mind deliberating now 'Should I go today or wait for next day off?'

This is in VV Puram, finding parking on weekend is a bit tricky. Take an auto/cab if you can. I went there couple of months back at around 6PM, was too crowded and lot of construction work was in progress. Govt is planning to spruce up the street, though don't know the current status.

[KK_HakunaMatata]

Originally Posted by Sebring

By god, the street looks unrecognizable. The treats have changed too. Our favourite is the famed idli joint you couldnt find, it's right next to that gulkand shop - and is a hole in the wall. He opens late and everything is over in 3 hours. Their chutneys are divine. I recall the holige/puran poli was a real treat, as were the dosas and great juice from Ganesh. Will plan a visit the next time I'm there.

As you rightly mentioned, the road has changed a lot. I was a regular there, earlier - can say prior to Covid, visited their few months back and was very disappointed to see the change in vendors and most importantly the food. Now it is not a place for the South Indian or Karnataka delicacies and just any other eatery road which services pan India food items. I won't visit their again anytime soon.

KK

[dass]

May be just me, but having been a regular here since early 2000, this place has lost its charm big time. What used to be a great place for local delicacies, it has now turned into something unrecognizable with the food being offered. The bigger downer is the taste going downhill. VB bakery is probably the only one still worth visiting there. But if people haven't been to this place in its earlier avatar, it is still worth a visit once. Take the Metro to Lalbagh and walk down to this place, since parking will be a nightmare here.

[lina]

Nice write-up. Just correcting a small section:

Originally Posted by vijayols

Road Side Coconut Flower[/b]- Had it next to Shivanna Hotel.This is Coconut flower mixed with jaggery.
Verdict- I liked it though it does taste funny.Go for it if experimentation is your thing.

Attachment 2467731

This is sprouted coconut and not the flower. The flower and the nectar can also be eaten when it is tender but this is different.

[DarthVeda]

Originally Posted by vijayols

1) KBC- Kara Congess Bun.This has masala peanuts in it.
Verdict-Go for it.

It is Khara Bun Congress. It's bun sliced with butter spread on it and congress peanuts sprinkled on it. I am not sure why very few bakeries have this.

On a lighter note, I though Ishanth Sharma was in thindi beedi looking at the first pic

[vijayols]

Originally Posted by DarthVeda

It is Khara Bun Congress. It's bun sliced with butter spread on it and congress peanuts sprinkled on it. I am not sure why very few bakeries have this.

On a lighter note, I though Ishanth Sharma was in thindi beedi looking at the first pic

Adi urf Ben stokes in the write up does look like Ishant Sharma.

The KBC is a cool dish and I think there is one more bakery at DVG road Brahmins Bakery which is famous for its Congress Peanuts.Don't know whether they have the KBC bun there though.

But frankly among the many Bakeries for its various specialties love the Varier bakery products especially the ginger biscuits and Thoms bakery.

Would love to have a thread for various specialties of food in Bangalore as a ready reckoner for bangaloreans or visitors.

[bsdbsd]

If you want to skip the crowds and want to have a decent sitting experience, just head down the road to NMH. Great sense of nostalgia and mouth watering South Indian food in 1960's setting.

[audioholic]

Having seen the area from it's inception to today, except VB Bakery, the rest of the establishments are all just pathetic in terms of hygiene, quality even though some of the dishes are tasty like Arya Vaishya Refreshments, the gulkan shop at the end etc. The rest of the shops are just selling food to mint money especially the ones which cook and serve directly on the street amongst the cement dust and constructing debris.

I have savored the tatte idli in Sai tatte idly, the various cold milkshakes and rose milk next door and they are old establishments and maintain decent levels of quality and hygiene. Opposite that there is this shack type of establishment selling all sorts of spiral potato, momo and what not. Thats the worst.

[vijayols]

Originally Posted by bblost

What a beautiful thread to wake up to.

@ Kiran worth spending a day to either relive nostalgia or if you have never been here before.

Thanks for the very nice descriptions and lovely pictures.
Someday in future when I visit Bangalore, will try and visit these places.

Glad you liked the post.Hope fellow Bangalorean's can stitch together a list of the best eateries in their area for serving as a ready reckoner for Bhpians.

Originally Posted by kiran_aithal

Wow! What a great way to spend Saturday/Sunday evening in Bangalore (apart from pub hoping). Mind deliberating now 'Should I go today or wait for next day off?'

A long overdue visit !

Originally Posted by chandrda

Nice photos and description. Its always a nice experience to visit Food Street with friends or family on a lovely Bangalore Evening. Its always better to visit the Food Street in a big gang so that you can taste a lot of variety.

How the menu changes with time and crowd. I have been visiting Food Street for more than 35 years now and some of the food menu, taste and shops have completely changed.

I would visit VB Bakery every week with my school mates for Fruit cake and then for some chats outside on the street like churmuri (loaded with congress, nippat and kodubele), congress masala, nippat masala, bonda bajji, stuffed capsicum & masala vade. Every week we used to follow a different menu option.

I still do regularly visit VV Puram, but avoid going in late evening and night time when its crowded. I prefer to visit early evening at around 5-6 PM when the crowd is just starting. I stick to native food and avoid fusion variety being offered.

Regards

The gang made the long trip from Whitefield to VV Puram even sweeter.Has been a revisit after more than a decade for me and the first visit for the fellow gangstersThe place has undergone a sea change from the time when VB bakery was the main attraction and the time to visit otherwise was the Averekalu festival time.Like many have observed the place is now a pot pourri of a fusion of flavors some to the liking for a few and some left gasping for nostalgic time of yore.

Like they say like or hate it but can't ignore it.

Originally Posted by Sebring

By god, the street looks unrecognizable. The treats have changed too. Our favourite is the famed idli joint you couldnt find, it's right next to that gulkand shop - and is a hole in the wall. He opens late and everything is over in 3 hours. Their chutneys are divine. I recall the holige/puran poli was a real treat, as were the dosas and great juice from Ganesh. Will plan a visit the next time I'm there.

Yes that was a regret missing the idlis.Share the sentiment of being unrecognizable.

Originally Posted by PrideRed

This is in VV Puram, finding parking on weekend is a bit tricky. Take an auto/cab if you can. I went there couple of months back at around 6PM, was too crowded and lot of construction work was in progress. Govt is planning to spruce up the street, though don't know the current status.

Terrible infra typical of Bangalorean civic authorities completing projects on time.There were iron rods and pits in a road already overcrowded.The plan was to moderise the street and make seating arrangements.Heard they are making the second Beedi at Yelahanka too.

Originally Posted by KK_HakunaMatata

As you rightly mentioned, the road has changed a lot. I was a regular there, earlier - can say prior to Covid, visited their few months back and was very disappointed to see the change in vendors and most importantly the food. Now it is not a place for the South Indian or Karnataka delicacies and just any other eatery road which services pan India food items. I won't visit their again anytime soon.

KK

Change is the only constant.

Originally Posted by dass

May be just me, but having been a regular here since early 2000, this place has lost its charm big time. What used to be a great place for local delicacies, it has now turned into something unrecognizable with the food being offered. The bigger downer is the taste going downhill. VB bakery is probably the only one still worth visiting there. But if people haven't been to this place in its earlier avatar, it is still worth a visit once. Take the Metro to Lalbagh and walk down to this place, since parking will be a nightmare here.

The huge crowd belies what old timers all agree to

Originally Posted by DarthVeda

It is Khara Bun Congress. It's bun sliced with butter spread on it and congress peanuts sprinkled on it. I am not sure why very few bakeries have this.

On a lighter note, I though Ishanth Sharma was in thindi beedi looking at the first pic

A young Ishant Sharma