Living the Kamanahalli Dream - The Ultimate Food Destination in Bangalore
When it comes to food, this locality has room for cuisines from pretty much any part of the world
30 Jul, 2015 by Priyadarshini Nandy
In local parlance, Kamanahalli is often referred to as Kamanahattan, what with restaurants and eateries sprouting up every now and then, adding to the buzz of what used to be a fairly reticent neighbourhood a few years ago.
Walk down the main streets of HBR (Hennur Bellary Road) Layout and you’ll find everything - from shawarma to tandoori chicken, and momos to bulgogi, and the number of places to find them are only increasing.
There’s the popular Café Thulp, known for its burgers, which sees quite a bit of the student crowd from the area. Connie’s Restaurant and Steakhouse does a range of tenderloin steaks and sizzlers – from the grilled tenderloin to the New York steak - and are reviewed rather favourably by its diners.
Al Amanah Café dishes out more than 30 different kinds of sandwiches alone, but it’s their shawarma rolls that make this little café the talk of the neighbourhood. The chicken kudu roll, the mutton liver roll, and the falafel roll are only a few from what’s available here for shawarma lovers.
Arirang is one of the few Korean restaurants in the city, and it’s in Kamanahalli. Now one would think Korean food wouldn’t fly in a city such as Bengaluru, but it is definitely finding its foothold. From the barbecued pork in a sweet sauce, ugeojigalbi tang (short rib and cabbage soup), to the bulgogi, and dumpling soup – the menu is quite extensive, and the food is pretty decent.
A taste of Nagaland comes from Chubalas Curry and Rice, where you will find some of the most popular, as well as lesser known, dishes from Nagaland, and incidentally Goa! There’s a lot of pork on the menu of course, and fish too; a Naga Thali might give you a clearer picture if you’re new to this cuisine. From the Goan section, there’s the usual Cafreal and Vindaloo, but there are also a few dishes that you won’t find at the usual Goan restaurants in the city.
And if you’re into food trucks, Spitfire BBQ Truck is often seen parked near Corner House on CMH Road. Their menu changes often, but their burgers are definitely worth a try.
It’s no secret that over the past few years, Kamanahalli and its neighbouring areas have seen a rapid influx of international students from different parts of the world. What began as a hub for students because of the low cost of living is now a trend, even though real estate is no longer available at convenient prices. And let’s just say this multi-cultural setup that the area has got going, has pretty much everything to do with the way the food businesses here are thriving. And no, we are not complaining.
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Written By
Priyadarshini is an independent journalist from Bengaluru whose life pretty much revolves around food, good music, literature, and cinema. She’s worked with different publications over the past 10 years, and has written about travel, theatre, films, books, music, food and lots of food! She’s travelled wherever her feet and budget would allow, discovering cultures through local palates and social behaviour, and in an ideal world would probably resort to using food and music to resolve any dispute.
