Granted Bangalore is nowhere near the coast, but that does not mean we do not have some great seafood that we can indulge in! Here are 10 great spots for you to grab some great coastal style seafood. Be warned, that you will keep coming back for more.
Karavalli at the Taj Gateway on Residency road has been the bastion of great coastal food for close to 30 years now. And all thanks to the wonderful menu goes to the much-loved 'Chef Naren Thimmaiah'.
Prawn Masala
There is always a great range of seafood available here – from the Crab Curries to the Fries, from the Rava Fries and more. Make sure to also keep an eye out for the annual Aqua Fest and the Crab Festival that Chef Naren regularly has.
This is a massive restaurant on Sarjapur road that brings the best of the Goan coast to Bangalore.
Batter Fried Prawns
While you continue to fortify yourself with offerings from the Margherita Bar, you can dig into a range of seafood here. Many a time, you can pick it fresh off the ice as well. Prawns, cockles, crabs and all the popular fish – from the seer to Pomfret to lady fish and more are available here.
If the Kerala style of fish preparation is what you are looking for, then you need to look no further than Vembanad. A beautiful little restaurant nestled inside The Paul, the seafood preparation transports you straight to the coast of God’s Own Country. Try the Seafood Drumstick Soup which from the Cherai region to make a good beginning of your meal.
Mackerel Curry
The Chemmeen Vada or Prawn Fritters are great as is the Koonthal Mukki Porichathu, squid rings in a masala batter. And if you want a real taste of Kerala, there is nothing that can quite beat the Kappa Meen Curry combination here.
I personally love the Fish Thali here, it is the best way to sample a good fish based meal here at Anupam’s. And then you can always supplement it with some Bondas (Squid) Masala Fry, Prawns Tava Fry, Crab in fries or curries when they are in season. And if the urge hits and you have enough of people at the table, go for the fish platter, it has 9 varieties of fish at one of the most reasonable prices you are going to see around.
Having eaten at Sanadige in Mangalore and Bangalore, I can vouch for the fact that the restaurant maintains a good level of consistency. You can begin a meal with the Crab or Prawn Soup or alternatively just go in for the seafood soup that packs it all. Try the Crab Ghee Roast if you want something spicy and indulgent or opt for it in a butter pepper garlic form. The Silver Fish Naked Fry is great as is the Marvai (Clams) Sukka. The seafood here is prepared according to your preferences and is priced in grams, so do make sure to know what and how much you are paying for right at the beginning.
Though it may not enjoy the institution status it has in Mumbai, here in Bangalore, it is still a place that does some great seafood. And they have a range of styles that they work with. Fish Tikka, for example, is boneless and can be whipped up Hyderabadi, coastal or Malabar style. For something unique, try the Prawn Stuffed Pomfret that is cooked on charcoal or the Barbecue Garlic Crab. You can also consider your fish with Thai Chilli as the base or perhaps go with a sizzler version.
For a taste of the Mangalorean coast, there is no place like Kudla. It is one that I keep going back to several times in a year. So, extensive is their menu that they have divided their seafood options into separate categories giving you a wide range! From platters to fries to gravies and more – you can have prawns, fish, crab, shellfish and more.
A cosy little restaurant smack opposite the legendary Koshy’s, this is a place that focuses on the Mangalorean approach to seafood.
Lady Fish Rava Fry
The Kane (lady fish) Rava Fry, the seer Fish Masala Fry and the Cockles or Kube Sukka are the dishes to have here. Of course, there are a whole lot more as well to choose from.
When it comes to some classic Mangalorean style seafood, there is perhaps no one to beat Mangalore Pearl. They have a handy chart on the menu that tells of the seafood options you have, the kind of gravies and fries that they can be prepared in and this helps you make a lot of great decisions right up front. Kube Sukke, Bangda Masala Fry Prawn Sukka, Squid Butter Garlic or Pepper Fry, White Pomfret Dry fry… the options are plenty and then some.
Searock at Sheshadripuram does some amazing seafood which is from the Konkan Belt covering Mangalore, Kundapur and Karwar styles.
Seer Fish
While the Fish Thali is quite comprehensive, red rice et al, you can also indulge in some brilliant Prawn Ghee Roast, the Pomfret Naked Fry, the Seer Fish Rava Fry, the Prawn Masala Fry and for good measure, the Kerala style Prawn Roast too are great picks. Each of these fish is also available in classic coconut based curry forms. The Pomfret Pulimunchi is definitely one to try.
Ruth Dsouza Prabhu has been a media professional for 18 years now, across multiple platforms. As a passionate F&B writer, she has interacted personally with internationally renowned names such as Marco Pierre White, Janice Wong, Chef Vivek Singh, Chef Vikas Khanna, Madhur Jaffrey, the late Tarla Dalal and many others for her stories. A highlight has been personal interviews with all three of the celebrity judges on Masterchef Australia. She is on several jury panels of food and beverage awards, is sought after for opinions in the field by publications and has her work published in well-known names such as The Hindu, Firstpost, HuffPost India, Condé Nast Traveller, NatGeo Traveller among many others.
