ITC Windsor, the iconic hotel in Namma Bengaluru is a classic reminder of the old charm that Bangalore carried back in the days. This splendid property was built in the early 80s and with the British regency styled corridors to the art décor inside, everything here calls for royalty. This post is about the on-going food festival, Cuisine of Coorg at The Raj Pavilion.
Coorg, also known as the Scotland of India was originally called Kodaimalenadu, it means dense forest on a steep hill. The place is famous for its coffee estates, misty mountains, endless plantation trails, friendly people and a cuisine that heavily relies on the local produces. Rice is grown in plenty here and the accompaniments are various derivations of rice, either in the form of Akki Roti, Kadambuttu or Paaputtu and a lot more. Kodava food and the unique cultural and tribal history behind it is beyond the scope of this post, people who have attended Kodava weddings will be fairly aware of our fondness towards good food and liquor!
Read on to know Grubitizer’s experience of savouring food from his hometown, in style! As it is commonly known, Coorg food is usually associated with a lot of meat, especially the super famous Pandi Curry. But one glance at our set menu and felt elated to find out that it had more options for vegetarians and a good selection of signature dishes from the non-veg section. Though in actual you can choose between a set vegetarian or non-vegetarian menu.
My plate had Kooru Curry, Boode Molu Kande Barthad, Pandi Curry and Nalla Mollu Koli Curry, I know I would have confused you with the names but the dishes here are available on a daily rotational basis so I would recommend you to check with the restaurant to ensure you are aware of what dish are available on a given day. We paired the Pandi Curry and Kooru Curry (garlic tempered Rajma preparation) with Paa Puttu. Paa Puttu is made from rice suji that is ground and soaked with rice flour before steaming and it has a granular texture, it goes really well with the curries. Pandi Curry was nicely made, the right use of Kachampuli and pork fat was evident from the first bite and I ended up wiping my plate clean!
Pandi Curry, Kooru Curry, Bodde Molu Kande Barthad with Paa Puttu
We then tried Akki Roti that was paired well with the pepper chicken, Nalla Mollu Koli Curry and Kootu Curry, a mixed vegetables curry with lentils and flavoured dill leaves.
Akki Roti with Kootu Curry and Nalla Moolu Koli Curry
The highlight of the day was the Baine Bharthadu, a vegetarian dish that was loved by all. This long brinjal and tomato dish imparts hints of sweetness from the jaggery that soon gets camouflaged in subtle spiciness, brilliantly done. We ended our meal in a traditional Coorg way, with a good serving of Bele Paysa!
Bele Paysaa
The Cuisine of Coorg festival at Raj Pavillion is a must visit because Chef Logesh has come up with a great spread that serves as a perfect example of how a full-fledged meal at a typical household in Coorg looks like. The set menu is available for lunch or can be had from the buffet spread at dinner.
The Cuisine of Coorg Food Festival Dates:
October 15th to November 15th (Lunch and Dinner)
Pricing:
Traditional Coorg Set Menu priced at INR 1250 + Taxes
Dinner Buffet is priced at INR 1195+ taxes
Venue:
Raj Pavilion, ITC Windsor
#25, Windsor Square
Golf Course Road
Bengaluru 560052, India
Contact: +918061401205
Grubitizer 