JOIN USOld world charm in a brand new setting
But some enterprising Bangaloreans are trying to salvage whatever they can of the City’s heritage. A landmark heritage structure, the ‘Dewars’ that once stood tall near Cockburn Road beneath the Benson Town Bridge, has been pulled down and its owner has moved ahead by opening another high-end restaurant in another location. ‘Dewars’ had functioned for over 35 years with a loyal clientele. Two waiters of ‘Dewar’s, however, have decided to not let time have its way.
Choosing to put their skills — that of cooking and serving — to good use, the two individuals have teamed up and opened a brand new restaurant called ‘Dewar’s Marine Sea Food’ on Ulsoor Road. ‘Dewar’s Marine’ has started small — in a little garage that can barely accommodate ten people at a time. Still it’s the old ‘Dewars’ in new form. It’s smaller but the taste, dishes and the warmth of the two men — Thomas and Bhasker — remain the same. The joint serves sea food in addition to chicken and mutton dishes. The earlier ‘Dewars’ had a bar attached to it but the new one has a board screaming ‘no liquor, no smoking.’ “This is a takeaway joint and it continues to be one but those who have some time on their hands can sit down and have their fill,” said Bhasker who’s always at the customers’ disposal. Thomas was the chief cook at ‘Dewars’ and here, he is assisted by his wife. The fish, chicken and mutton are bought fresh every morning.
Thomas and his wife wake up as early as five in the morning and start preparing for the day’s chores. The ingredients for the non vegetarian dishes are prepared. The masalas are all made at home too. “There are no artificial ingredients. The focus is on serving fresh, home-cooked food. Nothing is made and kept. The leftovers are never brought back to the table the next day,” explains Thomas. Bhasker says the regulars comprise old customers mostly. “It’s just been two months since we started this joint so not many people know about the place. But the old customers are spreading the word around. That really helps.”
Some of the must-try dishes here are the fish fry, which is fried using less oil, and the prawn fry, which has the perfect blend of masala. None of these are too pungent. Even the biryani, whether chicken or mutton, is cooked with less oil. “We often noticed that people have a bad stomach because of excess use of oil. So we made it a point to use less oil without compromising on the taste,” says Thomas.
The regulars say they come here for its hygienic surroundings and the food that tastes just like home. Surf, with AOL, was a regular at the old ‘Dewars’ and has now been coming to the new place. “I usually take the fish fry and mutton dishes. The ingredients are all in the right mix.” R Dhanashekar, another customer, always orders chicken biryani. “One usually feels very heavy after eating biryani for lunch but here, it doesn’t leave you too full. That’s the best,” he says.
‘Dewar’s Marine Sea Food’ is located at 1/32, Assaye Road. For details, call 9902227315.