Some sweet, some hot

Northern flavour

Pavan Kumar H,

Sep 11 2009, 21:59 ist
updated: Sep 12 2009, 12:24 ist

A light green banana leaf and on it three varieties of curry, a mixed vegetable salad and the famous jowar roti, anointed with butter, come on a platter at Hotel Nalapaka, Rajajinagar.

The hotel is run by Sanjeev Salimat and his wife Kavitha, who began this eat-out in a small room with a 12-member staff. Today, Nalapaka has two outlets and one party hall with 60 workers.

The place serves North Karnataka food and snacks while Kavitha, with her magical spices, prepares the famous brinjal ennagai (curry). The menu includes 17 varieties of North Karnataka food items including the mouth watering ghirmit (puffed rice mix), mirchi bhaji, masala paddu, avalaki, ragi roti and akki roti.

Every Monday, it's hard to get a table at Nalapaka, as they serve Karnataka's famous sweet holige along with the roti thali. Approximately 400 unlimited meals are served on that day, the most popular items being Bene Masala Dosa and Jowar Roti.

“I have had Jowar Roti at many places but none like these. No matter how full my stomach is, I can have at least four here,” said Sudheer P, an employee of a software company.

The hotel also serves plate meals that attract the employees working in nearby offices. Preparation of the Jowar Roti, involves the beating of the dough to make circles which is quite musical.

“From 1999 since we started, we bought our daily needs from villages in North Karnataka. We have never used hybrid vegetables in our kitchen and that is how we maintain the quality of our food,” said Kumarswamy, the manager.

“None of our stoves stop at any point of time. From 6.30 in the morning till 10.30 in the night, work goes on,” he added.

If the Jowar Roti dominates the afternoon and night, then in the evening, it's the turn of Davangere Benne Dosa. “There is not too much oil in the dosa and the two chutneys they provide are spicy and tasty.”

“Five of my friends and I come here occasionally to have the dosa,” said Sundeep, a student of KLE College.The management is planning to include few more items in the menu.