Go for a meaty treat

Today, one of the main reasons why New Prashanth Hotel stands out in Gandhi Bazaar is because of the country-side flavours of old Mysore region that it offers, especially, in their non-vegetarian dishes.

Shivamallaiah, the owner of the hotel, remembers how when they first opened the place, it was very small but located on the same road. However, it promised the customers hygienic and tasty food. A promise that is still kept, agree many customers.

“In between, we had to shift out of the place but the good part was that we had a place of our own, right next door. So with the same staff, we renamed the place New Prashanth Hotel,” he explains.

Open just six days a week, the place serves only lunch and dinner with not much change on the menu card. The place is a big no-no for all those on a diet because every item is made out of pure ghee. “It’s the ghee and the spices that we grind that brings out the flavour. We make sure we don’t use any preservative or too much soda in our food,” says Betswamy Gowda, the head chef of the eatery.

The place is divided into three sections — family, general and the parcel counters. An enthusiastic bunch of waiters are always on their toes making sure the meal is served hot, fresh and on time. A must try on the menu is the mutton pulav and the natti-koli biryani, which tends to get over even before the clock strikes nine.

“Majority of the dishes on the menu are made out of mutton and chicken and we are very popular for our biryanis,” he says. Another favourite combination among the customer is ragi mudde with chicken or mutton kheema curry. Mutton chops, kurma, natti chicken fry, boti fry, egg masala are the other items that top the list.

“What I really like about the place is that the food is neither too spicy or bland. The flavours are just right,” says a customer. One item that is served with every dish and a popular demand is the rasam.

“Our rasam has a great reputation. A lot of people, even when they get the food packed, make sure the rasam is in there,” says Shivamallaiah.

Despite retaining the same menu for years together, Prashanth Hotel has added some items like Chinese and Kabab preparations for the new generation. “We have to cater to everyone's taste, nevertheless our roots remain the same,” he says.

With its increasing popularity many eateries have opened using their name but the place is very clear about the fact that they have no other branches.