A medley of sweets and savouries

Given that there are new eateries springing up in Koramangala everyday, it’s rare to find one that has managed to retain a loyal customer base over the years.

But ‘Pal Sweets’, located in First Block, is just that. The eatery, which labels itself a ‘sweets and snacks destination’, offers customers a variety of savoury and dessert items, that are an undeniable hit.

 This is probably why the establishment is bustling throughout the day, particularly in the afternoons, when hordes of professionals troop in for a quick bite.

Manish, the proprietor of ‘Pal Sweets’, is originally from Patna and the highlight of the eatery is its traditional Bihari and Bengali sweets.

   But he’s been in Bangalore for a while — 14 years, to be precise — and has acquired an understanding of what kind of menu works here.

“I’ve been in the catering business for years. I decided to set up this eatery in Koramangala because there is a huge North Indian community here and they form the majority of my clientele. Both the sweets and snacks here are made in the North Indian style,” explains Manish.

The variety of sweets at the eatery is astounding. In fact, customers who enter ‘Pal Sweets’ are greeted by shelf after shelf of dishes, each stacked with different
items.

Favourites like rasgulla and different varieties of gulab jamun, of course, are present. So are platters of soft rasmalai, served with a liberal amount of sugar syrup; different kinds of laddu, including the much-loved motichoor variety; several types of barfi and crisp jalebis.

 “The Bengali sweets here are quite popular. All my cooks are from Bengal and Bihar and ensure that fresh batches of sweets are prepared everyday. I think our clientele appreciates the high quality we provide — that’s why we have so many regulars,” says Manish.

One of the items which he is especially proud of is the kaju gajak, a sort of cousin of the more popular kaju katli.

“It’s made with cashewnut and sugar and sells quite fast,” he adds.

   The best part about the savoury items on the menu is that they are prepared fresh, in a sort of makeshift open kitchen at the front of the eatery, and served
quickly.

 Other than quick bites like chaats, there are also heavier options for those looking for an entire meal — chhole bhature and rajma chawal, for instance.

The tikki chaat, one of the popular items on the menu, is a wonderful combination of crisp aloo tikki and spicy channa, soaked in curd and sour chutney and topped with chopped onion, tomato, green chilli and bhujia.

 The chhole bhature is also the much-ordered option. It’s a delight to watch Harinder, one of the cooks at the eatery, knead the dough and simultaneously check to see if the oil in the pan is hot enough, calling out to one of the servers to keep a plate ready.

He deftly rolls out the bhatura and fries it till crisp. Within minutes, the bhatura is plated, served with a cup of chhole, boondi raita, chopped onion and aachar. Other options are kadi chawal, puri aloo, samosa, kachori and biryani.

‘“Business has been good and we’re planning to expand in the near future,” explains Manish.

 “Maybe six or seven months down the line,” he adds.‘Pal Sweets’ is located at 998/N, Jakkasandra Main Road, Koramangala First Block. For details, call 65722011.