JOIN USWhen he was barely 15, Ranganna would watch his father Ramanna work in their hotel — Ranganna Military Hotel. He would help his parents before and after school. Opened in 1967, Ranganna Military Hotel has grown in strength and has regulars who not only hop in for breakfast but also lunch and dinner.
Ranganna says that things are much easier now but it was a struggle when they started. “I still remember that my parents would wake up as early as four in the morning to get things ready. I’ve never seen them delegate work — they would guide their workers and stand by them to make sure that the authenticity of the dishes was not lost,” he says.
After his father’s demise, Ranganna took on the mantle of running the hotel along with his sons Sunil and Senthil.
“I believe that nothing can compensate hard work and the personal touch you have with your customers. This is what I have asked my sons to follow as well. It is easy to delegate duties but it is indeed tough to ensure that you add a personal touch not only to the dishes but service as well. This is where we score over our competitors,” observes Ranganna.
The eatery was first started in a small place on Kanakapura Main Road and recently moved to a new building in Jayanagar 7th Block.
His son Sunil explains, “We have expanded our base and found it hard to accommodate the growing customer base. That’s why we moved.”
The eatery is popular for its breakfast, especially ‘Kal Soup’, which a lot of morning walkers have without fail. There’s also the staple South Indian breakfast which includes ‘idli and vada’ and ‘dosa.’ During lunch, the place is packed and serves chicken and mutton biryani in addition to rice, fish curry and an
assortment of side dishes.
“The ‘biryani’, ‘mutton keema’ and ‘meatball curry’ are fast-moving. What also holds the regulars and has new people coming is the distinct taste. We ensure that all the ‘masala’ is ground here and nothing is sourced from outside except the meat and vegetables,” says Ranganna.
His son Sunil takes care of the bulk of the business. “I haven’t changed the character or ethos of the place. We’ve retained the old charm. We have never compromised on maintaining the hygiene and quality of the meat and vegetables,” he says.
What do they do with the leftover food?
“We don’t have any food left over. We make a certain quantity for the day according to the customer flow and if that numbers exceeds, we cook again. Everything is made and served fresh. We add a lot of digestive ingredients to all the dishes so that people don’t feel uneasy after eating the meat-based dishes,” says Sunil.
The eatery is open between 7.30 am and 3.30 pm and 7 pm and 10 pm. It is located No 61, KR Road, Tata Silk Farm, Jayanagar.
For details, call 64528777.