Suryawanshi Restaurant: After having heard about it for a long time, I finally decided to visit this restaurant last weekend. It specializes primarily in Marathi cuisine and while I did have high expectations, the experience was even better than those. Right from the service to the taste, everything was spectacular. It was amazing to see the staff and manager treated us courteously and attentively. The service speed was prompt and they were always there to attend to us without any delay. They also helped us decide what to order and explained everything which we asked them. The food was something so good, that you have to experience it yourself. However, I shall try to do justice to the taste by trying to give a brief description of everything that I tried as follows:
* Sol Kadhi (8.5/10) - Always nice to start the meal as well as to enjoy alongside as it acts as a nice palate cleanser. It was refreshing and had just that little spice to wake you up.
* Vada Pav (9/10) - This comes closest to authentic of all the vada pavs I've had in Bangalore and is similar to those found on the streets of Mumbai. The pav was nice and soft while the vada was crispy on the outside and soft inside. What sets apart this one from the rest is the red masala they've put which packs a punch. It is that particular masala which makes it more Marathi than the others I've had. An absolute must-have for all.
* Misal Pav (8.5/10) - Another well-prepared dish Marathi dish, which I tried for the first time. However, it's authenticity was validated by a Marathi friend and so it is another item that is worth trying. Those soft pavs soaking in that spicy goodness from the misal coupled with the crispness of the sev and onions gives a sense of joy nothing else can.
* Sabudana Vada (8.5/10) - Another amazing dish, which was basically sabudana tikkis deep-fried and served. I've tried these before and must tell you that these were some of the better ones that I've had. Just loved the crispy vadas and how wonderfully spiced these were.
* Mutton Kheema Pav (9/10) - This is one of my favourite dishes and this restaurant did complete justice to it. The spicy kheema was cooked in a slight gravy to soak the pavs in. All those mutton juices with the spices soaked in by that pav are probably comforted food at its best.
* Kolhapuri Mutton Sukha (8.5/10) - Another traditional dish, again one that tasted amazing. This had mutton cooked with the bone in a masala. This was medium spiced with the mutton pieces being cooked really well.
* Malvani Surmai Curry (9/10) - I remember having a version of this long back as a child, and when I tried this, all those memories came back. This curry is as good as it gets. The masala is just amazing with the coconut and the spicy Malvani masala coming through really well. Even the fish was cooked to perfection, but I would say the gravy is the hero of this dish. I could just keep having this with plain rice.
* Mutton Masala (9/10) - If you're a mutton fan, this is something that you need to try. Not as spicy as the fish curry, but definitely flavourful. The mutton was cooked really well and the meat juices had mixed well with the gravy giving it that nice earthy flavour. This is best enjoyed with chapatis.
* Puran Poli (9/10) - I was waiting to order this all along and wasn't disappointed. They made it nice and thin with that wonderful chana dal and jaggery filling. The best part though was the amount of ghee applied on top. This is something you must try whether you have space in your stomach or not.
While that was what I could manage to eat, they also have some wonderful thalis for you to try a few multiple items. My vegetarian friends ordered one of those thalis and it took 2 people to finish 1. That is how big their thalis are and of course delicious. The good part about this is that the food is quite homely in terms of how it is made and so one doesn't feel too heavy. Moreover, all items are really light on the pocket.
* Sol Kadhi (8.5/10) - Always nice to start the meal as well as to enjoy alongside as it acts as a nice palate cleanser. It was refreshing and had just that little spice to wake you up.
* Vada Pav (9/10) - This comes closest to authentic of all the vada pavs I've had in Bangalore and is similar to those found on the streets of Mumbai. The pav was nice and soft while the vada was crispy on the outside and soft inside. What sets apart this one from the rest is the red masala they've put which packs a punch. It is that particular masala which makes it more Marathi than the others I've had. An absolute must-have for all.
* Misal Pav (8.5/10) - Another well-prepared dish Marathi dish, which I tried for the first time. However, it's authenticity was validated by a Marathi friend and so it is another item that is worth trying. Those soft pavs soaking in that spicy goodness from the misal coupled with the crispness of the sev and onions gives a sense of joy nothing else can.
* Sabudana Vada (8.5/10) - Another amazing dish, which was basically sabudana tikkis deep-fried and served. I've tried these before and must tell you that these were some of the better ones that I've had. Just loved the crispy vadas and how wonderfully spiced these were.
* Mutton Kheema Pav (9/10) - This is one of my favourite dishes and this restaurant did complete justice to it. The spicy kheema was cooked in a slight gravy to soak the pavs in. All those mutton juices with the spices soaked in by that pav are probably comforted food at its best.
* Kolhapuri Mutton Sukha (8.5/10) - Another traditional dish, again one that tasted amazing. This had mutton cooked with the bone in a masala. This was medium spiced with the mutton pieces being cooked really well.
* Malvani Surmai Curry (9/10) - I remember having a version of this long back as a child, and when I tried this, all those memories came back. This curry is as good as it gets. The masala is just amazing with the coconut and the spicy Malvani masala coming through really well. Even the fish was cooked to perfection, but I would say the gravy is the hero of this dish. I could just keep having this with plain rice.
* Mutton Masala (9/10) - If you're a mutton fan, this is something that you need to try. Not as spicy as the fish curry, but definitely flavourful. The mutton was cooked really well and the meat juices had mixed well with the gravy giving it that nice earthy flavour. This is best enjoyed with chapatis.
* Puran Poli (9/10) - I was waiting to order this all along and wasn't disappointed. They made it nice and thin with that wonderful chana dal and jaggery filling. The best part though was the amount of ghee applied on top. This is something you must try whether you have space in your stomach or not.
While that was what I could manage to eat, they also have some wonderful thalis for you to try a few multiple items. My vegetarian friends ordered one of those thalis and it took 2 people to finish 1. That is how big their thalis are and of course delicious. The good part about this is that the food is quite homely in terms of how it is made and so one doesn't feel too heavy. Moreover, all items are really light on the pocket.
