food guide - south canara

this food guide is meant to be an addition to food guide - mangalore. it details places of gastronomic interest around the mangalore area, primarily small towns and villages in the south canara and udupi districts of karnataka.

south canara is an interesting part of the country. it has over the ages, absorbed influences of various cultures producing a spicy, tangy culture curry. portugese colonizers, arab traders, malayalee migrants and jesuit settlers all add bits to the way of life that is mangalore.

to look at, it is very similar to northern kerala with its abundant greenery, coconut tree dotted beaches and hundreds of small hamlets all over the countryside. this last feature is the reason why, despite significant development in the region, there are no large cities here. instead the area has a whole bunch of very well connected small towns separated by verdant countryscapes.

food guide - south canara

the village - aeyadi
into & location |
'the village' is a large restaurant just outside mangalore in a hamlet called aeyadi [pronounced ae-yah-dee]. this comes on your way to the airport and is the perfect place for a lunch stopover. lunch can set you back by about 500 bucks. it is on the expensive side.

ambiance & hygiene |
this restaurant is very well laid out. it has a 'village' theme running through it, with several tile-roofed, hut-like shelters and palm fringed open air dining area with a separate air-conditioned hall. in terms of ambience this restaurant rates among the best in mangalore. hygiene is very good too.

food |
being a full-fledged multi-cuisine restaurant, 'the village' offers you a lot of variety.
recommendations :
a : prawns and pomfret : the speciality of this place, probably any small hamlet in the area, is its seafood. do not miss the fare here. i would not recommend their squid, though. while it is pretty decent, there's much better squid to be had elsewhere in south canara.



sagar - on the way to deralakatte
intro & location |
the actual location of this restaurant is an almost insignificant fishing village on the road towards deralakatte [pronounced they-ra-la-cut-tay]. food here is cheap and the atmosphere relaxed.

ambiance & hygiene |
this restaurant is, like 'the village', built with a 'village' theme, with thatched hut-like shelters and tables laid out under them. it is a bit down-market, though.

food |
come to sagar for the seafood. everything here is fresh, the prawns, the 'kane' [a kind of small fish], the crabs [not shelled], the squid, the pomfret... be wary of the local style of preparation though, all the seafood is best eaten in 'chilli' or 'fry' form. for instance, 'pomfret fry' or 'prawn chilli'.



pallavi - padubidri
intro & location |
padubidri is a small fishing village that sits right in-between mangalore and udupi. it has pristine white beaches which are mostly empty. what it also has is a bunch of 'bar & restaurant' joints. these are a unique phenomena. the folk of mangalore and nearby areas seem to enjoy driving down the highway to eat at this little village. dinner at pallavi would cost you under 200 bucks.

ambiance & hygiene |
pallavi is more bar than restaurant. the crowd here is decidedly crass and usually quite drunk. the place smells strongly of cheap booze and is far from clean. ask for the 'a/c room' as soon as you get there, this part of the joint is quite clean and smell free. the tables are neatly laid out like a proper restaurant and the crowd is civilized.

food |
padubidri is a fishing village, so the obvious recommendations here are seafood. i'll also recommend a drink, which goes very well with the food.
recommendations :
a : bandas chilli : 'bandas' [pronounced 'bun-daahs'] is the local term for squid. the squid here is absolutely fresh and the preparation is the best i've had, ever. soft squid rings stir fried with onions, garlic and chopped capsicum, with an ever-so-faint chinese flavour. this dish is a good munchie to go with your drinks.
b : pomfret fry : this is a whole fish, flat and about as big as your palm, cooked in spicy red paste on a banana leaf. it's cooked in coconut oil and because it is fresh, the soft white flesh is delicious.
c : sand dune : this is a drink introduced to me, in padubidri, by a friend. they don't make it for you, you'll have to make it yourself. this is how you go about it - ask for 60ml romanov vodka, 30ml lime cordial [a vile looking extract of lemons, 'lc' as the waiters know it], a kingfisher beer [kingfisher strong, if you're me], a beer mug and a straw. mix the vodka and the lime cordial in the beer mug, pour beer over it, stir lightly with the straw and sip. brilliant.



sagar - karkala
intro & location |
sagar is a small vegetarian restaurant doing very brisk business right next to the karkala bus stand [pronounced car-caa-laa]. it bridges the gap between an udupi hotel and a full fledged indian restaurant, serving the idli-dosa fare at certain times and full meals during other times. they serve both south indian as well as a liberal interpretation of mughlai fare.

ambience & hygiene |
the joint has a lower seating level and two mezzanine dining areas, one of which is air-conditioned. head to the latter area. it might take you a while to get a table and elbowroom is a little tight even after you do. the hygiene however is pretty good. food is very reasonably priced, lunch can be had for under 100 bucks.

food |
depending on the time of the day you come here, the restaurant serves some excellent udupi fare. feel free to try anything on the menu, it's all pretty good.
recommendations :
a : mysore masala dosa : this is a triangular dosa thats differentiated by a thin layer of tangy red chutney thats smeared on it's inside. the potato curry inside, steaming sambhar and fresh coconut chutney complete the setting.
b : gobi manchurian : little bits of cauliflower, batter-fried with chillies, garlic and a purpotedly chinese sauce. good apetizer.
c : chocolate double sundae : a simple dessert featuring two scoops of ice-cream [chocolate or vanilla] a large dollop of hot chocolate sauce and a handfull of freshly roasted cashew bits. whats interesting about this dessert is the chocolate sauce, it has a very unique roasted taste to it. worth a try. the cashew topping is generous, i'm guessing, because this area is a large producer and exporter of cashew.


trupthi icecream - karkala
intro & location |
exit the mangalore-bus-stand in karkala and turn to your left. keep walking in that direction till you find trupthi, on your left-hand side. this is a factory outlet for a small local icecream manufacturer. expect to eat your heart out for about 50 bucks.

ambiance & hygiene |
this is irrelevant. if you came to a factory outlet to eat icecream, you don't care about anything but quality of icecream and price.

food |
recommendations :
a : mango icecream : if it is the season, this fresh fruit flavoured icecream is absolutely delicious.
b : fruit salad : a small bowl of mixed fruit topped with a scoop of semi-soft vanilla icecream. it's very sweet and very good.
c : gadbad : thats the standard dessert for south canara, see the description under pabba's in food guide - mangalore.


dollops - manipal
intro & location |
a small restaurant located next to the manipal police station a short walk from the bus stop.

ambiance & hygiene |
an open hut with mangalore tiled roof with tables inside and outside, in the shade of a large tree. the dollops setting is almost picturesque and the hygiene is good.

food |
dollops serves a wide range of popular snacks and main courses. good chicken preparations and an excellent, if not too authentic, chinese menu.
recommendations:
a : tandoori chicken : succulent marinated, tandoor grilled whole chicken.


the shack - manipal
intro & location |
a small shack in the middle of nowhere, well off the central road in manipal.

food |
shack is best for their barbecue chicken with garlic bread and mashed potatoes. and also their teas, they have the best masala chai.


cosmos - manipal
intro & location |
the coffee shop at hotel valley view. cosmos is a short walk from the bus stop in manipal.

ambiance & hygiene |
valley view is the equivalent of a star hotel, it is comfortable, clean and quite expensive.

food |
being the coffee shop, cosmos serves everything. literally. most of their fare is pretty good too.
recommendations:
a : chocolate mousse : a large cup with a small bit of something that tastes like chocolate cake at the bottom. the rest of the cup is filled with the most sinful chocolate, thick and just perfect.


mitra samaj - udupi
i haven't ever eaten here, but it is supposed to be amazing. this review is a dummy waiting for someone to pitch in with an actual review. this is a description of udupi food i found at a website revieweing an 'udupi restaurant' in america.

the purely vegetarian appetizers include rasa vada--a tasty lentil donut served with rasam (a sour and spicy soup)... entrees include crepes (dosai) and pancakes (uthappam) with fillings ranging from chilies to potatoes to cream of wheat--all served with a zesty side of tomato/onions chutney and yogurt sauce... meals and rice are served in separate dishes and are best accompanied by one of the unique, fluffy breads.

[ credit to payal for helping me with some of the write-up's here ]