Iyengar cuisine experience

Iyengar cuisine experience
Kavitha Srinivasa

Puliyogare Point, an offshoot of Kadambam has lived up to its name. Ever since the restaurant started sometime ago, guests have flocked the place to tuck into a plate of puliyogare — an Iyengar specialty otherwise called tamarind rice.
When the Jayanagar branch of Kadambam ceased operations, its founders B S Kishen and wife Vyjanthimala decided to start another unit, Puliyogare Point in Basavangudi. Strategically chosen, as the Kadambam restaurant (the only one in Bangalore) is also in Basavangudi.
With a centralised kitchen at Kadambam, having Puliyogare Point in the vicinity became a practical choice.
Both restaurants have retained the authentic Iyengar flavour, which has been the winning point since inception. There may be a kilometre distance between both restaurants, but the clientele makes a greater difference. "Though Basavangudi is a south Indian locality, many households don't go beyond the staple idly-vada-sambhar. Items like ulandogare, kadugogare and nalagri sadam are delicacies. Which is why we also have Iyengars among our customers," explained Appaji Gowda, in charge of Puliyogare Point.
From June, guests will be taken on an elaborate Iyeng ar culinary experience, by introducing a weekend combo breakfast and combo lunch. These variants will enable customers to sample rarities like molagukootu sadam and ade dosa, along with regulars like thatte idly. The combo breakfast will be priced at Rs 30 and the lunch, Rs 40. And on weekdays, the eatery is sought after by IT professionals, who stop by at its self-service wing, for a plate of khara (venn) pongal, priced at Rs 16. It has obviously clicked with techies, where lunch-ons have extended to include occasional catering. Though it is home style cooking, care is taken to include treats like Kanjeevaram idly and sweets like sajjappa, athirasa and thuni thenkol.
Unlike Kadambam, whose walls are adorned with Tanjore paintings, here black and white sketches greet customers.
Until Kishen-Vyjanthimala began Kadambam, the only means of savouring an Iyengar spread was to be invited to an Iyengar home or still better, a marriage.
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