What’s the favourite breakfast for Hyderabadis on a Sunday? There are many options but for dosa lovers, there’s nothing heavenly than digging into a crispy golden dosa at Lakshminarayana’s bandi at Agapura, Gyan Bagh Colony and washing it off with a hot chai or a juice depending on the season.
We walk in to the bandi on a week day in the morning and the place is crowded. If you think what’s so special about this dosa, wait till you hear the menu available here. The golden-hued rice-and-dal dosa has many sizzling varieties… butter masala, cheese butter, butter paneer, paper cheese (Rs. 20 –Rs. 60 for dosas) amongst other things. There’s your regular idli, dosa, vada, tawa idli, butter idli, tawa vada available for foodies.
“My father started the bandi initially,” says Lakshman. There’s one bandi at Begum Bazaar and Lakshman claims, the place is thronged by regular dosa lovers. “We put onions, tomotoes, liquid upma and a dollop of butter and the dosa is delicious to eat,” says 47-year-old Lakshman, who has been in this profession for 20 years now.
Every day he sells around 500 plates of all the items available in the bandi. Tawa vada (Rs. 40) is another variety to die for at the bandi. “Vada is cut into small pieces and roasted on the tawa with lots of onions and masala. Eat it hot especially during monsoons,” smiles Lakshman.
Sundays are extremely busy for Lakshman and he doesn’t get a respite from making dosas.
There are around 100 people eager to eat his dosa specialities. “Customers come from all areas and leave satisfied after they eat at my bandi. I feel happy that my dosas are so sought after,” says Lakshman. The bandi starts at 6.30 a.m. in the morning and is open only till 1.30 p.m. in the afternoon. “Tourists who visit Hyderabad visit my bandi as part of an itinerary,” smiles Lakshman.
Lakshman ki Bandi
Where: Agapura, Gyan Bagh Colony, near Godhe ki khabar
USP: butter masala, cheese butter, butter paneer, paper cheese
For two people: Rs. 160
