Think Karnataka cuisine and what immediately comes to mind is bassaru , akki rotti or obattu , right? What if we say there is more to it? If you are game to discover the local flavours without any adulteration, then you must head towards Oota Bangalore in Whitefield.
Started by Windmills Craftworks, Oota is just three months old and offers you an exclusive, vast menu covering the state’s cuisine across the regions of Mangaluru, Coorg, Hubli, Dharwad, Gulbara and more. The ambience also reflects the Karnataka culture. The interiors incorporate a lot of wood with hanging brass bells, traditional brass lampstands and round thalis . The best part of the experience is that you are free to eat with your hands.
We start off with a few cocktails, created by Neil Alexander. He has created over 108 different cocktails for Oota – all with Kannada words.
First it is the ‘Invalid majjige’ (a non-alcoholic drink made with buttermilk). This comes in a clay pot with a huge ice ball. Next comes the ‘Varthur overflow’, which Neil says is inspired by the Varthur lake foam. “I first tried to experiment on creating a foam on the margarita, in my empty fish tank.” So this drink comes with a green edible foam.
We then progress to starters and the main course, headed by the executive chef, Suresh Venkataramana, who shares interesting anecdotes on every dish. He explains that the Oota team spend years conducting research and learning recipes. “We met people from the localities and spent months with them.” He adds that his knowledge has improved in the experience as “we went deep into the roots of our own cuisine. We have so many communities, each with its own unique way of cooking and its own spices.”
The team adds that the food is cooked using local ingredients. “This is easy for us. A restaurant featuring Western cuisine has to import ingredients, we don’t have to do that. We just have to step out to source.”
Our traditional culinary journey continues with the ‘shunti-bellada kashaya’ (ginger jagged water spiced with dry red chilli, cumin, garlic and onion), and ‘nellikayi tambuli’ (a blend of dried amla, fresh coconut and buttermilk). or starters we had ‘menthya pachadi’ from North Karnataka. It was a bowl of fresh fenugreek leaves, served with grated radish, carrot, onions and fresh coconut flavoured with ‘ucchellu’ (niger seeds). The menu also offers ‘mandakki with menashinakayi banji’, a North Karnataka dish served with crisp banana fritters.
The ‘khara kadabu’, ‘Mangalore bun’, ‘sabbakki vade’ (made from sago pearls) along with chicken tikka from South Karnataka, ‘kaima unde’ and ‘kane masal fry’ are demolished as soon as they arrive. The specialty here is that no dish tastes nor is cooked the same. Your palate is treated to varied textures and spices. For the main course we choose the ‘hagalakayi (bittergourd) pallya’, ‘harivu soppina pallya’, ‘yenne badnekayi’, ‘kundapur chicken’, and ‘nati koli pulimunchi’ (from coastal Karnataka). These were savoured with neer dosa , soft ‘ragi mudde’ (ragi ball) and steaming hot rice. Eating here will take time as everything is made fresh. The ragi mudde was served within 15 minutes. When it came, it was piping hot, served with a dash of ghee .
The dessert section too offers you the traditional sweets like the ‘yelaneer paysa’, ‘kai kadabu’, ‘rave unde’ and ‘bele holige’. We were bowled over by the authenticity and the freshness of the dishes served.
Ajay Nagarajan, the CEO of Windmills Craftworks, explains why they zeroed in on Karnataka cuisine. “People know Mangaluru or Coorgi food and a few are aware of benne dose and the food you get in a darshini. But not many know the vast range that this state offers. When we started travelling, we discovered we have an extremely diverse cuisine tht varied across every 100 kms that we travelled,” he says. “There is no country in the world that has such a diverse cuisine. If a diner feels his mother makes a dish better than us, then we have an open kitchen with the ready ingredients. If the mothers are game for it, they can cook and demonstrate how they prepare that particular dish. The food they cook will be served to their families and others too.”
He also adds that the grandmothers and the cooks, whose recipes have been added on the menu will also be invited to cook and interact with the diners on a regular basis. “None of the recipes on the menu will be kept a secret. These are age-old recipes shared with us by women across all age groups. And we are willing to share them with anyone interested.” For more on Oota log on to windmills craftworks.com or call 8880233322.
