My Sunday began with breakfast at Malleswaram’s Krishna Bhavan. Along with friends at Godrej Woodsman Estate, I was in the mood for authentic Kannada food, and Malleswaram, with its vast number of South Indian restaurants, was the ideal choice.  

We had planned to dine at CTR (Central Tiffin Room), but the long queue of customers discouraged us. After deliberation, we zoned in on Krishna Bhavan; it was close and made equally good food.

Krishna Bhavan is one of Bangalore’s oldest restaurants, famous for Dosas roasted in ghee and served with a dash of butter.  

We ordered a plate each to experience Krishna Bhavan’s culinary magic. Once the dosas arrived, accompanied by chutney and sambar, we wasted no time and got into the act of eating. We relished every morsel, and every bite reinforced Krishna Bhavan’s reputation.

After the first dosa, our minds told us it was time to stop, but our hearts felt otherwise. Deciding to listen to our hearts, we shared a plate of Vada, ‘Green Idly’, and Kesari Baath. 

‘Green Idly’ also happens to be a Krishna Bhavan speciality. It consists of small, fried idlis soaked in green leafy vegetable sauce. Quite unlike the soft idlis that South India is famous for, the frying renders it crisp, and the green sauce, quite strangely, reminds you of chilli chicken. 

Although every item we ordered tasted divine, the Kesari Baath stole the show. Keshri Baath is South India’s equivalent to Halwa. It combines the right amount of sweetness & richness and melts in your mouth like butter. A few amongst us decided to pack some; we were sure our families, especially the children, would enjoy it. 

After finishing a satisfying meal at Krishna Bhavan, we returned to the car. Although we had no alternative but to walk to the car, we realised that walking burnt a part of the calories that we had gained from the rich food. It also assuaged our guilt.  

I bid goodbye to my friends at the car and proceeded to my tabla class nearby. As I walked, I was eager for a repeat of the morning’s breakfast sojourn. Our group rarely spends time outside the badminton court, so a Sunday morning breakfast is an excellent opportunity to bond. After all, what is life without friends and food?