Wild Spice

#1, Cariappa Bhavan,
Field Marshal Cariappa Road (Residency Road),
Bangalore - 560025.
Phone : 9880381009

Food: 2.5/5
Service: 2/5
Ambience: 2/5
Meal for 2: Rs 250

We stumbled upon this hole-in-the-wall restaurant one late evening while looking for some grub after a movie. Easy to miss, it is located in the basement of the Cariappa Bhavan - opposite to Good Shepherd Convent and St. Joseph's College of Business Administration - a short walk from Brigade Road. It looks dingy on the inside, especially at night with dim yellow lights (that's why the 'shady' pics:) ) and a tiny, blaring TV perched close to the ceiling. Don't let that deter you from experiencing some delightful Coorgi fare available in the city.

The kadambattus are well worth a try. Listed as hot, snowy balls on the menu, this staple from Kodava cuisine is nothing but steamed dumplings made from rice. They could have done with a pinch of salt but I guess its only because we weren't used to the taste of it. However, you can't go wrong with the pandi (pork) curry as an accompaniment. The distinct black colour of the curry comes from the homeground roast spices used. Beware! It is quite spicy and it took several cold drinks to get over it!

Hot stuff!

The rice rottis and chicken pepper fry make for a good meal as well. The rottis are soft and very filling and the chicken, cooked in Coorgi style was fiery; lest you forget that the "Land of the Brave" is also the land of spice - what with an abundance of pepper grown in the verdant valley!

We heard that the pumpkin fry and ghee rice are other Coorgi delicacies and that Wild Spice serves a mean version of them but sadly, we were too stuffed with copious amounts of rottis and kadambattus to try anything else.

We would recommend this place to anyone who is looking for traditional and reasonably priced Coorgi food in Bangalore.

PS - Did we mention the amusing quotes printed on the menu, some of them attributed to Confucius? Sample this...'A family that dines together, grows sideways together'! Another smart one - 'For a healthy life, choose your restaurant like you would choose your spouse'. Deep, eh?

Did you know..........
...............................that the Coorg wedding is perhaps the only Hindu wedding where alcohol and meat are served? No wedding in Coorg is complete without kadambattu, pandi curry, koli (chicken) curry to name a few.