April 28, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review N0.322:Subway, Sahakarnagar, Bengaluru.

Good Fast Food.

SUBWAY is a well known international brand of fast food. Compared to McDonalds, KFC, Dominoes and Pizza Hut we feel that ‘Subs’ are a healthier alternative. They make the Subs and salads right in front of us in a very transparent manner, from fresh ingredients.

We visited one of the Subway franchise outlet near our home in Sahakarnagar, Bangalore, just opposite the Vinayak Temple. It is a small but well furnished, neat and clean a/c restaurant with about four or five tables.

We decided to have the ‘Sub of the Day’ for Rs.125 each. Being Friday, we got Chicken Kofta (non-veg), and Veg. Seekh (veg). We had to choose our bread from a variety of 5 types of bread, add cheese, and select the veggies from among lettuce, green peppers, cucumber and onion slices and olives, choose the mayo and sauces from among six different kinds. We sat down on one of the tables and enjoyed it right there and then, rather than take-away.

Salads and wraps are also available, and you can also order a cold drink to go with your meal.

We always visit this Subway for a quick balanced meal prepared fresh right in front of you.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

My TripAdvisor Review No.321: Shiva's Kabab Corner, Bengaluru.

Value For Money (VFM) Restaurant.

Shiva’s Kabab Corner is a small restaurant located on Sahakarnagar Main Road, specialising in non-veg food like kababs and biryanis. They do serve vegetarian Mughlai items as well, along with rotis, naan and kulchas and parottas. There are some Chinese dishes on the menu as well.

We ordered their Chicken Biryani, Kalmi kababs, Alu Parotta and Roti, but preferred to have it packed and enjoyed it at home. The taste of all the items was excellent, and the rates were very reasonable. The restaurant looked clean and hygienic, and the service was courteous.

Though they do have a few tables if you want to dine out, it is not a fine dining restaurant. They do home delivery in the neighbouring areas of Sahakarnagar.

The food tastes excellent and the rates are almost half of that of a fine dining restaurant. I would give this place a ‘VFM’ award.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 27, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.320: Vande Matharam Restaurant, Bengaluru.

Not Value For Money.

We visited Vande Matharam restaurant for lunch as the more famous ‘The Higher Taste’ of ISKCON Temple closes at 3 pm and we arrived there a bit late. That is the main advantage that Vande Matharam has, that it is located very near the ISKCON temple in Bengaluru.

Vande Matharam has two restaurants actually. The front one is a self service South Indian fast food joint, where you can grab a quick bite. We went to the a/c section which serves North Indian vegetarian meals and ala carte dishes.

The ambience was OK, with a blue decorative waterfall on the back wall, but the service was not well organised. We ordered ‘malai kofta’ with naan and rotis, and masala chaas (spiced buttermilk). The buttermilk was not chilled and did not taste good. The malai kofta gravy was watery and the naan and roti was overpriced.

The restaurant belongs to a residential hotel by the same name. The menu card was quite elaborate with pictures of freedom fighters and patriotic messages. They can do much better by improving the service and taste of the food. This will attract more visitors from the nearby Krishna temple.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

My TripAdvisor Review No.319: ISKCON Temple, Bengaluru.

Grand Krishna Temple.

The ISKCON Temple at Bengaluru is probably one of the grandest Krishna temples in India, if not in the world. It is a relatively modern temple whose construction was started in 1990 and completed in 1997. It was built by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness founded by the spiritual teacher Srila Prabhupada.

We visited the temple one weekday evening and had to wait till 4.15 pm when the temple opens for evening worship. We had to wait in a long queue after depositing our footwear at the counter and paying a fee of Rs.2 per pair. The queue was orderly even though everyone was eager to enter the sanctum. There are wash basins to wash your hands and face, as well as water sprays on the steps so that your feet also get washed before entering. The steps were lined with steel railings all the way to the sanctum sanctorum.

As we went up we first entered two smaller temples dedicated to Hanuman and Garuda and Narasimha, and the next one to Sri Srinavasa Govinda. The presiding deities in the sanctum were Sri Radha Krishnachandra, Sri Krishna Balarama and Sri Nitai Gauranga. The sanctum is very well decorated and brightly lit, with the pujas and aartis being performed by a dedicated team of priests. There was enough space in the hall for devotees to sit for a while and soak in the spirituality. We paid our respects and moved ahead.

The next few rooms had some life-like statues of Srila Prabhupada, and some exhibits from spiritual life. There was one exhibit showing the various stages in a person’s life from birth to death and how the cycle is completed. After this were many rooms displaying various items for sales starting from prasadam, incense sticks, pictures and idols of deities, and going on to decorative notebooks, artefacts and snack foods. At the final exit we received free hot prasadam in a dry leaf cup.

On weekdays the temple is open for devotees from 7.15 am to 1 pm and 4.15 pm to 8.20 pm. On weekends and public holidays it is open from 7.15 am to 8.30 pm, but keep in mind that it is bound to be more crowded on these days, as well as some festival days. One should be dressed modestly, befitting a place of worship. Besides a small purse, you are not permitted to carry anything else inside; and lockers are available to deposit your stuff.

Special passes are available for a fee, if you do not have the time and patience to wait in the general queue. Parking space is available inside the temple compound.

It is definitely worth a visit for everyone, whether you are a Lord Krishna devotee or not. You may even become a believer if you are borderline agnostic, and start following the teachings of Lord Krishna and the Bhagavad-Gita.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
ISKCONBLR, Manager at ISKCON Temple Bangalore, responded to this reviewResponded yesterday
Hare Krishna
Thank you for making time to write a review. It is truly a great experience to visit the temple. Please visit as frequently as possible to take the blessings of Their Lordships.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 25, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.318: Dollops Restaurant, Manipal, Karnataka.

Udupi Chinese.

We visited Dollops Restaurant in Manipal when we went to the temple town of Udupi. Udupi food is already famous world over for its yummy delicacies like dosa, idly, wadas and various other preparations, but we had had too much of it. So we decided to try out some Chinese dishes at Dollops in Manipal, which is a suburb of Udupi, well known as an educational hub in India.

Dollops was a 3 km uphill drive from where we were staying in Udupi. After reaching Tiger Circle we had a bit of a problem finding the restaurant as its name was not prominently displayed. Then we saw the name under an ice-cream cone neon sign. We parked in the street outside and entered the dimly lit restaurant, where a lot of students were having a good time.

It is a semi open air restaurant, with mud tiles and wooden roofing, and the walls had paintings of rock musicians and singers. There was nice retro music playing in the background. They had clean washrooms.There was a good variety of pan Asian veg and non veg food items on the menu, as well as juices and ice-creams.

We ordered their veg Schezwan fried noodles, mushroom Manchurian with gravy and veg spring rolls and quite enjoyed the taste of all the dishes. Prices were reasonable and the service was courteous and efficient.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 24, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.317: Anegudde Vinayaka Temple, Udupi.

Swayambhu Ganesh Temple 30 km from Udupi.

Anegudde village is located about 30 km north of Udupi in coastal Karnataka. We had to take a right turn from NH66 and drive up a hill for about 1 km. There is a huge shady area where we parked. The temple has a very serene setting in the midst of a forested area like a sacred grove. The atmosphere is very calm and spiritual.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. In the local language ‘Aane’ means elephant and ‘gudde’ means hillock. According to legend a devotee, Vishweshwara Upadhyaya, found a large granite stone here covered with flowers which was in the divine form of Lord Ganesha. This is also the place where Bhima killed the demon Kumbhasura, after getting the weapon from Lord Ganesha. Hence Anegudde village is also sometimes called Kumbashi. It is one of the seven ‘Mukti Sthalas’ in ‘Parashurama Kshetra’ in coastal Karnataka.

Inside the sanctum, the 12 foot tall stone Ganesha idol’s head is covered in pure gold, while the rest of the body is covered with silver.

We visited the temple around noon and attended the aarti and a special pooja outside the sanctum sanctorum. We then partook in the ‘mahaprasad’ which is free for all devotees after 1 pm. It was very well organised in the dining hall on the first floor, lined with tables and chairs. The meal consisted of sambar, rice, chutney and sheera. It was delicious.

Despite the distance from Udupi town, this temple is definitely worth a visit. If you are travelling along NH66 (Mangalore to Karwar) it is just a small detour, and a quick darshan can be easily done. It is open from 6 am to 10 pm.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 23, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.316: Woodlands Restaurant, Udupi.

Good Vegetarian A/c Restaurant near Temple.

Woodlands is a good air-conditioned vegetarian multi-cuisine restaurant located very near the Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi. We visited the place one evening for dinner.

We parked in the narrow lane next to the restaurant and entered. It seems to be a very popular restaurant as all the tables were occupied and we had to wait about 10 minutes for a table even as early as 8 pm. The menu had Chinese (veg) dishes as well as North and South Indian items. We ordered masala dosa, set dosa, dahi wada and a cup of hot almond milk. All the items were quite tasty, and the curd in the dahi wada was quite thick. Service was quick and courteous. Prices were a little on the higher side compared to some of the other Udupi restaurants nearby, but worth it for the better ambience.

We enjoyed the traditional Udupi snacks, and would not mind visiting again if we were staying at Udupi a bit longer.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 22, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.315: Mitra Samaj (Restaurant), Udupi.

One of the Pioneers of Udupi Cuisine.

Mitra Samaj is a pure vegetarian restaurant located close to the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. It is open from 5.30 am to 9.30 pm, which coincides with the temple timing.

We tried their masala dosa, and it was very tasty with their sambar and chutney dips. It is believed that the owners of Mitra Samaj, the Holla family, popularised the masala dosa, a rice pancake fried to a crispy brown and filled with a potato stuffing, and it is now readily available at ‘Udupi’ restaurants spread all over India. Idlis, wadas and dosas have become synonymous with Indian Fast Food, and are competing successfully against the McDonalds , Pizza Huts and KFCs, where vegetarian fast food is concerned.

The ambience at Mitra Samaj is not that of a fine dining restaurant, and the service is quite ordinary. It is a place to grab a quick bite and a cup of tea or coffee, make the cash payment at the counter, and run to your place of work or worship.

Besides the staples mentioned above Mitra Samaj also have some other popular dishes on their menu. Their ‘goli baje’, upma, pineapple sheera, parottas and Mangalore buns are very popular. They do not use onions and garlic and some other root vegetables in their preparations due to religious reasons. They have another outlet across the road where they serve their unique Udupi style meals for lunch and dinner. Prices are extremely affordable.

After enjoying our dosas and savouring their aromatic filter coffee we stepped out satisfied, to visit the Sri Krishna temple next door.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

My TripAdvisor Review No.314: Sri Krishna Temple, Udupi.

Well Organised Pious Temple.

Better known as Sri Krishna Matha, this temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, is very well organised and systematic in its arrangements for the devotees to have a good spiritual experience. It was founded by the Vaishnavite saint Srila Madhavacharya in the 13th century CE. It is believed that he found the idol of Lord Krishna in a lump of clay from a stranded ship which was sailing from Dwarka, which he rescued.

We visited the temple on a weekday so there were not too many devotees, and the queue was quite short. There are many free parking lots around the temple complex and we parked in one of them and walked for about 500 metres to the entrance of the main temple. We had to leave our footwear in one of the many tagged shoe racks. There was a very orderly queue along a ramp next to a sacred tank. There is a dress code till 12 noon but after noon you can enter with normal but modest attire, as long as you are not wearing shorts or sleeveless tops. We heard that even lungis are not allowed. Photography is also not allowed inside the temple.

We had a good darshan of Lord Krishna, looking in through a silver plated latticed window with nine apertures known as the ‘Navagraha kindi’. We then bought some special prasadam called ‘sampoorna prasad’ and then we went to the ‘bhojanalaya’ (dining hall) where all the devotees are given a free meal known as the ‘maha-prasad’ between noon and 2 pm. We sat on the floor like everyone else and had our sambar, rice and curd in a steel thali.

The whole area around the Sri Krishna Temple is free of vehicles. There are 8 other temples also known as the ‘ashta mathas’ surrounding the main temple, which are responsible for the administration of the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple by a formal rotation scheme called the ‘Paryaya’, which happens every two years.

There is a parade on Car Street just outside the temple, almost every evening between 8 pm to 9.30 pm. The procession stops at intervals along the route and the Lord and his devotees are entertained by displays of fireworks and worshiped by offerings.

Udupi Sri Krishna Temple is one of the few places left in India where devotional spiritual traditions are still practiced intact. We were here for just a couple of days but would definitely like to come back again and again.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 20, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.313: Mallpe Beach, Udupi, Karnataka.

Beautiful Beach With Many Activities.

Malpe Beach is a beautiful place for many types of recreational activities, about 10 km west of Udupi town in Karnataka. It is also an important port and major fishing harbour on the Karnataka coast.

We drove down to the Malpe Beach one evening from Udupi, and it took us about half an hour because we had to cross the crowded Mangalore-Panvel Highway (NH66), where some construction work was in progress. We reached in time to view a lovely sunset over the Arabian Sea.

There is lot of parking space near the main sandy beach, where some restaurants and a lot of small eateries are located. There are a few hotels where one can stay and enjoy a beach holiday. The beach itself is commercialised, with a lot of activity taking place. Private operators run a boat service to St. Mary’s Island from here. The sea seemed calm enough for a swim, and we did see people enjoying a dip in the sea.

We went for a longer walk along to the rocky end of the beach, where local fishermen were tending to their boats and nets. We walked beyond a large shed which seemed to be used for building and repairing the larger fishing vessels. There was a small Hanuman temple, and beyond that was a 1 km long promenade going into the sea. It is a good lookout point jutting out into the sea and besides it was a deep water channel where the larger fishing vessels could be seen entering and leaving the port.

We enjoyed our long walk from the beach, to the end of the walkway. Then we sat on a bench for a while, watching the fishermen, seagulls, swaying palm trees, and the busy fishing trawlers, and enjoyed the pungent sea breeze.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 19, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.312: Irpu Falls (Lakshman Tirtha Falls), near Nagarhole NP, Karnataka.

Beautiful Falls and Temple near Nagarhole.

Irpu Falls is about 13 km from Nagarhole National Park, and 8 km from Kutta. It is slightly off the Kutta - Srimangala road, in Coorg district, and we almost missed the turning to the falls. There is a parking lot for vehicles and we had to pay Rs.50 per head to enter the Brahmagiri Sanctuary where a path with a series of steps leads to the falls.

Before entering we visited the small Rameshwara Temple to the right side of the gates. According to ancient legend Lord Ram is supposed to have passed along this way, with his brother Lakshman, during their 14 year exile. Lakshman is said to have shot an arrow into the hills in his quest for water to quench their thirst and a spring of water spurted out, and now flows down from the Irpu falls. It is known as the Lakshmana Tirtha River and joins later with the Kaveri River.

The path is about 750 metres and we had to trek across a hanging bridge and climb a series of steep steps till we reached the falls through thick jungles. There were some benches, and changing rooms for ladies along the way. We saw quite a number of people enjoying a bath in the falls. The water is said to have some holy powers to wash off one’s sins.

It is best to visit the falls after the rains, between October to December when the flow is at its full force. When we visited in February there was still enough for people to have a cold shower
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 18, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.311: Coorg Dine, Gonikoppal, Coorg.

Decent Restaurant in Gonikoppal.

We had lunch at ‘Coorg Dine’ at Gonikoppal on the way back from Iruppu Falls near Nagarhole National Park. If you are coming from Virajpet then you will see ‘Hotel Pranav International’ just after turning left to go to Kutta. Coorg Dine is the restaurant attached to Hotel Pranav. We parked in the hotel compound.

The ambience was decent enough but nothing fancy. They serve veg as well as non-veg food, but it was typically South Indian, with not many Coorgi specialities. We ordered a simple south Indian thali, which had a dry vegetable, rice, sambar, pickle, curd and papad, but no chapattis. Price was quite reasonable at Rs.60. Rice was sufficient and we had our belly full.

Service was good, and the place was neat and clean. It is a good stop over on the way to Wayanad Kerala, if you are passing through Gonikoppal.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 17, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.310: Rameshwara Temple, near Iruppu Falls, Coorg.

Small and Beautiful Temple in Coorg.

This is a small temple located near Iruppu Falls in the south of Coorg (Karnataka), and should not be confused with the more famous Ramanathaswamy Temple situated on Rameswaram Island in the Bay of Bengal in South of Tamil Nadu. Many of the reviews below describe a large temple next to the sea. Well, that is the Ramanathasway Shiva Temple on Rameswaram Island, and this Rameshwara temple is a small Shiva Temple on the Lakshmana Tirtha River, which is a tributary of the Kaveri River and originates in the Brahmagiri Hills near the Iruppu Falls.

We visited the Rameshwara Temple when we drove down to the Iruppu Falls near the Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka. It is a 50 km drive from Virajpet, Coorg, to the Iruppu Falls in the Brahmagiri Hills bordering the Wayanad district of Kerala. There is a parking lot where we parked our car, and had to pay an entry fee of Rs.50 to visit the Iruppu Falls (reviewed separately). However, you can pay your respects at the Rameshwara Temple before even entering the sanctuary for the falls. It is enclosed in a separate compound and you have to take off your footwear before entering.

Legend has it that Ram and Lakshman passed along this way while searching for Sita. Lakshman, looking for water to drink, shot an arrow into the hills and a spring of water started flowing from where the arrow struck, thus forming the Lakshmana Tirtha River. Hence the Iruppu Falls is believed to possess the power to cleanse sins, and visited by many devotees on Shivaratri day.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

My TripAdvisor Review No.309: Iruppu Falls, Coorg.

Sparkling Falls in the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

We drove down to Iruppu Falls via Virajpet, Gonikoppal and Srimangala. We had to take a right turn to the falls before reaching Kutta, almost touching the border with Kerala. The road distance from Virajpet to Iruppu Falls was about 50 km, and the drive through the coffee and pepper plantations was quite enjoyable. There is a pay and park (Rs.10 per car), and an entry fee of Rs.50 per head before entering the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary inside which the falls are located. There is a Rameshwara Temple also nearby.

We crossed a small suspension bridge across the Lakshman Tirtha River, and walked up a jungle path and steps leading to the falls. The climb was quite steep in places and we had to rest on the benches laid out along the less than 1 km path. There were some changing rooms, specially made for ladies who may want to have a shower under the waterfall. We enjoyed the walk in the midst of natural surroundings. We did not see much wildlife besides some monkeys, squirrels, and birds, as it was quite late in the day, and the other animals must have been hiding in the bushes.

The water was still tumbling down the rocks in the middle of February, but the best time to visit these falls would be from July to December, during the rainy season or just afterwards. It is then that you can enjoy the force of the gushing waters and misty environment to the fullest.

There are some snack stalls near the parking lot. We enjoyed some tender coconut water before heading back.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

April 15, 2018

My TripAdvisor Review No.308: Cuisine Papera, Gonikoppal, Coorg.

Cuisine Papera - Excellent Authentic Coorgi Cuisine.

Review of Papera
Reviewed yesterday
On the way to Virajpet Coorg we stopped at Gonikoppal and found this restaurant called ‘Cuisine Papera’ serving traditional Kodava veg and non-veg food. In fact, this was the second time we stopped to dine here. It is located on the 3rd floor of a shopping arcade which also houses the ‘More Superstore’ and some vehicle spare parts shops. Parking is available in the compound.

We had to climb the staircase up to the restaurant, and it was very well decorated with traditional Kodava tools, utensils, and agricultural implements and weavers crafts.

The menu had many Kodava dishes, including pork, fish, chicken and mutton as well as vegetarian dishes. Once we tried their local fish fry, which I think was called Angel Fish. On the second occasion we dined on Mughlai Kadai Paneer with naan and roti. The taste was very good and peppery, as this spice is grown in the local plantations and they make liberal use of it. Black pepper used to be called the black gold of this region. Of course, you can request them to put less of it in your dish.

Service was good and courteous, and the prices were quite reasonable. At the end of your meal they served some betel leaves, cut areca nut, fennel and some sugar coated digestives so that we could make our own complimentary ‘paan’.

‘Papera Inn’ located above the restaurant houses 20 rooms where you can stop for the night, and they also run a home stay at Nelji village where you can enjoy a plantation stay.
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  • Stayed: February 2018, travelled as a couple
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