My TripAdvisor Review No.435: Rara Avis Restaurant, Sahakarnagar, Bangalore.

Fine Dining.

Rara Avis turned out to be a very nice restaurant in the Sahakarnagar area of Bangalore. From the outside, it just looks like an ordinary one storied large restaurant. As you enter you are guided up to the first floor which is very well decorated with leather sofas with cushions, multi-colored lighting, and colored window panes and is cool and air-conditioned.

The menu is predominantly non-vegetarian with many Kerala (Thalassery) chicken, fish and mutton gravy dishes and biryanis. There are also some North Indian and Tandoori dishes on the menu. On the vegetarian side also there are some gravy dishes and veg pulaos.

We ordered the Fish in Mango Curry, Veg Banarasi Seekh, along with Kerala appams. The taste of all the items was very good. The red and green chutneys served with the Seekh was also very delicious.

Service was a tad slow but was very courteous and friendly. The crockery and cutlery were also of good quality, and the heavy china plates were quite warm when they placed it on the table, something which is not very common these days.

Limited parking is available on the road outside the restaurant, and they have a dedicated parking lot behind the restaurant as well, so it was not a problem. We would definitely visit again.

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Date of visit: February 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.434: Biggest Banyan Tree, Bangalore.

Biggest Banyan Tree, Bangalore.

This Banyan Tree is located about 28 km from Bangalore on the Mysore highway, but about 8 km off the highway. One can reach this picnic spot by local bus, rickshaw or taxi. Parking is available nearby around the enclosure of the tree. There are small eateries and tea shops outside the fenced garden enclosing the tree.

The 400-year-old tree covers an area of about 3 acres, almost the area of a small village. It is the largest banyan tree in Karnataka, and the 4th largest in India, and the World.

We were wonderstruck by the enormity of this single tree with so many trunks. The main trunk was destroyed due to natural disease, but now has many other trunks which have descended from its branches to support the tree. In fact, when we entered the lovely gardens surrounding the tree, we felt as if we were in a small forest. There were many monkeys scampering around, and the tree also houses many species of birds. There is a small Shiva temple on the premises.

It is a good place for a picnic in rural Bangalore, with beautiful natural surroundings, but be careful of the marauding monkeys, and please do not leave your garbage behind.

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Date of experience: February 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.433: Hotel EcoHaya, Bangalore.

Serviced Apartments With A Spiral Staircase.

This place is a serviced apartment with a unique architectural design. As you enter and pass the reception you will have to climb the twisting spiral staircase to climb up to the rooms. Of course, you can choose to avoid the steps and use the elevator if you are prone to dizziness. Once you reach the apartment you can relax in the drawing room which is common to a pair of double-bedded rooms. There is also a dry kitchenette, which is equipped with a small fridge, microwave oven, wash basin and platform with some utensils and drinking water canisters. You can make your own tea and warm some food.

The apartment rooms each have a separate bathroom, double bed, flat screen TV, wardrobe and dressing table. The rooms are air-conditioned and quite comfortable. The property also has a large conference room and dining area. Parking is available, sufficient for about 8 cars. There was free wi-fi in the room.

The complimentary breakfast consisted of idli, chutni, Pongal, poha or upma, cornflakes, milk, tea, and coffee. The food was tasty and we ate our fill. Lunch and dinner have to be outsourced.

It is located in a very serene residential locality of Bengaluru, known as Vijaya Bank Layout, with a lot of restaurants and shopping areas nearby, within walking distance. There is also a nice park in the vicinity. EcoHaya is also associated with OYO Rooms and is alternately known as OYO Silverkey Bannerghatta.

Smoking and alcohol are strictly prohibited on the premises, and we had to pay a refundable cash deposit to ensure compliance. The maintenance of the bathroom fixtures and fittings was not up to the mark, with some leakages here and there.

Despite the above inconveniences, we had a very peaceful and relaxing stay at the hotel, and would definitely stay here again for that home-away-from-home feeling. It is ideal for groups of large families traveling together. There is even one duplex with four double bedrooms, where about eight or ten members can stay together.

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Date of stay: February 2019

Trip type: Travelled with family

Room Tip: Big families can choose the 4 bedroom apartment.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.432: Brahmin's Kitchen, Bengaluru.

Good Breakfast Place.

Brahmin’s Kitchen is a relatively new restaurant, opened about 9 months ago, at the junction of the Railway Parallel Road and the 20th Main Road in Sahakarnagar. It is about half a kilometer north of the Kodigehalli Railway Station.

It is a very good place to stop by for a quick South Indian breakfast of Idli, Wada, Dosa or Kesaribhath. It opens early at 7 am. It does not have seating accommodation, just tables where you can stand and eat. You have to buy coupons and present it at the open kitchen and you are served within 5 minutes if you have ordered dosa.

They can even parcel your order in hygienic packing and you can carry it home and share with your family, as we did today. The dosas were nice and crisp outside and soft inside. The sambar was tangy and not too spicy. The chutney could have been spicier. Packing charges are extra.

It is a self-service restaurant and prices are very reasonable and affordable.

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Date of visit: February 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.431: Adithya Restaurant, Bangalore.

Traditional As Well As Modern.

Adhitya restaurant is centrally located at JP Nagar in Bangalore, just opposite the famous Ranga Shankara theatre where plays are staged. Hence finding parking nearby for four-wheelers may be difficult. We had to park in one of the narrow bye-lanes.

Here you have the choice to have a quick bite at one of the standing tables in the self-service section or enter the full-service section if you want to have a relaxed meal.

The taste of traditional food is very good. We tried the Akki Roti and sweet Ragi Halubai and both were excellent in taste. Besides the regular breakfast dishes like Idli, Dosa, and Wadas, one can also sample some North Indian dishes.

You can see the food being prepared in front of you in the self-service section, and the service is quick. Prices are very reasonable and affordable.

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Date of visit: February 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.430: Hotel Mayura Shantala, Halebeedu.

Serene Place to Stay in a Heritage Town

Hotel Mayura Shantala is the best place to stay in the heritage town of Halebeedu. It is located right across the road from the Hoysaleshwara Temple, which is the main attraction of Halebeedu.

The hotel consists of a cluster of cottage rooms in a compound with a small garden, as well as an outdoor restaurant, with sufficient parking for about 5 cars near the cottages. There is an atmosphere of peace and serenity in the resort. Our room was well furnished with ac and a flat-screen TV. There were two sofas and two tables, a dressing table, and a wardrobe. The bathroom was quite spacious, with a large boiler for hot water. Soap, shampoo, and conditioner were provided.

Their kitchen cum dining hall is in the main cottage which houses the reception as well. Though the menu was not very elaborate, we got some decent homely meals at breakfast and dinner. Service was OK.

Belur is about 17 km from Halebeedu. I would definitely recommend this hotel as a stopover for a couple of days to visit the heritage sites around Halebeedu and Belur.

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Date of stay: December 2018

Trip type: Travelled as a couple

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