Adieu – The ever devouring machine … My stomach!

Hunger struck, I fumbled and stumbled with a medium pan pizza, which had a double layered cheese. One may say, that happens, buddy! Had you known me you would have empathized in a different way...

Rewind back … 20 odd yrs …

I am eating a snack, my sister is eating a snack... 10 minutes later because of me watching her eat … I would end up eating both of ours.

Few days later …

I am eating an ice cream, my sister too is eating or about to eat an ice cream, 10 minutes later because of me watching her eat … I would end up eating both of ours.

Few months later …

I am eating a favourite meal, my sister is eating a not so favourite meal, but 10 minutes later I started to eat what she had, well after completing what was mine.

So, you see, I was born to eat and enjoy food unfortunately (or fortunately for the animal kingdom) the only thing I always ate was clean vegetarian food. And my vegetarian occasionally had eggs in some other form – cakes or mayonnaise.

I was known for what and how I eat. Everyone used to give importance to me and my food when I am around, they would normally make sure that there's plenty enough when I pay them a visit. And I am usually preferential, I do not eat everywhere I go, unless instinct tells me that food would be good.

I am not a connoisseur but I am known for appreciating good food. This made a sort of good cook, I am allowed to say that because I liked what I usually made – but, there are instances when others did not. ;-) For example I made a special stuffed chilli bhajji once, which came out very very spicy and did not go well with the samplers – I stuffed these special long chillies with our normal green chillies – that unfortunately made many stomachs upset and did not go very well with my repertoire!

Anyways, I have my reservations too in the dishes I eat or drink. I usually prefer large meals, and grande drinks. I am totally averse to anything small in food! Well, you could say that it was an adapted one from my family – when I am usually told about how people eat and grow big and not to see food wasted – so I chose everything big when I eat out. Even ice creams – once when we hung out at Movenpick, Chennai for my friend's birthday bash – I ordered the largest available on their menu. :-P

Thus was my reputation that I ended up in completing most of the remainders that people usually, happily, pushover to my side of the table. I do not like to see people waste food.

I would, most of the times, shock and surprise people who would watch me with awe by devouring a two 12 inch pizzas back to back with out a break and would still end up asking for more. This incident happened on a foreign land – all people gathered for a night and dined together. I ordered a soup from a Chinese place, blimey they must have known or spied on me – they gave a litre of soup!!! Well, that vanished without a trace only to reappear, after being processed, the next day. This followed with a medium pizza which my colleague couldn't complete, then my own 12inch pizza and finally someone else's 12 inch pizza and couple of glasses of coke in between. You should have seen the expression on people who were gaping at me while I was eating … Hehehehe … My mom would have aptly snapped at people saying not put eyes on her son! ;-) No standing ovation, nothing, they were just spell bound – possibly of the thought I am one of the mythical characters who had descended to earth to wipe the earth of food and make the rest of the humanity starve.

Word spread so quickly after this incident I believe and most of the airlines started charging for two seats if one was over-weight. I would have also ended up as the Gluttony victim in Se7en.

Then came Bangalore – the one I did not properly hunt around prior to my landing in a foreign country. If you are a foodie – Bangalore it is! Let me list out all the places that would have been approved by me (around Basavanagudi) …

1. Sanman hotel – The first hotel that I food when we (naang motham 7 peru … ;-)) landed in Bangalore. Food was OK. I loathed it first for it was sweet on many items.

2. Vaibhava/Vyabhava – Free the name. 2 Idlies and 1 Vada and cuppa of coffee is all what you need to get started for the day from this place. You should also try out their baths – it changes for every day -

• Pudina

• Pulav

• Vaangy

• Tomato

• etc …

  One must not miss out their set dosa, but the saagu does not please you …

3. Ever dreaded Imperial – I had been to this too. Some say they usually dogs go missing aroung this hotel.

4. UD – Upahara Darshini – Good coffee, Semiya bath, Malanad Kadubu, aalu bonda …

5. Ever favourite – Davengiri Benne (Butter) Dosa – Mind blowing Benna Dosa which is accompanied with spicy chutney and mashed aalu. Slurrp! Then a round of Paddus, then another round with open dosa.

6. Uttar Karnataka Meals – the one that should not be missed during lunch time. For 50 something we used to get sumptuous meal! As names points out – it is speciality of Uttar Karnataka. Brilliant!

7. SLV next to KSRTC booking centre – offers good chutney – not the watery kind – the solid ones – no double meaning here.

8. There's also this Cane juice centre that I am unable to recollect – not cane-o-la.

9. The Grape juice at Kabab Magic is god level

10. For non-veggies – It is Meghna biryani, Koli Mane …

11. Gopi Manchurian near the crowded market of NR Colony is also heavenly

12. Juice center on the same road as Davengiri Benne (Butter) Dosa – Masala thumbs up!

13. Then there's Shanti Sagar and Jayanthi Sagar (that existed a long ago, which was duly purchased by mighty Vaibhav)

Banashankari has amazing places to eat as well …

1. The BDA at Banashankari 2^nd stage is the place for evening snacks.

2. There's also the place that was previously called as Lepakshi – the Andhra full meals! ;-)

3. Then Uphara Sagar – nice lassi and Gobi manchurian!

4. Venkateswara Coffee Bar – a good place to have nice coffee – right opposite to the park.

5. Ganesh Juice centre – cheap and best! Try the solid mosumbi

Now comes Jayanagar … Yes, I know what you all are saying … I would anyways list out …

1. For Andhra full meals – Nagarjuna and Nandini compete

2. For coffee – Cothas coffee centre next to Cool Joint

3. Cool Joint – the ever crowded Rs. 15 Sandwich centre. Prices may have increased, but the crowd is not directly proportional. One used to get soups for Rs. 5. The variety of juice and ice cream they offer is also good.

4. There's used to be this Udupi hotel – Home Meals – in one of the crosses, which to my disappointment closed itself – amazing udupi rasam! Seriously I go there to have meals – only to drink the rasam.

5. Then there's the Jelebi and Kachori center next to Canton Chinese hotel

6. Dosa Corner – For good coffee and variety of dosas.

7. Opposite of Dosa corner towards Nandini hotel is a chaat shop known for his pani puris. Superb puris! Bliss!

8. Then there's the Kulfi place (Sreeraj Lassi Bar) – you get good Mango shakes and lassis and beautiful Kulfis.

9. There's this juice shop opposite to the ladies college on the ICICI (Elephant rock branch) road – nice juices – cheap and very good! Try their sizzler.

10. All the road side eateries!

Others -

1. VV Puram – Street filled with food on both sides – you get everything!!!

• Delhi Doodh center offering Chiroti and Pheni

• Holige

• Thatte idlies

• Masala Thumbs up

• Dosas

• Chinese

• Gulkund with Fruit salad ice cream

• Big Amla/Gooseberry soaked in Honey and sprinkled with pepper/jal jeera

2. Malleswaram -

• Gulkund with Fruit salad ice cream

3. Koramangala – Sri Krishna Cafe – Nice Coimbatore style lunch in a huge Banana Leaf. Unlimited supply. Their tiifin too is good.

4. The Pongal in JP Nagar offers amazing TN style dosa/Idly/parotta! Spicy and super!

5. Then all the modern food joints – Barbecue Nation, Coffee Days, Inchara …

There are many more that I would have missed. I put them all as reminiscence for the time I spent in Bangalore – A place I loathed to stay, a place now I miss a lot. I am from Chennai, but have never explored the food joints as I have done in Bangalore, may be my partiality arises out of this.

A foodie I am … That even during my wedding, my wife-to-be made sure that she arranged the best caterers for me to enjoy. I love to eat different styles of food. I do not restrict myself in that way.

All along my stomach played well – until recently – when he showed signs of aging! The aging was so sudden and heart breaking... It was bad too! The last time I had been to Barbecue Nation, I ate a little too much of Cajun Potato. What it made to and my stomach will remain etched forever … It made me fart through my mouth!!! Disgusting it was! Yes, my burps were unbearable - the taste it left behind on every burp made me to loath food for couple of days. From then on, I am forever reminded every time to eat less and be contended with that. Thanks to my wife, who, always make sure that I do not over-eat. I don't diet, but have restricted in number of times a food item goes in.

Not so long ago, just before wedding I was able to gobble a 12 inch pizza with ease! :-(

Finally today when I struggled to complete my medium pizza, I realized that my bag will take no more …

My stomach silently (not silent to all - it was violent most of the times ;-)) showed his discontent in my dumping.