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Worlds best Masala Dosa and Vada Sambar – CTR and Janata

My wife and I are proper foodies. We just love food – any food (anything vegetarian that is). The facilities/admin manager at my workplace knows that -since I am probably the only guy who goes and thanks him for the good free food we get 🙂 Anyways, he has been telling me of a couple of really old food joints in one of the core kannadiga-heartlands of Bangalore – Malleswaram (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malleshwara ). It is where True Bangalore lives. Beautiful, breezy, clean, no pollution. Nice. Anyways, getting back to food, He had mentioned two joints, each famous for different things.

The first was CTR – Central Tiffin Room, aka CTR. Apparently the name board alone has changed to Sree Sagar. Why do I say – apparently? Because the new name board is written fully in Kannada as well. So I would not have realized it either ways. My dear manager friend had given me spot-on directions, to reach the place, and even where to park (opposite side of the road – near the ground periphery – the cops ticket you if you park on the hotel road). But he had not mentioned how big/small it was. If you are going there for the first time, I am pretty sure, you will miss the hotel in the first go (like we did). But ask anyone, they will point you to the hole-in-the-wall entrance.


                                         You will defenitely miss it, if you do not know how to read Kannada.


                                            The worlds best butter masala dosa (benne masala dose).

Once the dosa had been gulped down, it was time to go to the second joint that my manager friend had recommended – Hotel Janata – famous for its Vada Sambar. You need to walk down to eigth cross for this (CTR is in 7th Cross). It is but a 10 minute walk. It is difficult to miss this hotel though. English name board and prominently displayed too.

                                                                              Hotel Janata

                                                             The worlds best vada sambar.

All in all, what started off as a ‘what-the-he**, let us just try these places today’ morning, became a wonderful morning spent on delectable kannadiga good.

*BURP*. I mean *AMEN*, I mean *Thathaasthu* :=)

19 replies on “Worlds best Masala Dosa and Vada Sambar – CTR and Janata”

Sometimes I toy with the idea of writing a comparison of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala dosais, but for obvious reasons refrain from doing that.

But without leaving any room (hopefully) for controversies, I must say that the ‘neer dosai’ in Bangalore is excellent. Can’t understand why it has not caught on in TN and Kerala.

Not clear about the purpose of this light- weight posting. A sister blog, Churumuri exhausted this topic well in greater depth last year. It is lighter regurgitation. Tell us if you took children and they really enjoyed these dishes. That will be a bit different.

Mr.Mouli you have really explored and exposed nice eating place. I had been to the two places with my family and enjoyed the masaladosa and vada sambar. Please give more information like this eating joints in and around JP nagar. looking anxiously to see your Blog. BASU

DEAR MOULI SIR, YOUR SUGGESTION OF TWO EATING JOINTS AT BANGALURU WAS NICE. I WAS TEMPTED TO G0 WITH MY MARUMANS AMBI AND ASUVATHAMAN AND ORDERED THE MASALADOSAI AND VADA SAMBAR. BESH BESH. WE ARE PUROHITS BY PROFESSION. VERY TASTEFUL DEISHES. THANKS. SUPPUNI.A.

Hey Mouli,

How about getting a couple of these, pack them and send it via Fed Ex Intl. Priority to NC?? 🙂 Good one, will have to try these joints out during my next visit to B’lore, which will happen God knows when…Burp == Amen == Thathaasthu..Good one my friend…

Cheers!
Sai

Hey Mouli,

Thanks for checking out my Flickr page. Sure, I will let you know when I visit B’lore next and let’s hit these fabulous spots.

Take care!

Good one Mouli! 🙂
You seem to be new to Malleshwaram area. Next time ask Manager Saar directions to Veena Stores. Hot idli vada is a must have here!

Namitha

P.S: Just in case you’re in a hurry, it’s near the fifteen cross, margorsa road junction, malleshwaram.

Guys if you are genuinely foodie, go to cubbonpet 31st cross, ask for chikkann hotel and try the dosas their you will feel that the dosas available their are the best in my opinion. But you should be between 6am and 10am because later than that you may not get dosas to taste. Also try dosas at vidyarthi bhavan, gandhi bazaar, udupi krishna bhavan, at balepet behind majestic theatre. Sorry you may not get any around these places. If you are at any time travelling to mysore try dosas at mylari hotel at nazarbad, very close to busstand, I am sure you will relish the taste.

I am a Masala Dosa fan. I am not from Bengaluru (yet) but keep visiting that beautiful place. I will make sure that I go to Sree Sagar and Vidhyarthi Bhavan for ‘benne masala dose’and Janatha Hotel for the yummy vada sambar (looking at the snap – oh ! my mouth is watering!!). Thanks every one for the information. I also agree with the comment on ‘neer dosai’. It is such a wonderful dish (I had this on a visit to Kudagu (Coorg) last year. Just out of the world.

I am from Bangalore…trust me… Cubbon Pet, Avenue Road, Vidyarthi Bhavan can go take a hike…Central Tiffin Room kicks everyones butt…including all dosas from whichever part of the world you may bring…its the worlds most perfect masala dosa..

and I am from Basavangudi… I dont even compare Vidyarthi bhavan to it…VB changed hands long back and its not been the same.. and yea Janatha has the best vadas

Mouli sir,I would also urge you to try Idlis and Vadas, as also the kharabhath, near the Malleswaram Railway station.Its a small shop called Raghavendra fast food/stores.Its right opposite the Manipal Northside Hospital. It comes between Malleswaram 9th cross and Malleswaram 11th cross. It is
situated on the 11th main. By the way, their
chutney is excellent. Do try it out,if you
haven’t already! Enjoy! 🙂

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