A Bangalore census was conducted in 2011 which recorded about 12M people (plus or minus 1 or 2 haha). It is “is one of the largest cities, and fourth-largest metropolitan area in India” according to Wiki. Due to the economic boom, it has grown steadily, and rapidly in the last 15 years. I always refer to it as “the NYC of India”, personally, as there is a LOT to do in Bangalore...hotels, restaurants, housing complexes are built so much faster than you could ever imagine. There are over 5K restaurants listed on the website Zomato alone (check it out!), which is a neat guide (computer app) to different cuisines, menus and locations, and is validated by reviews, etc. You could live here 10 years and not see “everything” there is to do in Bangalore...every store...every restaurant, etc. What is a different experience overall, for me personally, is that this city is truly more like, for example, NYC (without the “big expansive parking lots” that I am used to seeing in North Carolina). In NC, you go out with a group of people, you park your car, chat a bit, unbuckle, leisurely get out of your car, and head into the store or restaurant. Here (as I am sure is the case in NYC), you are in a cab and are "hustling it" out of the door before someone drives by and accidentally takes the door off. Also, before opening the door, you are making sure the guy has gotten close enough to the curb where someone has not “created a new lane” and traffic is coming through unexpectedly. You are on your toes a lot more! (If I could count the number of times our car side rearview window has hit a pedestrian on the shoulder, and I immediately turn around and wonder...hope...“Is he OK??”) Mainly, I am saying, Bangalore, represents a “big city” atmosphere, which has both the metropolitan advantages, and of course the...ahhh...potential hazards.
With this big city life, comes of course, excellent restaurants! Bangalore is, I would think, more atypical of “India overall” as it has every single cuisine you can imagine due to what the population here demands. Smaller towns in India probably have less choices overall (however, not forgetting, there are MANY large cities in India (Delhi, Mumbai, many, many more, that rival Bangalore!). One other interesting thing about Bangalore, is how “hidden” places can actually be, even from natives in Bangalore. A group of buildings on a sidewalk can have so many advertisements, and billboards (for other things), that you don’t know that an AWESOME store or restaurant is in there. You don't just drive by and casually file away in your mind, “that is where such and such is, I will have to go back”. The best restaurants can be completely hidden. “The people” will find good food however, and Indians know this!
Saturday night I was invited out by an awesome colleague and her husband. We went to a North Indian restaurant that was just fabulous. Her husband is from the Punjab area, so they wanted me to experience North Indian food. It was absolutely excellent. The one thing about Indian meals, is that the “starters” can be as big as a whole meal. The starters for this meal included huge chicken pieces, Corn fritters, mutton and huge chunks of cottage cheese (paneer). Covered my plate, with seconds. Then, the meal consisted of a "daal" (tomato based Indian cuisine in which I personally dip my bread), Naan (buttery bread) and an excellent basmati rice that looked like steamed rice, but it was SO GOOD and tasty (I am not sure how white rice can be that tasty! Have never had rice that good). Then, they bring various desserts. During an Indian meal, the waiter is constantly attentive, overseeing your plate contents, to see “how empty you are” and offering “more”. It is quite an experience! The hospitality factor in India is off the charts, and I am sure one of the things that may be opposite of NYC, as a comparison here to Bangalore. After arriving, while I was waiting (less than 5 minutes), a manager came up to me (in a crowd) to ask “Are you Pamela?” and took me to a table, and I had not even checked in with any name (was just waiting for my friends). This was a first for me!
I had a great night out, and this amazing couple brought me a special cake which was so sweet and thoughtful, beautifully decorated, and tasty. Had such a fun night, and fabulous dinner conversation, that expanded a hundred topics, and made the night unforgettable.
With this big city life, comes of course, excellent restaurants! Bangalore is, I would think, more atypical of “India overall” as it has every single cuisine you can imagine due to what the population here demands. Smaller towns in India probably have less choices overall (however, not forgetting, there are MANY large cities in India (Delhi, Mumbai, many, many more, that rival Bangalore!). One other interesting thing about Bangalore, is how “hidden” places can actually be, even from natives in Bangalore. A group of buildings on a sidewalk can have so many advertisements, and billboards (for other things), that you don’t know that an AWESOME store or restaurant is in there. You don't just drive by and casually file away in your mind, “that is where such and such is, I will have to go back”. The best restaurants can be completely hidden. “The people” will find good food however, and Indians know this!
Saturday night I was invited out by an awesome colleague and her husband. We went to a North Indian restaurant that was just fabulous. Her husband is from the Punjab area, so they wanted me to experience North Indian food. It was absolutely excellent. The one thing about Indian meals, is that the “starters” can be as big as a whole meal. The starters for this meal included huge chicken pieces, Corn fritters, mutton and huge chunks of cottage cheese (paneer). Covered my plate, with seconds. Then, the meal consisted of a "daal" (tomato based Indian cuisine in which I personally dip my bread), Naan (buttery bread) and an excellent basmati rice that looked like steamed rice, but it was SO GOOD and tasty (I am not sure how white rice can be that tasty! Have never had rice that good). Then, they bring various desserts. During an Indian meal, the waiter is constantly attentive, overseeing your plate contents, to see “how empty you are” and offering “more”. It is quite an experience! The hospitality factor in India is off the charts, and I am sure one of the things that may be opposite of NYC, as a comparison here to Bangalore. After arriving, while I was waiting (less than 5 minutes), a manager came up to me (in a crowd) to ask “Are you Pamela?” and took me to a table, and I had not even checked in with any name (was just waiting for my friends). This was a first for me!
I had a great night out, and this amazing couple brought me a special cake which was so sweet and thoughtful, beautifully decorated, and tasty. Had such a fun night, and fabulous dinner conversation, that expanded a hundred topics, and made the night unforgettable.
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