The Cuisine of Vijayanagara at Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia
One thing that has remained constant in Bangalore is the city’s unflinching love for good food. Its rich culinary heritage may be blamed for the city’s endless passion for sumptuous and lavish cuisines. History wistfully stands as a reminder of exquisitely created dishes that marked the reign of the Cholas, the Chalukyas, and the Wodeyars. Every dynasty influenced the food in their own distinctive ways, handing down secret recipes from one generation to another, creating a curiosity for foods, flavours, and aromas that continue to interest the foodies of the city to this day.
Guided by the maxim of benevolently accepting every culture, Bangalore’s social and cultural landscape went through a transformational overhaul as IT companies and BPOs firmly set their feet in the city. It led to a notable change in the lifestyles of its people as they began looking for easier alternatives for almost everything ~ the things they used every day, to the food they ate. And so, the traditional cuisine of the South that required arduous cooking and a true passion for good food retracted gently into the shadows of a handful of restaurants and households.
In an attempt to bring them back into the spotlight, Cubbon Pavilion, the award-winning restaurant at ITC Gardenia presents “Vijayanagara Feast” under the aegis of “Kitchens of India ~ Unique Tastes”. It is a revival of the magnificence of the royal cuisines of a country that associates itself very closely with its foods. This festival is a celebration of the grand spreads on the royal dinner tables of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is a beautiful reminder of our rich and glorious past ~ a journey in history through food.
From the most powerful kingdom in its time and a culinary celebration in its own right, “The Cuisine of Vijayanagara” as re-imagined by Cubbon Pavilion, is a tempting collaboration of South Indian traditions which make way for an excellent selection of historically renowned dishes. The prudent use of a spectrum of spices and some fabled ingredients, makes this regal dinner buffet alluring for the eyes and enticing for the stomach. Royal signature dishes that have found their way to the feast include Mamsa Sukka Chops, Nati Koli Saaru, Kadabu, and Gullorige.
Having sampled the variety of delicacies on offer I do not doubt that this stately spread is the result of the meticulous work done by an entire team of chefs, cooks, Public Relations officers as well as food and beverage heads, who rack their brains for the most creative ideas and innovative themes which result in tasting sessions, selections and a whole lot more.
Chef Yogen with Chef Mahadev
Chef Mahadev with PR Manager Simonti Majumdar and Raghav Wanchoo
Chef Mahadev with Raghav Wanchoo
There’s a lot that has been said about food, but I love the way its vast reach is described in an anonymous quote that goes, “Food is as much about History as it is about Geography.” The Cuisine of Vijayanagara is a brilliant example of how history and geography shaped food choices; the creations and the use of ingredients and herbs in a cuisine. It also marks the flexibility with which the cuisine adapted recreations of its recipe with small additions and subtractions made by rulers, royal cooks, and chefs who wanted to score a perfect ten for their dishes. Today, it may not be present in the same form or taste as it began with, but the flavours have lingered from one generation to another, small changes adapting the recipe to the new palette but continuing to bear the authenticity of its regal past.
My Favourites: Kaima Unde Bartad, Tondakai Pallya Urida Mamsa and Gullorige.
Balakkai Vada
{Fried dumplings of raw banana}
Koli Menasakai
{Dry chicken preparation with red chilies and spices}
Kaima Unde Bartad
{Dumplings of lamb and coriander}
Ennai Badanakai
{Brinjal cooked in a roast peanut, tomato, and tamarind gravy}
Tondakai Palya
{Dry preparation of Ivy gourd with fresh coconut and red chilly}
Bele Menthe
{Yellow lentil with fenugreek leaves}
Kothimiri Koli Saaru
{Chicken in a coriander and coconut gravy}
Meen Huli
{Fresh sear fish cubes cooked with tamarind and tomatoes}
Mavinakai Annam
{Raw mango rice}
Koli Pulao
{Chicken cooked with rice and spices}
To conclude: “The Cuisine of Vijayanagara” celebrates the culinary past of the kingdom in its true essence with the least of changes incorporated only to enhance the flavours keeping every recipe as original as possible. So, make your reservations at the ITC Gardenia and experience a culinary feast fit for the royals!
Getting there: Cubbon Pavilion, ITC Gardenia, # 1, Residency Road, Bengaluru 560025
Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the hotel, and is a narrative of the author’s experience at the event. Due judgment and care have been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review.
Simple things that brighten up your mood! Indulgent images and such beautiful writing, too! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Gaurvi. So nice of you!
I wanted to share that Vazhkai or Raw Banana is widely used in Indian cuisine for making stir fry, curry, kofta, bajji and kootu. High in protein and other vital nutrients, I use it often in my cooking. 🙂 Looking forward to more such food content from you!
Thank you for adding to my post, Shivani. Nice of you.
Every picture of yours is gorgeous! ❤️ I’m sure you had a great time reviewing this! You always inspire me to do better through your work, Tanya… You know, even my granny is your fan because I show her your posts.
So sweet of you, Mubeena. I most certainly did!
The vibe at this restaurant is absolutely amazing; it must’ve been an experience to have dinner here and sample such delicious cuisine! 🙂
It was, Shreyoshe. 🙂
Stunning capture, and I bet these dishes tasted delicious! Really love your blog, it’s one of my favourites! ✨
Thank you for your sweet words, Sonali.
Your photography always looks amazing, and the dishes featured sound absolutely lip smacking! I’m a sucker for all kinds of vadas, by the way! ❤️
Thank you, Deepa. So glad to hear this!
An absolutely beautiful post! Who doesn’t love nice and crispy vadas, right? The joy in poking the puffed vada to see the steam come out, makes me feel like a child again! I bet you couldn’t get enough of this spread! Thank you for sharing a first hand look, Tanya.
It is such a pleasure to see your comment, Pratham. Hope you are doing great!
Wow ~ this looks so tempting! ✨ Tickle your taste buds with some sumptuous South Indian fare at the Cubbon Pavilion, eh?! Seems like the perfect way to spend some quality time with my family while pampering them!
Absoluely!
The Sun rises to remind us that we can start again everyday… Well, I woke up to this delicious share today! ❤️ Since most South Indian dishes are a combination of taste and health, the ones featured would be on my “must try” list! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for stopping by, Anupama.
Perfect spread, I must say! Although, that Koli Menasakai looks absolutely delicious… would love to try it! Incredible plating, beautiful presentation, and I’m sure all of it tasted amazing! ❤️
Thank you for your lovely comment, Manisha. Hope you’re well.
I which they had included dessert… Saggubeeyam Payasam Or Sabudana Kheer has become a staple at home, as it’s much requested by everyone. The texture is creamy and the pearls are fried in ghee and cooked in full fat milk. My mum used to make it as half and half, with half saimya. I never liked it as kid, but now I love it so much! 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Deepa.
Aah ~ I remember, my classmate back in school introduced Meen Huli to me as ‘spicy fishy goodness’ (haha!!) and I was like, no this tastes sweet and sour! Nostalgia… 🙂
Love the rich colours and textures of the images, and your writing is goals!
Thank you for your lovely share and such kind thoughts about this post, Archana.
Cooking is an art, and a recipe is a story that ends with a good meal! Such fine taste you have, Tanya! Your food shares are as exquisite as your writing and photography! Love everything about this post! ❤️
Thank you for these kind words, Dimple. They’re highly valued!
How beautiful these dishes look in this wonderfully curated article! ✨ And your words blend with each image so well… You are truly an inspiration to many!
Thank you for reading this and your sweet appreciation, Sithrala.
A lovely day calls for an equally lovely and delicious (traditional) South Indian spread! In love with your impeccable writing… and glad to see that your experience was a great one! Thank you so much for sharing, Tanya!
So glad you enjoyed it, Itishree!