A Review on MTR

Heaven is best described as a rendezvous of hunger with a tasteful cuisine. It happened on a Wednesday afternoon I was near the Lal bagh gate amidst the roaring Bangalore’s traffic, under the scorching sun. Hunger and thirst were at their high. All I needed was a quite place to sit and fuel myself with some carbohydrates. As my eyes scanned for a hotel, they fell on a small red hoarding amidst the loud and boastful ones as if it was shying away from the rest. The abbreviated name on the hoarding said “MTR”.

“Mavalli Tiffin Room” has its roots dated back to 1924 creating a legacy out of its carte du jour. MTR takes the credit of inventing “Rava Idly” in the troubled times of Second World War, when there was a shortage of rice - the main ingredient of Idly. The chefs experimented with “Suzi Rava” and rest is history. I had heard the popularity of MTR for its mouth watering dishes but never experienced it. I stepped in to the building; the insides reflected the architecture of early 1900s. Rows of black and white photographs of what looked like freedom fighters and thinkers discussing over coffee at MTR decorated the right side wall. Satisfied with the hotel’s legacy, I purchased the lunch coupon (which was the only available option at noon) and went upstairs. The dining hall in the upstairs was dimly lit and was already crowded with Indian families and few foreign tourists. The waiters wore traditional attire of Karnataka Brahmins a white dhoti and no shoes.

I settled down in a table and was served a chilled grape juice in a silver cup. The sweet and sour drink did more than just quenching my thirst; it woke up the connoisseur in me. As I finished the drink, the glass was taken back may be to indicate the authenticity of the metal. After that, the South Indian concoctions topped with calorie-intensive ghee continuously replenished my plate. The Dosa was excellent and with each bite it released a mix of ghee, coconut chutney and sagu teasing my taste buds. The Payasam was good, the curry tastier and the huli with rice reminded me of my granny’s cooking. The rasam was simply outstanding. By the time curd rice arrived I was awfully loaded but still adjusted my stomach to get a taste of it. The dessert fruit salad topped with vanilla ice cream was as usual good.

While exiting the restaurant, I got a glimpse of the kitchen which was clean and hygiene and reminded me of the cooking methods followed in Brahmin marriages of South India. It goes without saying that MTR can be loved if you are a veg lover. This place is a perfect treat for food evangelists, and gives you an authentic Bangalore eating experience. However the Sunday mornings are chaotic where scores of locals (especially morning walkers of Lal Bagh) rush into savor the Tiffin items. The brand though stands for its taste, tradition and quality, but is often rebuked for long waiting times and notoriously surly waiters.