When Winter Meets Summer

As winter bows out gracefully and summer takes its place fiercely, the city of Bengaluru adorns a veneer of taupe. Though the city shifts uncomfortably in an unnatural February heat, its people are not ready to let go of the luxuries of the cold mornings they are habituated to, yet!

Airlines hotel, at the heart of the city holds a special place in the hearts of all Bengalureans, especially during winters! Ensconced amidst a trove of banyan trees, the open space is a haven for the early birds to relish an extraordinary Filter Coffee during chilly mornings. As the morning sun rises, more people swarm in, in the happy company of their purrfect friends or just drive-in together to dine, and by 9AM it is as happening as it can get.

The staff at the hotel sprints so nimbly that you can’t catch them walking or running, they just fly past you! You hear echoes of “Side, side” and all you can see when you turn around to make way for them are plates full of Akki Roti, Masala Dosas, Vada and much more rushing past you, strategically at eye level!

On one such morning, as I ordered a delectable South Indian style Poori Masala and an indulgent rawa Kesari, I began devouring the savoury dish first. An attendant who flew past me, stopped mid-way, came back to me and told me, “Dear child, you are doing it wrong! Why don’t you pair the Poori with Kesari !!?” Voila, that was another revelation of how you can enjoy a burst of flavors through 2 seemingly simple dishes. It reminded me of Poori and Aamras, a combination I was introduced to while in a different city!

But my favorite dish in Airlines hotel is a dish called Mangalore buns – sweet fried breads. Mangalore buns are special in such a way that when rightly made, it is always the exact amount of sweetness for you.

Dip it in a spicy chutney, a savory Sambhar or have it just with coffee, the last bite leaves that tinge of sweetness in your tongue. A dish that assiduously retains its sweetness no matter how you pair it!

Mangalore Buns, for me, is a wholesome depiction of this city in a way that characterizes the people I meet everyday in this city. You may brush each other in the bustling crowd but not complain, bargain your best bets with auto drivers but they will make it a point to get you there on time, or the staff who runs about with their orders but remembers to tell you how to pair dishes. The city treats you in such a way that a tinge of sweetness remains as you finish spending another day in Bengaluru!

As the sweltering heat settles in, there may be a lot of things that will change, as it has in the past years, but I hope the old city never loses its charm and places like Airlines Hotel and dishes like Mangalore Buns find more love!