@meera-iyer
Collecting tasting menus and Kannada cinema in equal measure.
Samskara by U. R. Ananthamurthy
A Kannada classic about a village that can't decide who should cremate an outcast. Short but hits hard. The A. K. Ramanujan translation is the one to get. The afterword is worth reading too.
Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto
A Bombay family living with a mother's mental illness, told with so much love and humour. Keep tissues nearby. It's funny right up until it isn't.
Lucia (2013)
A crowdfunded Kannada film about an usher who buys pills to live his dreams. Mind-bending and very Bangalore. Pay attention to the colour and the black and white. It all matters by the end.
Alba, JW Marriott
Handmade pasta and a wine list that takes ten minutes to read. Quietly one of the best Italian rooms in town. Ask the server which pasta was made that morning, and order that.
Kantara (2022)
The last twenty minutes, with the Bhoota Kola, gave me goosebumps in the theatre. Nothing else has done that. Watch on the biggest screen and loudest speakers you can find. The sound is half the film.
Farmlore
A tasting menu on a 33-acre farm outside the city, cooked over fire with what's growing that week. Every course had a story. Book well ahead and plan the drive back. This is a full afternoon, not a quick dinner.
Shōgun (2024)
Feudal Japan, politics and betrayal, and every frame looks like a painting. Ten episodes I couldn't stop watching. Watch with subtitles, not dubbed. Give it two episodes to hook you.
Jamavar, The Leela Palace
Royal Indian food in a room that feels like a palace, because it is one. Slow-cooked dal that took me back for seconds. Walk the Leela's gardens before dinner. Dress up a bit; you'll feel out of place otherwise.
Toscano, UB City
Candlelit Italian on a terrace, UB City lit up all around. Our anniversary go-to for three years running. Book the terrace for a weekend evening, and save room for the tiramisu.
Glen's Bakehouse
The red velvet everyone talks about is actually worth it. Warm lights, a quiet corner, and a slice that's too big to share. Pick an outlet with outdoor seating and go after 4, once the lunch crowd has cleared.
