I had always wondered, what would it be like to have a peaceful dinner date with yourself. You with your plate, and your thoughts. Wouldn’t that be just sad? Like, forever single! Are you?? Well, it wasn’t exactly the case when I knocked at the counters of the restaurants half a score and they all turned me down.
On that road towards the dead-end from where the depression started, a door opened for me. I barged into the restaurant and asked the front desk counter if it was still open. I believe, I was happier by their welcome than what the restaurant felt on having me at first. But to my amazement, the restaurant was at my disposal at that time. The hour hand ticked 11 PM and I was given a choice to choose the table on my own. But an interrupting voice came from behind and guided me to the table in the corner from where you could have the vantage point. I felt elated at this gesture. The Air conditioning around me was comforting. And there was no noise. Just me with myself. A brief menu was produced to me and I was recommended few items for a single person. (I mean, only one person, even though I am single too. But does it matter, we are talking about Food!).
I chose the Vegetables full of Biryani, we call it Pulao (hold your horses, non-vegetarians) with a glass full of Soda lemonade. For those who don’t know what a plate full of pulao ensembles, please let me tell you. It is a rice based dish, highly seasoned with Indian spices, sometimes with sweet resins, and plethora of sauted vegetables, which is served with salted curd full of onion & cabbage, and curry especially made for the dish. So Pulao, that is what we will call it now. The table was already dressed for the feast and all I had to do is wait for the food while I heard the soft voice from the news channel behind me. And to make the night even more romantic, God had kept taps on. It was raining outside. I just wonder, in the world where there is life form everywhere, how often do you find a nice table to yourself with no one around to disturb your thoughts with their gibberish challenging words and while it rains outside. How often? I got to see it only in movies. Ha!
But, the amazing part is still remaining. The food. Yes, now the food arrived at the table and was served to me on the plate. The warmth of the service and the aroma of pulao, both were enchanting. I felt that this is the place where I should come for my food in the middle of the night. But I am sure I will not find this combination of environment again. The quantity of pulao was sufficient and enough to feed 2 people but they insisted that it is only for one. I thought, I ll get the rest packed. But no, I ate till the plate was new again. It was so yummy. You should try it too.
That evening I had a lot on my mind going on and Mani’s Dum Biryani restaurant was the place where I found a little space to talk with my thoughts. I liked that. It was an evening worth remembering and therefore I wanted to share it with you too.
~Aman
Mani’s Dum Biryani
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LA5bdobfXcrnmxAs8
10th Main Road 474, Ground Floor Jeevan Bima Nagar Main Road Hal, HAL 3rd Stage, Indira Nagar, Hal, HAL 3rd Stage, New Tippasandra, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560075
Ph: 080 4300 6111
We shall write 