Blast from the past: Bengaluru eateries revisit 1960s, pick old-world charm as the new theme

BENGALURU: Antique wood tables bedecked with napkins in long-stemmed glasses, white China, starched tablecloth and a leather-backed menu listing dishes like Irish stew and grandma’s roast chicken. This is neither a scene from a retro Hollywood film nor the dining area of a members’ club. A new eatery in the city has chosen to pay a tribute to the Bengaluru of the 1960s.

The erstwhile Victoria Hotel, opposite Mayo Hall, has opened doors to Salvadores that celebrates the Cantonment-era dining scene. The menu, assisted by Anglo-Indian food consultant and culinary historian Bridget White, makes for a trip down memory lane.

A staff member said the idea was to open a standalone eatery for Bengalureans to relive the dining era of “soups, steaks and style”.


In times of modern resto-bars and world cuisine onslaught in the IT city, a few restaurants are making the effort to keep the legacy of old Bengaluru alive.

According to food blogger Nikhilesh Murthy, eatery La Casa is working on a batch of cocktails paying ode to Karnataka. A gin-based cocktail with ingredients like dill leaves, peanut syrup and sugarcane juice found in the fields along the Bengaluru-Mysuru rail route.

A tequila-based cocktail, inspired by Lalbagh, uses Bengaluru’s traditional crops like carrot greens, rose petals and coriander flowers. A take on Bloody Mary uses local nati tomatoes, byadige chilli and tadka of curry leaves.

“Bengaluru cuisine as a segment is evolving rapidly. It also helps educate foodies on local flavours,” says Murthy.

Dakshin at ITC Windsor reinvented its menu recently. Tribute dishes include bagala bhath (curd rice), bisi bele hulianna (or bisibele bhath), padhpe upkari (local greens tempered with chili, coconut and garlic) and maasa sukka (mutton tossed with byadgi chilli).

Chef Praveen Anand says, “Nobody has the time to prepare traditional dishes at home. As chefs, we have the duty to keep tradition alive. We cannot afford to lose what we have owned, lived and grown up with.”

Even the new Pecos, relocated to Indiranagar from Church Street, continues to retain Bengaluru’s pulse with retro and rock music scene in trending times of EDM played at most resto-bars.

Food expert Aslam Gafoor says that a restaurant in Indiranagar is also reopening soon with a menu serving Bengaluru Cantonment cuisine. “It takes courage for eateries to move away from the herd and give diners an experience from the past. It’s also up to eateries to maintain the legacy of a city’s fabric.”

Voice-over artist Pavitra Ghanshayam, a fan of nostalgia restaurants, says, “I feel comforted when I am able to reach out to food that keeps me connected to my roots.”