If I’d invite you to my home for a meal, on a steel plate, you’d be served steaming white rice, holding within it the comfort of dalithoy—a GSB dal perfumed with mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Alongside would be upkari (stir-fried vegetables finished with grated coconut), my grandmother’s mango pickle, and the crunch of vodi— onion-infused rice crisps. Simple, everyday recipes you’ll find in a Mangalorean’s home. India’s culinary treasures nest in the homes of its people. In Desi Quotient, they arrive in a bowl as an aunt’s allam pachadi, on a plate as a wife’s Rajasthani saag beans, or as a striking violet dollop of kuler achaar, an Assamese family’s heirloom pickle.
Bengaluru’s Desi Quotient Captures India On A Plate
Desi Quotient, Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage‘s newest restaurant, is not your “yet another Indian restaurant claiming authenticity.” For DQ is built on the bedrock of home.
Under the guidance of co-founders Prasanjit Singh and Abhijit Mukherjee and Head Chef Gaurav Anand, chefs reached out to their homes to document recipes that had, until then, been passed down only by word of mouth. Each brought a piece of their childhood to curate not a menu, but a map.
And it’s this map that’s reflected in the design language as well. I stepped into Desi Quotient, a 3,500 sq ft vibrant space right next to the lobby of Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage. What first caught my attention was the Lippan art wall by the open kitchen. Hotel Manager Ramandeep Singh, hailing from Rajasthan, explained how the mud walls traditionally insulate homes in India’s scorching western region, while the mirrorwork brightens the space.
There’s warm wood, terracotta surfaces, photographs on walls capturing striking moments from across India, rattan panels, and brass pendant lights. But the pièce de résistance is a traditional Kerala boat reinterpreted as an art installation. In the wooden boat, I found a neatly stacked collection of regional Indian cookbooks, a carrier for what DQ represents: India. A quiet nudge to prep for a meal that would soon sail me into the homes and kitchens of the country.
Traditional Coolers As Pit-Stops Across States
As I chatted away with Ramandeep and tapped my feet to peppy tabla notes, a desi drink sampler arrived on my table. DQ’s beverage programme is a blend of regional coolers (some of which can be topped with alcohol), tea-coffee, and a conventional international alcohol list.
In six small ceramic cups came Mohabbat ka Sharbat, Raagi Ambli, Paacha Manga Saaru, Sattu Ghol, Gud Nu Shikhanji and Imli Ka Aamlana. Some sweet, others savoury, the drinks championed their respective cuisines. Of these, I fancied the Rooh Afza and Mohabbat ka Sharbat. As I didn’t find them to be apt meal pairings, I ordered a fizzy Masala Cola instead.
Kadhi-Kachori And Egg-cellent Egg Kejriwal
Paying homage to India’s snackable and shareable eating culture is DQ’s Naashto section on the menu. Of these, a Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Platter arrived dramatically.
Onion Bhaji, done Kerala-style, Beetroot Chop inspired by Kolkata streets and Ajmer station Kadhi Kachori were part of the veg platter. Crispy bhajjis and moreish beetroot chop with mustardy kasundi were comfort monsoon bites.
What stole the show for me, however, was breaking into the karara mini kachori, pouring hot kadhi in, and scooping a bite like a Rajasthani local. I found myself reaching out mid-conversation for a spoonful of that velvety, perfectly balanced kadhi.
On the non-veg platter were Andhra Bangla Kodi Chips, Kerala Mutton Cutlet and Chicken Sukkha. All three dishes were stellar. The kodi chips had thinly-sliced potatoes in a roll with a piece of fried chicken in the centre. Textured and light on the palate. The cutlet was rich, and the slow-cooked mutton melted in my mouth. Chicken sukkha was another winner, delivering on coastal flavours.
There was also the Chatori Gully Chaat Platter featuring chaat from Mumbai, Lucknow and Delhi. But my appetite nudged me to browse through the egg section. I was recommended the Egg Kejriwal, part of their brunch menu. A sunny-side-up egg on brioche bread in a pool of fresh mint chutney. The buttered bread soaked in the goodness of the tangy chutney, lifting the richness of the eggs. It was delicious! And I could see myself walking into DQ for this post-swim protein fix.
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Home-Style Platters Inspired By Chefs’ Family Recipes
Mains were Indian homes on a plate. Every dish came with gravy, condiments, pickle, crisps, bread or rice from a state. I savoured Bihar’s Champaran Mutton, Assamese Fish Curry, Fisherman Shrimp Curry done Kerala-style and a Rajasthani Platter. They weren’t four dishes. They felt like four thalis from four homes, each with its own story and warmth.
Champaran Mutton (with dhaba roti, aloo chokha, karonda achar, crisps) was a bold and robust gravy. The slow-cooked mutton fell off the bone, while the achaar and aloo chokha rounded the meal.
A tender bhetki fillet in a fresh tomato Assamese gravy was relished with fragrant Gobindobhog rice. Together with the kuler achaar and raw banana chokha, it took me back to a dhaba meal in Guwahati. There’s something so satisfyingly desi to down spoonfuls of rice bathed in hot curry. Then between those spicy morsels, lean into the sweet berry pickle and rice crackers for texture and play.
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Fisherman Shrimp Curry— with red rice, shrimp pickle, pomelo salad and papad— won me over. Gleaming with coconut oil, the curry was aromatic. Shrimps were fresh and tender. Before I knew it, there weren’t any leftovers. A coastal delight I would gladly return for!
Another winner was the Rajasthani Platter, DQ’s signature. Having indulged in my fair share of opulent Rajasthani thalis, I expected a stodgy meal that might leave me sluggish. But I was wrong. For starters, this platter featured neither dal baati churma nor gatte ki sabzi.
Instead, it strips the cuisine to its roots. Food you’ll find if you dropped by a friend’s home in Jaipur during lunchtime. No fuss, just honesty on a plate.
The Rajasthani Platter had saag, long beans, kadhi, lehsuni roti, lehsuni chutney, karonda achar and sirka pyaz. Thinly rolled garlic rotis were served in a playful hen-shaped cane basket. Ironic for a vegetarian meal!
Saag was a deeply nourishing preparation of spinach, methi and other greens. Soupy long-bean gravy with tanginess from tomatoes added to the comfort. What cemented the platter was the Rajasthani kadhi ( I tipped my bowl to polish the last spoon).
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Fitting Finale With Mishti Doi, Kulfi And Coffee
Desserts were another all-India round-trip. Earthenware-set, cold and creamy, Baked Mishti Doi, Parsi Dairy Kulfi topped with chilled vermicelli, rose syrup and sabja seeds; Parle-G Cheesecake sandwiches in a pool of rabdi, and a Ghevar Fruit Tart, that didn’t do much for the ghevar or the fruit salad sitting on it.
DQ’s meetha menu, while earnest, is let down by its eagerness to please. Silky, caramelly, mishti doi didn’t require chopped fruits and tart berries for presentation or textural nuance. Just like the otherwise delicious Parle-G Cheesecake bites, weighed down by the thick rabdi.
I’d have much rather loved just a bowl of that excellent sweet yoghurt or the cheesecake bites with a dollop of caramel sauce. Parsi Dairy Kulfi is the dessert that made its mark as it showed restraint.
A cup of DQ’s signature coffee was a fitting finale to a memorable meal. Frothy, sweet, an ode to Hyderabad’s Cafe Niloufer.
There’s sincerity to what Desi Quotient wants to be: a playground for regional Indian cooking. Its competitively priced offerings, welcoming ambience, menu that doubles as a culinary map of India, and recipes drawn from real homes are what make DQ special.
On my next visit, I might explore a new state’s flavours—or return to the comforting familiarity of Kerala’s shrimp curry.
Where: Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage Outer Ring Road, Block 8, Embassy TechVillage, Marathahalli-Sarjapur Outer Ring Road, Bengaluru 560103
When: 11 am to 11 pm
Cost: ₹1500 for two, approx.
FAQs
Where is Desi Quotient?
Desi Quotient is located in Hilton & Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage.
What is the price for two at Desi Quotient?
At the Indian fine-dining restaurant, Desi Quotient, a meal for two would cost around ₹1500 approximately.
What are some must-try dishes at Desi Quotient?
As per a review on Curly Tales, some of the must-try dishes at Hilton's Desi Quotient in Bengaluru are the Rajasthani Platter, Fisherman Shrimp Curry and Assamese Fish Curry.
