Oota(meal) in Namma Bengaluru, is not just food, but a celebration of the rich culture of the Garden City. When you visit Bangalore, you have a variety of food joints and restaurants to choose from, be it iconic breakfast joints, where you can grab a plate of buttery dosa, aromatic filter coffee or even soft idlis. But if you haven’t dined at a humble military hotel in Bangalore, savouring mouthwatering Non-vegetarian delicacies prepared from ‘nati’ or traditional ingredients, then your food fiesta is incomplete. We have one such iconic military hotel where you can commence your initiation into military mess food. That is, the over 55 years old, Ranganna Military Hotel situated in Jayanagar 7th Block, started by the famous wrestler, R. Munirangappa. This family-run military hotel is one of the oldest military hotels in the city where the food exuberates the flavours of not just Bangalore, but of Karnataka.
What’s The History Behind Ranganna Military Hotel?
They say food reflects the people and the place it comes from. Ranganna Military Hotel was initially started as a tiny restaurant with around three benches in Domlur in 1964, by R. Munirangappa’s grandmother, Thayaramma.
R. Munirangappa was a famous Bangalore wrestler for around two decades from the 70s. His parents and his grandmother would run the restaurant, and he would drop by after his wrestling practice to help with the family restaurant.
In 1967, this military restaurant got so popular that it shifted to Yediyur. And then later R. Munirangappa took over the business and opened a bigger joint in Jayanagar, where it’s currently located accommodating around 150 diners. His wrestling connection surely has an essence over the choices of dishes, as they are prepared with almost organic ingredients and they are meaty, full of protein and not to forget simply scrumptious. Old-timers, especially people from Mysore flock to this restaurant to come to visit R. Munirangappa and reminiscence his wrestling days. The black-white photos of his wrestling bouts adorn the walls of this restaurant giving diners a feel of the rich history behind the family. Many people still fondly call this restaurant as the Pailwaan Joint.
Vibes Of The Place
When you enter Ranganna Military Hotel, the crowd standing eagerly outside the restaurant, coupled with the intoxicating whiff of fresh spices, is enough to let you know how iconic this place is. There is a certain simplicity and humility about the ambience of this place, that will just warm your hearts. For those of you who are curious to know more about the food and how it’s prepared, just walk into the open kitchen and talk to the family, who are running this place. Rangappa’s son, Sunil Kumar, manages the counter while Ranganna and his wife, prepare the food.
Also Read: 12 Best Dosa Places In Bangalore For 2019
Food At The Ranganna Military Hotel
Now coming straight to the food, Ranganna Military Hotel specializes in Mutton based dishes. Their aromatic mutton biriyani or mutton pulao, is an evergreen dish, that you will find in almost every other table. It’s light green in colour with tender pieces of mutton and filled with a copious amount of spices. The mutton is cooked in the rice itself so the flavours are just enhanced.
Hardcore meat-eaters, can try their Paya Curry, which comes with trotters and the Thale Mamsa Fry, which is a mutton brain fry and the Kheema Goju, made of minced meat. And don’t leave this place without trying their special Bannur Mutton Chops where you can get a sizeable piece of succulent meat and fat, in a flavoursome gravy. Pair this with the staple dish of Karnataka, the Raggi Mudde, which is a sticky millet ball which is a great accompaniment for curries, as it just soaks the gravy and melts in your mouth.
Apart from mutton dishes, there are also a variety of mouth-watering chicken and fish dishes prepared to perfection, like the Chicken Leg Masala, that is spicy and full of goodness and Chicken Kebabs. You can also try out these 20 Best Kebab Places In Bangalore For 2019 Unlike many military hotels that don’t usually serve fish, Ranganna Military Hotel serves you amazing Bangude or Mackarel Fry, which is spicy, crispy and tangy.
And even though this military hotel is more than 55 years old, the family has maintained the same quality and taste of food over generations. They even added chicken dishes on demand, as the mutton dishes are originally part of the tradition. The food is prepared using stone grinders to enhance the texture and flavours of the dishes. They don’t use any artificial food colouring. And the recipes are passed on from generations through word of mouth, to keep the sanctity of the place intact.
What Do We Think?
You might have often heard of the phrase, that Beer is the new Filter Coffee in Bangalore. When it comes to planning a lunch or dinner date with friends, we often end up browsing online for resto-pub options in the city. But let me tell you that the heart of the city, resides in the old breakfast joints and military hotels. The rustic, humble decor of the hotels, traditional food prepared from generations-old recipes, is an experience by itself. So the next time you’re planning on meeting up with your gang, do visit a military hotel, like Ranganna Military Hotel to immerse yourself in the delicious food, and rich culture of the Garden City. The best part? It’s really pocket-friendly! You can also Eat Breakfast Under INR 100 At This Iconic Cafe In Bengaluru
Deets
Address: 61, 1st Floor, KR Road, 7th Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore
Timings: 7:30 am to 4 pm and 7:30 pm to 10 pm
Cost: ₹350 for two
Contact: 080 43027346