Kesariya Restaurant — Restaurant in Bengaluru

After getting bored of eating south indian snacks, meals and eating at multicuisine restaurants in Bangalore day in and day out, we want to eat a nice unlimited (eat as much as you like) Rajastani / Marwadi / Gujarati thali. Almost last 30 years, I have been visiting Bangalore and never saw a typical, authentic Rajastani / Marwadi / Gujarati / Maharastrian Thali restaurant in Bangalore and hence was doubtful whether we could find a good decent Thali restaurant in Bangalore like you see everywhere in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Mumbai and Pune.

But to my surprise, we discovered the most authentic pure Rajastani / Marwadi thali restaurants in dead heart of Bangalore in small bylanes of JP Nagar, Bangalore and that was Kesaria Restaurant.

When we entered Kesaria for afternoon lunch, the inviting tastefully done decor immediately told me that I have possibly discovered and reached a hidden gem in Bangalore for authentic Rajastani  Thali.

Ofcourse, even though it was lunch time, restaurant was empty and were the only guests there (even though majority of cafes and road side south indian eateries were packed).

We were treated in a typical Rajastani way by exchanging Khammam Gani Hukum(खम्मा गणी हुकुम) greetings. Afterbeing comfortably seated, we were told the entire menu which will be offered in Thali. Here again we got a very pleasent surprise as menu on that day contained Keir Sangri (केर सांग्री) & Kairi Keir achhar (कैरी केर आचार) or Mango Caperberry pickle, Dal Bati, gatte ki sabji (गट्टे की सब्जी), so typical of authentic Rajastani meal.

All the items in thali were superb and tasty and we felt as if we are having meal at a rajastani home. Hospitality was of highest order with restaurant staff insisting to serve more and more with a friendly smile as if we were most respected guests they had.

Every dish in Thali was so delicious and tasty and hospitality was so genuine that we ended up eating so much that we cancelled our afternoon program & returned to hotel to take afternoon nap.

Even though food was so authentic and tasty, hospitality of highest order and ambiance was true Rajastani, I was wondering why Kesaria is not flooded with people and hence enquired with staff. I was surprised to note that local kannadigas only visit Kesaria during weekends as they prefer more of south indian meal or modern cafe food. Also the only guests are typically the Marwadi community from Bangalore, few maharastrians, Gujaratis from Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Gujarat area and very few tourists who love authentic Thalis.

The staff also told that now a days few youngsters mainly maharashtrian / Gujarati / Rajastani IT crowd bring their friends for lunch and dinner and restaurant now started gaining popularity amongst locals.

Definitely, Kesaria was a hidden gem which I missed for 30 years in Bangalore and local Bangalorians still missing same and more importantly missing authentic Rajastani meal and marwadi hospitality.

I am sure, from my next visit onwards, I would ensure that I have atleast one meal at Kesaria to enjoy the best Rajastani / Marwadi thali...

Royal- Thats how i would like to describe my visit to Kesariya last weekend! I was lucky to be a part of the Ghoomar festival which was happening at the restaurant which involved the deserts folk dance and music by the famous Deen Mohammad group! Dined here with a bunch of friends on a sunday night for dinner and all of us left with smiles and happy stomachs. The ambiance is rich, carefully crafted to match the cuisine. Infact, they served the food in their Silver Thali plates which left me impressed. I even heard most of their ingredients are directly sourced from the villages of Rajasthan. I tried their Thali and Here goes my experience,

🔶Highlights of the place🔶

▪️Bangalore's first Shekhawat restaurant. ▪️Rich and Royal Ambiance ▪️High quality food and beverages ▪️Courteous staff ▪️Total Paisa Vasool ▪️The Silver Thali

🔶What I loved n will recommend in the Thali?

🔸Masala Chaas: Perfectly spiced Chaas served at the right tempearure for my liking. 🔸Malai Ghewar With Rabdi- This is the dish which made my day. Infact I had 3 plates of it, which made sure I couldnt taste the entire. But who cares this dish was worth the entire distance I had to travel to get there. 🔸Paneer Pakoda- Pretty soft Paneer deep fried and flavored with a few Rajsthani Spices. 🔸Maharaja paneer-Some Authentic Rajsthani Gravy, a never before tasted flavor for me and I loved it. 🔸Moong Dal Halwa- Amazingly made and perfectly sweetened Moong Dal Halwa 🔸Masala puri /Ghee- I'm still swooning at the Puri I had there 🔸Dum Biriyani- Perfectly spiced Biriyani, cooked to perfection 🔸Kesariya Kulfi- The highlight dish of the restaurant, a perfect dessert to end the sumptuous meal

🔶What I would ask them to improve?

🔸Improvement in other gravies to go with the breads apart from Shekhawati Channa and Maharaja Paneer. 🔸Music in the outdoor seating completely inaudible. I'm not sure if traditional music was present, if not please make it an addition.

🔶Other things I had with no complaints/compliments:

🔹Starters: Aloo Pyaaz ki Kachori, Shekhwati Tikka, Moong Dal Dahi Vada, Sadi Baati/ Ghee 🔹Main course:  Shekhawati Chanan with Phulka and Parantha, Bajra ki Kheechidi 🔹Desserts: Fruit cream 🔹Drinks: Aam Panna

Overall a very beautiful and satisfying experience. I am surely coming back and as well recommending them to everyone in Bangalore who would like to try some authentic Marwari cuisine. I feel the Thali was worth the buck considering the ambiance and quality of the food.

Also do check out their newly launched Banquet Hall 'Kesariya Suvarna Mahal' if you are looking to have a get together or so.

🔺Ambiance: 5/5 🔺Food: 4/5 🔺Service&Staff: 4.5/5 🔺Value...

Most of these top grade so-called 'Rajasthani / Gujarati' unlimited thali restaurants are rip offs and this restaurant is no exception.

Both the states in question have such wonderful dishes and green vegetables like bhindi, tindli, palak, ola, capsicum, baingan etc. cooked in their unique style and all this restaurant could serve is gatta, paneer, alu and a tasteless mess in the name of undhiyu. Other than these four items, there was not one wholesome dish. (This is a pattern with most of these restaurants - they don't waste money on vegetables!).

The dal bati, kadhi and dal were cold, bland and insipid. I don't know what they were passing off as Srikhand. The breads were horrible too. The only two tolerable items were the poori and gevar of all things - you can make your own judgement based on this!

And they ply you with so many starters and take so much time to bring out the actual main course that you are already half full. (This too is a pattern and a tactic.) In this case, all the starters were particularly awful, with the dahi wada the worst of them all!

Above all, the food is so heavy that I am still feeling the after effects 24 hours after eating it! Yuck, sick!

The service was ok but at their prices something had to be good.

This is the worst Rajasthani food I have ever had, an insult to that great cuisine of India! And there was nothing Gujarati about it!

NEVER, NEVER...