With spices and flavours from all over the globe colliding on the platters of Bengalureans today, a curated evening, The Veranda Supper Series, sought to revisit the flavours of old Bangalore through a cuisine born from the city’s initial brushes with the British – Anglo-Indian food – on Saturday
“Since we are located in a newly restored, nearly 110-year-old building, ‘Sthala’, and Halasuru has a deep connection with the Cantonment and the Anglo-Indian community, we wanted to do something to highlight that heritage,” said Soumya Jayaraj, the founder of Yellow Veranda Heritage Kitchen, which hosted the event. The space, a grey stone structure built in 1918, used to be a kalyana mantapa. Jayaram explained, “Sthala was made using locally quarried Bangalore granite, the same enduring grey stone that defines much of old Bengaluru’s temple and civic architecture. The space carries the craftsmanship of its time.”
Dishes like mulligatawny soup, country captain curry, mushroom rosemary rissoles, yam fries and classic desserts like honey cake and filter coffee tiramisu were served with a bite of culinary history. Sharing a tidbit of this history, she added, “One of our favourites is the country captain curry. It’s said to have been born in the days of the British Raj, when British officers in India began mixing their familiar stews with local spices. The dish travelled with sea captains from Calcutta and Madras to England and even America and over time, it became a quiet symbol of comfort and cultural exchange. Warm, aromatic and gently spiced, it feels like history served on a plate.”
The dishes on offer were made using recipes by Bengaluru author Bridget White Kumar. Jayaraj said, “She’s a beloved Anglo–Indian author and culinary historian whose cookbooks have preserved recipes passed down through generations. We met her while tracing the food heritage of old Bangalore and her warmth and stories brought these dishes alive for us.”
To fully capture the feeling of having stepped back into old Bangalore, a curated selection of Vinyl records serenaded guests. “The evening featured classic rock and retro favourites by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Eagles, Queen, AC/DC, Neil Diamond, Nancy Sinatra, John Denver and The Seekers,” said Jayaraj, adding, “We also asked people to bring their favourite vinyl records to share with others. So far, the response has been from a diverse crowd of all ages because everyone is interested in vinyl.”
