The roads less taken

I recently signed up for a "Thindi Hopping" event, an organized walk to explore authentic breakfast spots in and around Malleswaram. I joined in for few reasons

1.  A break from routine: I was stuck in the daily grind, even on weekends, rarely doing anything new or interesting. This felt like the perfect excuse to get out and do something different.

2.  Exploring a new side of Malleswaram: I only knew Malleswaram for its shopping street and I was eager to discover somethinng new.

3.  Supporting a cause: The entire registration fee went to "Rang De," a social enterprise. Which was a satisfactory reason.

I arrived at the starting point "HVR VEG", just five minutes past the 8 AM meet-up time. Around 15 to 20 people had already gathered around our organizer, Mr. Ajit, who was explaining the hotel's special dosa and other dishes. I knew I'd missed the initial introduction, but quickly blended in. Ajit went on to order us a selection of dosas, idlis, and rice. In the meantime, I shared smiles and had quick chats with other members of the group. It was a diverse mix: children accompanied by their parents, enthusiastic teenage students, young professionals, and experienced senior citizens.

When Ajit returned with the food, we made sure to share each item amongst 3-4 people. We all knew the golden rule of a food walk: save space for what's ahead! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food, praising its authentic taste.

Our next stop was about a kilometer's walk away, leading us to an authentic Mangalorean food establishment "Namma Kudla" The dishes here were completely new to me. I admit, I was hesitant to try one particular item, but the others were fantastic, with a delightful sweetness that truly stood out. We were almost full. Thankfully, another 1.5 km stroll helped settle our stomachs, making just enough room for the star of the next stop which served Davanagere Benne Dosa "Malleswaram Dose Corner".

This wasn't just another Instagram-famous Benne Dosa; this was the real deal, served with pure _benne_ (white butter), not ghee. "Want more dosa?" is always a "yes" for me! The hotel staff even allowed us to watch them prepare the dosas. We all know the process, but seeing how they artfully spread the butter—_tak tak tak tak_—was a mesmerizing difference! No complaints here; this was the best Benne Dosa, with butter melting into the dosa without making our fingers sticky. Perfection!

By this point, half the team was ready to call it a day, but there was one more stop to go. We were happy it was the last, as we began our journey from Malleswaram towards Rajajinagar.

Our final destination was "Devaras". This place was huge, felt like an open ambiance with benches and thankfully, zero crowd. It was exactly what we needed after such a long walk. Here, I had "Palkova bun" loved it and coffee to sweetly conclude our culinary adventure. The Red dosa and Green Onion dosas served here were, in my opinion, just average compared to the previous delights.

As everyone started feeling the end of the walk, people began checking their watches, planning their departures, booking cabs, and saying their goodbyes. And of course, thanking to Ajit for arranging such a wonderful food walk. The journey spanned almost 4 kilometers, starting at 8 AM in Malleswaram and wrapping up by 11:30 AM in Rajajinagar!

The roads we took were all new to me, and honestly, I'd probably need Google Maps to retrace them. It was a fantastic opportunity for photography along the way. I remember a few members sharing how they joined the walk simply to revisit Malleswaram. They had cherished memories and shopping experiences there, now living on the opposite side of the city, expressed how they truly missed it.

We even passed the famous Rameshwaram Hotel and collectively felt relieved we weren't stopping there. The sheer crowd, at least for me, doesn't create the right environment for enjoying a peaceful meal. Encountered the famous " Eat Raja" juice center which follows zero waste idealogy.

Overall the walk just sets the right tone for my future plans to get involved in more such events.

Enjoy the pictures!