I first discovered Vidhyarthi Bhavan (VB) in 1977 as I was walking back one evening to Jayanagar after Sanskrit tuition in Gandhi Bazaar. That day my cycle was "out of order" so I walked. I still remember getting hit by the aroma and wondering where it came from. Its then that I saw VB. For those who are not familiar with VB, although its on the main road, the entrance is actually set back a bit, so you really have to look.
I walked in and boom!!. There they were a sea of noisy humanity some eating, some waiting. After that, VB became a regular stop. The sight of waiters carrying 20 doses' at one time is still vivid (they still do). The evening fare was Rave Vade, Dose, and Coffee. The Cost Rs. 1.05 (One Rupee Five Paisa), an extra 10 paisa if you wanted extra benne (butter).
Nearly 30 years later the place still exists, the items on the menu are very much the same. NO SAMBAR WITH DOSE' the crowd very much there despite the newer fancier joints with more variety in their food.
Time and again, rumors float around saying that the place is going to be shut down because the owners children dont want to continue etc etc, but fortunately this hasn't happened yet. The day it does, another place will be confined to memory. But until then, enjoy.
June 2, 2006 at 6:11 pm |
Ahhh, another topic on food.
Let me give you my take on Vidyarthi Bhavana. Sure, very good dosas, but overly hyped up. I have eaten equally good and better dosas elsewhere, so I am not sure what is so great about this place. My elders tell me that at one time this used to be an amazing place. There was no way I could have eaten a dosa 30 years ago, so I don’t know.
June 3, 2006 at 6:10 am |
For me VB is a throw back in time. The tables, the chairs the low roof. Brings back memories for me of Raju Hotel in Mysore and my childhood favorite Yadavagiri Tiffin Room
(we were probably his only customers).
My main measure of a hotel strangely enough is Chutney. And VB is the only place that makes it the way old Mysore hotels used to.
Sure the quality has fallen a tad, but its still better than all the “stand and eat” hotels that exist. His sagu masale is still the best.. not too much of the spices that other hotels put in.
You want hype in Bangalore, its MTR… not VB.
The other reason for my VB bent is that I spent 10 years in the US before coming back in ‘95. I am still making up for lost time.
P.S: My son who is 13 does not care much for VB. Too crowded according to him.
June 5, 2006 at 2:14 pm |
MTR is definitely hyped, particularly their dose which is easily beaten by the darshinis. Poori palya is pretty decent though… you should write a post on Brahmins Cafe, arguably the best idli/vada in bangalore.
July 5, 2006 at 3:22 am |
“Yadavagiri Tiffin Room”
The one at Akashvani/Ta.Ra.Su Circle?
July 5, 2006 at 5:21 am |
Thats the one !!! Finally someone remembers !!!!!! The guy used to make great dose.. better chutney.. but for some reason he never did well.. sidaka (angry young man)…
June 11, 2007 at 5:41 pm |
happened to read this one today…
http://malehani.blogspot.com/2007/06/visit-to-vidyarthi-bhavan.html
well, I should taste the dosa atleast now…
June 12, 2007 at 10:37 am |
Talking of TR’s one of my favourites used to be the Khara Bath at GTR – Gayathri Tiffin Room in Mysore. But the place was a little expensive, but extremely clean and neat!
June 15, 2007 at 12:51 pm |
[...] Also read: First Stop – Vidhyarthi Bhavan [...]
February 6, 2008 at 6:50 am |
Hi Vijay,
Was a visitor to your blog. … enjoyed it very much ever since. I would just like to add to this eatery places in bangalore…. one which was(yes was!!!) my favorite called Vishnu Bhavan diagonally opposite to Sagar Theater in Majestic. The Masala dosas and Bread jam was mouth watering, i really relish the dosas and bread jams i had. Very sad that I really miss it today as its been converted to a mall!!!
Anybody here has visited it?
Ramki.
February 6, 2008 at 6:54 am |
@Ramki: Thanks… Interesting I have not heard of this… unfortunately these days we dont go to that part of the city that often.. too much traffic
February 14, 2008 at 8:46 am |
VB dosa is not just great what makes it more tasty is the chutney. It is just diffreent from Dosas at other places for its unique taste and the way it is served. Chutney is poured right on the plate, no spoons or separte contained will be provided unlike other eating joints.
Worth tasting yummy sagu dosa and madhur vadda.
February 14, 2008 at 10:47 am |
@Rajeev: That does it !!! I am going there this Saturday !!!!
February 20, 2008 at 10:32 pm |
Vijay, may I kindly request you to take pictures and make this into a food blog
Muchos gracias. I can literally feel the dose soaking up the chutney. Sigh Sigh Sigh!!!
February 21, 2008 at 3:22 am |
@My3: lol… In fact when I started thats what I intended it to be.. but then other things got in the way
February 28, 2008 at 12:23 pm |
Vijay, Ramki,
Thanks for bringing up Vshnu Bhavan in Majestic area..what a place..I cant forget the bread-jam taste !!..It ’s an experince to eat in Vshnu Bhavan and watch a Dr.Raj kannada movie back to back !!..Wow
February 29, 2008 at 2:36 am |
@Rajaram: I really need to check this place out…
August 22, 2008 at 9:03 am |
VB was a great place back in the 70s, 80s and even early 90s. I was there couple of years ago for senti reasons. Yes, it is a throwback in time to our adolcence/youth, when life was lot less complicated and simple.
Does anybody remebers Dwaraka Bhavan on Bull Temple Road, across(kind of) from BMS College of Engg? With its quaint signs alover the place? Their chutney used to awsome, people would eat more chutney, so one of the signs said,”Moorusari mele chutney illa”
Ah, the good times,…
August 22, 2008 at 9:12 am |
@Srikanth: Dwaraka Bhavan has moved to N.R Colony now… no more signs… unlimited chutney
August 22, 2008 at 7:11 pm |
Thanks Vijay, I will check it out to check the chutney. Your blog brings back a lot of memories. It was a mere accident that I came across yor blog. Unable to sleep, I was trolling the net about Dr. SL Bhyrappa, one of my favorite writers, I stumbled onto your blog and I was going thru every thread until about 3.30AM!
Of that 74-77 batch, K.H. Raju and B.V Shyla are good friends. Some others were classmates in NC, J’Nagar during PUC and some I met later at BMSCE. Going thru the pictures at Giri’s website, I could recognize a few. Roopa Padmanabhan & Uma HS look the same as they did back in NC-J’nagar! So, does Prothima, ah memories, reminds me of that old song, “Koi Lauta De Mere Beete Huye Woh Din”.
And, many of the VHS stories are similar to our my experiences at NHS, different individuals but similar cast of characters! I will be checking out your blog religiously!
October 29, 2008 at 7:07 am |
Vidyarthi Bhavan is special along with many specials of Bangalore vis., MTR, Udipi Krishna Bhavan, Raghavendra Prasad in Gundopant Street, Gundappana Hotel. Eating places of yester years had life in them. They have become a part of our good memories of Bangalore.