10 things to eat and drink in Mysore

Time was when Mysore was known mostly for its dosas and by-two coffee. Strangely, and fortunately old timers will say, that has not changed much. Vegetarian still rules and coffee tastes better if it is split or in Mysore lingo, ‘by two.’ Many of the old places still exist, going strong and dishing out what they do best, and giving newer and swankier places a royal run for their money. Make no mistake—there are pizzas, burgers, pastas, Subway sandwiches and hearty north Indian fare complete with kebabs and butter chicken. But for the true taste of Mysore, there are always the age old institutions, which have given dishes their iconic status. So much so that they come with the name of the city firmly affixed before them. We’re talking of deliciously aromatic Mysore pak, the sizzle of the Mysore masala dosa, the fragrance of Mysore mallige idli, and sinful delight of a well made Mysore bonda ... you get the drift. And then there’s the strange dosa and ‘sagu’ combo from Mylari or early morning mutton pulao or churmuri from a street corner vendor or homegrown soda pops. Some of the older institutions haven’t changed at all from when they were started, it’s almost like stepping into a workd of RK Narayan.