Anupam’s Coast II Coast, Bangalore
Anupam’s Coast II Coast is hands-down the best seafood restaurant in town. I do not want any of you to wait to read the whole review before deciding to visit this legendary eatery- just go! Coast II Coast proves that you don’t need intricate interior decor or elegant ambience to woo food lovers. All you need is a simple yet casual setup but ensure to serve fresh, authentic and mind-blowing food! Coast II Coast serves an amazing array of dishes that feature in Mangalorean cuisine. I spent close to a decade in this coastal city and some of my most favourite dishes are from this cuisine of Tulu Nadu.
Every time a friend goes to Mangalore, I request them to bring back a plate of Chicken Ghee Roast from my favourite restaurant – Maharaja. Chicken Ghee Roast is a classic recipe among South Indian dishes which is said to have originated from the coastal city of Kundapur or Kundapura. Once prepared, the sheer aroma of the Byadagi chillies and Ghee is just heavenly. The popularity of this dish was such that over time, notable restaurants replaced Chicken with Prawns and Squid. Coast to Coast serves all the above mentioned dishes and more. We visited the outlet in Koramangala for dinner. Started off with four portions of Anjal (Seer fish) masala fry and one portion of Crispy Squid fry.
The Anjal masala fry was absolutely delicious- the masala was lip smacking and the fish was fresh. The Crispy Squid fry was also good but I would have preferred the masala fry or the ghee roast version of it. Next, we ordered a full plate of Chicken Ghee Roast which came with about 8-10 pieces (or more). Now, having lived in Mangalore for a decade and having tasted Chicken Ghee Roast at numerous restaurants there, I can tell you without a doubt that the Chicken Ghee Roast served at Coast II Coast is up there amongst the best. The quality of Ghee used was supreme and the masala was flawless. I couldn’t believe that I had been delaying a visit to this restaurant since I relocated to Bangalore.
For main course, we ordered a portion of Aapam, two portions of Neer Dosa- which is a crepe prepared from rice batter and boiled rice. To accompany this, two portions of Bangude Curry (or Mackerel fish curry) and a portion of Prawn Curry. Both the curries were beautifully cooked and spiced perfectly. I must say the quantity of Chicken Ghee Roast was way more than I had seen anywhere- we had to parcel the remaining. Indeed, the experience I had at Coast II Coast is close to the best (if not the best) in terms of getting a taste of Mangalorean cuisine anywhere outside of Mangalore. If you haven’t tasted Mangalorean cuisine and would like to, this is the place you need to go. I can absolutely vouch for this place! ‘Nuff said!!
