In the middle of Bengaluru’s busy Cambridge Layout is a slice of the old Bangalore charm. Called ADDA 1522, the restaurant takes you on a sweet trip down memory lane. For starters, you are greeted with sweeping wall art by Bengaluru’s favourite cartoonist, Paul Fernandes. The artist’s iconic work brims with nostalgia and as we make our way to the second floor for a Sunday brunch, we realise every nook and cranny of the place is designed to take you back to the good ol’ days.
Adda 1522
The walls are decked with original vinyl records of The Doors, BB King, Jimmy Hendrix, Queen, and other artists, harking back to namma ooru’s history as the Rock Capital of India.
The vibe is perfect for a lazy Sunday meal, where we try out both classic staples from ADDA 1522’s brunch offering, and some of Chef Vedant Pawar’s recommended specials from the a-la-carte menu. A section is dedicated to ‘Old Bangalore Favourites’ and from here we get the kothmiri chicken and karibevu chicken.
The names may make it seem like these are sister dishes but like any siblings, the two are distinctly different. The karibevu chicken is sauteed in curry leaves, while the kothmiri chicken is tossed in coriander and is lightly spiced. Unfortunately, the former received the proverbial step-child treatment, whereas the latter was clearly the favourite one of the pair, immediately giving us the taste of something that felt home-made and familiar.
The homely feeling went beyond the food too. For instance, the restaurant has Mangalore roof tiles, complete with little windows of glass that let in light and leave pretty patterns of sun and shadow on the floor. Like any other watering hole in the city, here too you can find high top chairs. For those who prefer something more comfortable, there are also red oxide benches, not unlike the kind one would find in the houses of the ‘70s or ‘80s.
The city’s searing heat pulls us back to the present and we decide to get a kokum colada, a salted caramel G&T and a spicy lips cocktails to cool off. Each emerges a winner in its own way. With the salted caramel G&T, you smell its sweetness before you taste it, and it manages to do both: give you respite from the heat while filling you up with warm, gooey happiness. The kokum colada is an interesting mocktail, combining coffee with kokum. Surprisingly the drink is smooth and refreshing, so much so that we ask for seconds. Spicy lips is a rum-based cocktail mixed with Indian spices, and pairs well with the food we order.
From the a-la-carte menu we get the mushroom galouti and the French paneer. In just one bite, these two emerge as our favourite dishes from the entire meal. The galouti melts in the mouth, dissipating into a smoky after taste. The paneer may indicate being French in nature but that is just in name, it is undoubtedly and deliciously Indian in its spice and bite that the liberal sprinkling of curry leaves give it.
It is difficult not to load up on appetisers, especially when the staff makes rounds with little carts that bring the small plates to you. You cannot ignore their polite urging to try just one portion of an appetiser, while they smilingly serve up three instead. There is stir-fry vegetables, kung pao paneer, basil prawn, malai tikka chicken, and more, ensuring everyone gets something they would like.
The main course options give you the best of global and local fare, with a separate counter dedicated to fresh neer dosa and mushroom or chicken curry. Also highly recommended: short breaks between courses so that you can do justice to everything the spread has to offer.
Before we know it, a few hours have passed. ADDA 1522 really takes you back to Bangalore of yore, where the hustle culture did not exist yet. For a brief period, all the banes of Bengalureans today — traffic, tedious work assignments, and soaring temperatures — ceased to exist. All that mattered was a satiating meal and a long siesta after.
