We raced through the city’s traffic, guided by the promise of spice, soul and stories. Ishaara, nestled in the buzzing Asia Mall at Phoenix, Bengaluru — a food space where speech gracefully steps back, letting flavour steal the spotlight and our hearts.
It was Mungaru Mangaluru, a special pop-up by MasterChef winner Muhammed Ashiq — a name that translates to the “Monsoon of Mangalore.” And true to its name, the evening was a downpour of coastal warmth and bold culinary love letters from Karnataka’s shores. From the very first bite, we were transported to the salt in the air and spices on the tongue.
The starters? Tiny rebels bursting with big flavour, lived up to its name, a bite-sized blast of spice, tangy and gentle sweetness. First came the Neer Dosa Prawn Taco — a clever, elegant spin on a coastal classic. Belekayi Tawa Fry, a raw banana rendition of the iconic fish tawa fry came next. It was bold, punchy and left us questioning everything we thought we knew about vegetarian food.
Then came the main course and with it, our complete surrender. Starting of with the Ambe Upkari, a Mangalorean mango curry, which was sweet and spicy. Chef Ashiq’s homage to his grandmother, the dish wrapped our palates in childhood memories and left us utterly smitten. The Marwai Pundi — cooked rice dough in clam curry — that followed, was coastal comfort in its purest form.
Every dish on the menu came with a story. The chef ’s philosophy is simple — make people feel something through food. Every plate at Mungaru Mangaluru is layered with memory, emotion and fierce love for coastal Karnataka. The chef also spoke about opening his own reataurant in Bengaluru very soon.
We wrapped up the night with a Bonda Tres Leches — airy, indulgent and dripping with coconut — the sweet farewell we didn’t want, but all good things come to an end.
Meal for two: INR 2,500 onwards. On till August 31. At Phoenix Mall of Asia, Hebbal.
Written by: Aiswarya Nandakumar
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