Mervin’s brother Mike came to visit for two days. Since we had no other plans, we decided in the afternoon to go visit some handicraft shops and look at the art. These shops carry a wide variety of crafts, some that are unique to the region and others from across India. The quality of items and degree to which they are handmade varies greatly with item “price tags” building in a healthy margin, making shopping tricky to navigate.
At the second shop we visited, we found a selection of Bidriware metal art. These pieces are made of a combination of copper and zinc, colored black, and then etched and inlaid with silver designs. The art form is thought to have come with the Bahamani sultans who ruled in the Bidri area during the 14th-15th centuries. Designs include vases, statues, and boxes with patterns such as flowers, vines, or geometric designs. We chose a small horse figure and I got a hair clip as well.
When we finished our shopping, it was time to find some dinner. Our driver Syed recommended a briyani shop he claimed was the best in Bangalore. Briyani is a type of rice dish where the meat and rice are generally cooked separately before being combined in layers to infuse the rice with the spice and meat flavors.
To say a briyani restaurant is the best is a big claim! A Google maps search of Briyani restaurants just in our neighborhood shows at least ten within walking distance. As a driver, Syed has had a chance to try a lot of different places across the city. Besides that, last time we were here Syed invited us to his family’s house where we had incredible homemade briyani. So when he claims to have found the best briyani in Bangalore, we take his recommendation seriously.
After struggling our way through rush hour traffic, we finally found ourselves at KGN Kabbab Corner in the Keshava Nagar neighborhood. And wow, the extra time it took to get there was worth it. Syed told us this place is unique because they make their briyani with a heartier, more filling type of rice than the usual basmati. The mutton briyani was infused with a rich combination of many spices without being peppery spicy. I didn’t even need to mix the raita (yogurt). The mutton was incredibly tender and falling off the bone. We had also had juicy chicken kebabs with perfect char and grilled skewers of ground lamb that reminded me of the Uyghur skewers in Chengdu. It was a memorable briyani experience!
