Head to Ishtaa to relish tried and tested comfort food

A vegetarian restaurant that can revive your shopping-weary self in Jayanagar is Ishtaa

Bang smack in the middle of Jayanagar’s bustling best is Ishtaa — a vegetarian restaurant where you can start your day trying something new or relax by indulging in the familiar comfort food of punugulu, pappu avakaya annam, rago sangati and more.

Brought to you by those behind United Teugu Kitchen and Ironhill in Bengaluru, Ishtaa too, does not stray too far from the tried and tested staples found in traditional Telugu homes. At the same time, there are a few fusion surprises on the menu too.

Ishtaa boasts a wonderful range for breakfast which even the most pickiest of eaters would find hard to fault. Idlis, dosas, pesarattu, upma, uthappams and pooris — they all come with multiple options. Served only at breakfast time, the must try is their five-foot masala dosa served with eight chutneys and on a long platter. It appears with a flourish at your table and is a real treat, especially for the children at the table.

Similarly, their Rayalseema yerra karam dosa served both with podi and masala, is only for those who can handle spice. And for those willing to subject their palate to curious flavours and textures, the chocolate dosa, ice cream dosa and Lays dosa await. Breakfast items are served only from 7am-11am and then again from 6pm-10.30pm.

We check out the starters which are an unusual mix of Telugu specials such as the chinta chiguru velluli paneer and Indo-Chinese favourites such as the honey chilli crispy potatoes. We try the paneer satay and the Ishtaa special chilli paneer. The satay was mildly hot and the nutty flavour paired well with paneer, while the Ishtaa special lived up to its name with its spice quotient.

We also tried the mushroom 65 and vegetarian Shanghai roll; both were good but did not stand out as being exceptional. Since Ishtaa does not serve alcohol and the menu is a mix of fares (North Indian and Jain dishes also make an appearance), your meal can be a mishmash of tastes, unless you pick a cuisine and stick with it, since you will not be adhering to the starters-with-drinks followed by the mains formula.

We begin our main course with garlic naan and malai kofta as suggested by the staff, but I would recommend it only if you relish the taste of creamy sweetness in the middle of your meal. There is nothing wrong with it — it just throws you off the Southern spice route your tastebuds were cruising on till then.