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« Reviews on Hotel Fanoos
Rated: Good
Sep 07, 2007
Sheekh and you will find ... Fanoos!
I am a fan of consistent performance. Sport, work or food. Ever since i arrived in Bangalore as a college student, I've had a good relationship with Fanoos. For cash-strapped college students, when all the other joints looked like piggy-bank demolishers, fanoos stood out like an inviting joint. Fanoos is a word of Persian origin and means a "lamp". Their recent 'rebranding' has put it all in perspective, graphically.
It is a stand-ard stand and eat joint. Buy a token first, then present it to the guys at the counter and then wait. Strangely, this is the part that consumes most of the time when you have an outing to this place. The staff is a strange set. Rarely smiling. A constant hassled look about them. (One consistent thing I don't like). But I’m sure they can’t help it. I guess they feel like cornered rock stars. With dozens of hands reaching out to them and demanding instant performance. And deliver, they have to.
Like I indicated earlier, the roll lovers down each piece in 5 minutes flat. (Probably because there is nothing else to do) No place to relax and eat (with a fanoos roll who would want to). You can at the most cross the road and sit on the bikes in the bike parking lot across the street.
This used to be a relatively shabby joint, with greasy kitchen walls and a restaurant environment which would make the stomach of any sissy, churn. (I used to be sissy). Then you just get used to the stuff. These days they’re much cleaner. Rebranding, additional sit-in restaurant have contributed. This is one place where greasy palms mean someone’s really enjoying the food.
::The Roll models::
When you get here you can order Chicken Rolls (Minced), Sheekh rolls which are available in three sizes. Sheekh Roll, Jumbo sheekh roll and the XL sheek that’s called Mambo sheekh roll. (Now that’s funny! They should’ve called it Mogambo) then the entire range of Kababs (kebobs which are more than jolly). Chicken kabab, kalmi kabab, shammi kabab, reshmi kabab.
The chicken Shawarma is just about ok. The Empire hotel gives good competition in this regard. The beef Shawarma is mind-blowing. (Oh! I want one right now!!) The only vegetarian stuff available here is the pieces of onions and lemony flavoring agent. Sad but true.
Some of the stuff has lot of oil but still palatable. The fastest moving item is the sheek kabab. You tend to buy one. Then another one. Then you decide to skip the official dinner and buy another two. (That used to be the only sequence I enacted here). I used to live with 4 other bachelor boys. Things would get dangerous if I were to forget to get the parcel on my way back.
Cost-wise their offerings are purse friendly. A decent snack/meal (whatever you want it to be) can be had for 100 Rs per hungry tummy (You can’t be serious if you say "I'll have just one roll". ONE roll?!?!) Sheek rolls are 35/- and with every size the cost goes up by 10/- or so.
They have a sit-in restaurant next door where the same stuff can be ordered. I guess it’s to rope in the families.
Best time to go? Anytime after dusk. The initial set of items may not be flavorful but what you get after 8pm is the stuff that everyone talks about.
In short, these guys make rocking rolls!
