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Anand Bhavan is a special vegetarian restaurant offering value-for-money authentic tastes of South Indian delicacies in the heart of Manama.
It is particularly popular with expats craving a nostalgic taste of home and is always buzzing with activity and a magnet for visitors to the neighbouring Hindu temple.
Bahrain's capital boasts a large selection of similar traditional dining destinations and Anand Bhavan is regarded as one of the best.
Managing the restaurant is former mechanical engineer-turned-entrepreneur Anand Puranik, who belongs to the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community which he explained was renowned in South India boasting generations of hoteliers and caterers.
He said: "My father and great-grandfather was also in the same line and although I pursued a degree in engineering I returned to the hotel industry as it runs in our blood."
Mr Puranik, 48, from Manama, has been living in Bahrain for 20 years and prior to opening Anand Bhavan eight years ago, was a partner in former Indian restaurant, Rangoli.
Situated right opposite the Sri Krishna Temple, the eating place offers vegetarian delicacies. From rava idlis, masala dosas, utthapams to chana masala and kurma, the menu offers a variety of snacks such as pakodas, samosas and chaat as well as the menu favourite masala chai.
As vegetarianism has grown in popularity in the western world the number of British, American and Australian food lovers continue to increase adding to the multi-cultural ambience of the diners.
A specialty of Anand Bhavan is its Bombay thali - a platter with assorted curries, rice or bread, pickles, curd and dessert.
The delicacies are prepared by a team of eight members of staff in the kitchen including three main chefs, Narasimha Devadiga, 37, Shashikumar Jaykumar, 35, and Suresh Naik, 27.
They all hail from families who have also been in the industry for generations preparing the renowned South Indian Uduppi-style cuisine.
The restaurant is open daily from 6.30am to 10pm.
For GulfWeekly readers, Anand Bhavan shares a recipe for one of its most endearing dishes.
Chana masala
Chana (chick peas) 1/2 gm
Onions 1/2 kg
Cashew nuts 200 gm
Tomatoes 1/4 kg
Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Oil
Coriander leaves
Procedure:
Soak the chickpeas over night. While preparing, boil them until soft. Make gravies using onions, cashew nuts and tomatoes by peeling, boiling and blending them respectively. In a pan, add oil, chopped onions and ginger garlic paste. SautŽ until it becomes brown and add all the gravies. Mix until cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with puris (Indian bread).
