Every South Indian cafe in Bengaluru eventually grows a Chinese counter, and the good ones take it seriously. At Sri Ram Cafe in Koramangala 5th Block the pure-veg Chinese counter runs in the evening, which is when most of the Manchurian in this city gets eaten. No egg, no meat, no exceptions, because the whole cafe is pure vegetarian.
The Indo-Chinese menu, with prices
Starters and dry dishes
- Gobi Manchurian, ₹170
- Paneer Chilli Dry, ₹180
- Paneer Kurkure, ₹180
- Veg Ball Manchurian, ₹190
- Guntur Mushroom, ₹190
- Pepper Mushroom Dry, ₹190
- Guntur Paneer, ₹200
- Pepper Paneer Dry, ₹200
Rice and noodles
- Veg Fried Rice, ₹180
- Veg Noodles, ₹180
- Veg Schezwan Rice, ₹190
- Mushroom Fried Rice, ₹200
- Veg Schezwan Noodles, ₹200
- Paneer Fried Rice, ₹210
What the names mean
- Manchurian is the Indo-Chinese classic: battered and fried florets or vegetable balls tossed in a soy, garlic and chilli sauce. Gobi Manchurian is the one Bengaluru grew up on.
- Guntur style is named after the chilli town in Andhra Pradesh. Guntur Paneer and Guntur Mushroom are the hottest things on this menu. Order a Masala Buttermilk (₹40) alongside.
- Pepper dry dishes use crushed black pepper instead of red chilli, so the heat is warm rather than sharp.
- Kurkure paneer is coated in a crunchy crumb before frying, which kids love.
- Schezwan rice and noodles are tossed in the red Schezwan sauce, spicier than the plain versions.
How to build a dinner for two
Pick one dry starter and one rice or noodles, and that is dinner for two with a little left over. The combination most tables order is Gobi Manchurian (₹170) with Veg Fried Rice (₹180), ₹350 all in. For a spicier table, Guntur Paneer with Veg Schezwan Noodles.
After the Chinese
Finish with a Chocolate Milkshake (₹120), or the Sri Ram Cafe Special Triveni Dessert (₹120), the house sweet with three layers in one cup.
Hours and parcels
The cafe is open till 11 PM every day, so a late Chinese dinner is not a problem. Everything on this list travels well as a parcel. Send the order on WhatsApp and pick it up from #53, 17th A Main Road, KHB Block, Koramangala 5th Block. More on evenings here: open till 11 PM in Koramangala.
