Kudla

Here's a bit of trivia to start with - Did you know Kudla means 'Mangalore' in the Tulu language? And did you know that Tulu does not have a written script? Sound exotic? Well, so is the splendid food at this seafood haven on Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road in west Bangalore.

Kudla was not too packed when we showed up on a late Sunday evening after watching a game of cricket at Chinnaswami stadium. As we stepped in, it was hard to miss the live king crabs on display by the entrance. The interiors are simple and casual. We grabbed a table near the window and quickly set out to sample the seafood starters. The ladyfish, silverfish and mussels were excellent. The vegetarian samplings were a bit disappointing - so if you have a veggie friend, you might want to consider an earlier supper stop. Beer was available, but wasnt cold enough. After eyeing the crabs for little longer, we picked the largest one to be cooked kudla style in a curry. It took about 20 minutes, but was well worth the wait. Easily the best crab I've had outside of the Konkan coast, this dinner left us smacking our fingers at the end.

Cost: Rs 250-300 per meal
Cleanliness: Average
Quality: Good
Service: Average
Ambience: Good
Bottomline: Great crabs up for grabs