Tasty Treat from Hot Plate

Behind Lalbagh bus stop before Pabba's. there is the Mangalore City Corporation Commercial Complex. In the lower level of the complex in the corner where the road to House of Gurudev slopes down, you will find Hot Plate, a Nonveg Restaurant run by Keralite Muslims. This clean and tidy restaurant has very few items on their menu but almost all the items are good.

My personal preference goes to their Dum Biryani(Chicken or Mutton), Chicken Kebab and Chicken Roast Masala. They make these items using pure ingredients in a very hygienic manner as I have observed personally. The containers are kept closed, free from dust and flies. Marinated Kebab pieces are kept in the fridge to retain freshness.

Dum Biryani: Chicken Biryani is priced at Rs. 100/- for Full plate and Rs.60/- for half. Full plate has 3 plump chicken pieces while half plate has one piece. Mutton Biryani is priced at Rs.110/- for full plate and Rs.65/- for half plate. 

Biryani is prepared freshly twice a day with traditional dum cooking method. Rice used is Basmati and the aromatic spices, generous use of brown onions, ginger and garlic, bits of carrots, hint of mint and other additives make this biryani succulent, spicy and tasty, each grain of rice perfectly cooked, unlike most of the Muslim restaurants where Biryani is often dry and rice is half cooked. The spicy taste also is pretty unusual for a typical Muslim Biryani. Since the owners are from Kerala, they must be making them more spicy and it suits the palates of typical Mangaloreans who love spicy food.

Take away parcel is packed in aluminum tray containers and keeps hot for  almost 2 hours. A choice of kachumbar raita, daal or gravy is packed(Any one) along with the biryani. Biryani is available 7 days a week in the afternoon and evenings but Friday afternoon, Hot Plate is closed during namaaz time and opens only after 7.00P.M.

Chicken Kebab: Chicken Kebab here is spicy, tangy and succulent. Chicken pieces are marinated in a masala with ginger garlic, chilli powder, Coriander and cumin powders, pepper, salt and curds plus a couple of other ingredients that add to the flavour. Pieces are marinated for hours and the taste of the masala infiltrates deep into the pieces. Kebab is freshly fried according to order. Full plate costs Rs.110/- and contains 8 pieces. Half plate contains 4 pieces and is priced at Rs.60/-. Kebab is packed in aluminium foil to keep them hot and crisp.

Chicken Roast Masala: The thick masala that comes with this dish is very tasty and spicy. Roasted onions with tomatoes and other fresh masala ingredients make this dish taste somewhat like North Indian special Chicken gravy items like Butter Chicken or Ginger Chicken. Chicken Roast Masala is priced at Rs.100/- for full and Rs.60/- for half. They pack this in plastic bag, which is the only drawback. Better take your own container to get this masala item if you want to.

Apart from the above three items mentioned, they have rice plate with a curry, daal and pickle, Kushka(Biryani Rice) plate with a curry and daal, Chicken masala and Mutton masala. They also have single big piece of fried chicken that they serve along with plated meals as extra. That may cost Rs.30/- per piece. Their daal is made with Tuvar Daal with added tomatoes, onions, and seasoning with garlic and curry leaves.

Fried rice and noodles are available some days in the evenings but I am not happy to see the way they make them.

Please check the prices, as I have roughly mentioned the prices according to my knowledge as per the parcel I got from there recently. Prices may change as per market trend.

All said and done, Hot Plate is a highly recommended place where quality and quantity, service and hygiene are consistent.