A new sit-down restaurant spotlighting the food of Karnataka has opened on Solano Avenue in Berkeley, offering diners a chance to explore regional South Indian cooking beyond the usual curry-and-biryani fare. Bangalore Blues, led by restaurateur Aravind Pochiraju, expands on a short-lived fast-casual predecessor and now serves an evening tasting menu alongside an a la carte menu for lunch and brunch.
The restaurant began soft service in January and this spring added an $80 multi-course tasting sequence that gathers the kitchen’s strongest plates. The tasting starts with crisp potato bonda and a choice between cauliflower or the restaurant’s take on chicken Manchurian, a sweet‑and‑savory fried chicken favorite that first earned a following at Pochy’s.
From there the menu moves into items that are less familiar to many Bay Area diners: a cool cucumber and lentil salad finished with carrot that echoes offerings found at South Indian temple kitchens, and a string of regional mains that highlight Karnataka’s flavor profile.
Cream cheese recipes to elevate dinner tonight: 18 easy dishes, dips and desserts
McDonald’s chicken nuggets: how four unique shapes affect your order
Standouts you can expect on the menu include a slow-roasted “chicken chops” served in an herb-forward sauce of spinach, fenugreek, cilantro and mint, and the spicy, homestyle koli saaru—a chicken curry served with chapati and rice that the chef frames as a classical Karnataka preparation.
- Mini bonda — deep-fried potato fritters to start
- Gobi or Chicken Manchurian — a saucy, crispy staple carried over from Pochy’s
- Masala dosa — including a ghee masala version filled with turmeric-spiced potato
- Idlis and button idli — soft steamed rice cakes
- Chicken 65 — a spiced, deep-fried South Indian classic
- Biryanis, stuffed kathi rolls and a range of curries
The restaurant pairs these dishes with a compact drink list featuring filter coffee (kaapi), masala chai and a hibiscus-lime tea. Pochiraju emphasizes housemade preparations: spice blends ground from whole spices and the use of seeraga samba rice imported for its texture and aroma, a deliberate choice he says separates his cooking from other local Indian eateries.
These production choices connect to Pochiraju’s personal background. He points to family roots in farming and a desire to reproduce village-style dishes with ingredients and techniques he grew up around.
Operationally, Bangalore Blues still plans incremental changes. The team expects to add a full bar once a liquor license is granted, broaden its weekend brunch with specialty tea blends sourced from Assam and Meghalaya, and introduce slow-cooked items prepared in a tandoor in coming months.
Practical info: Bangalore Blues is located at 1889 Solano Avenue, Berkeley. Current hours are 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 4 p.m.–9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
Why this matters now: the opening marks a quick evolution from fast-casual to sit-down fine‑food format for a local operator, and it brings a focused regional menu—Karnataka’s coastal and interior flavors—to a neighborhood that has seen renewed interest in diverse South Asian dining. For diners curious about a tasting-format South Indian meal or those seeking dishes beyond the Bay Area’s usual offerings, Bangalore Blues is a notable new option to watch.
Paloma cocktail: bartenders say this taste proves it’s perfect
Grill-your-own steakhouses surge in California: diners flock to DIY steak experiences
