IF Bombay and Delhi don�t watch out, Bangalore will soon crown itself the No. 1 food city of India. As it is there are gourmet businessmen we know who take the early morning flight there on work, have breakfast at the Mavalli Tiffin Room, lunch at Karavalli, a sort of high tea at Koshy�s, and on the return flight they turn their noses up at Satish Arora�s catering.

That�s not because they�ve done themselves rather well on the F&B during the day, but because they�re carrying Nellore Mutton Biryani and Chicken 65 parcels from Andhra restaurants in Bangalore to eat at home.

Bangalore�s always been food centric. It is the home of Mangalorean seafood, after all, and vegetarian Udipi Brahmin and Bunt cooking. The last of the Anglo-Indians too live here, and with them, their railway curries and hill-station desserts of the Raj. Some of the best restaurants in the country, some of the finest chefs, are here. And Bangalore is also Cabernet Sauvignon country, known for its fine Grover wines.

Then there�s the coffee, good, strong Arabica and Robusta from Coorg, made by the filtration process, which itself is worth going a few hundred miles for. And the pubs, in several avatars, as London underground railway platforms, American space stations, English bars, disused garages, ancient manors, jive halls, all serving draught beers and other spirits, and singing with jazz, blues, hip-hop and rock. The young never had it so good.

Then there�s another Bangalore, this one is the gourmet�s city, a platform showcasing classy restaurants and late-night dining areas where the known gather for stimulating conversation, ecelectic cuisines