Sunny's on Vittal Mallya Road

When I used to visit Bangalore fifteen years back, the Casa Piccola on Residency Road was a local favorite for continental food. Today, Sunny's on Vittal Mallya Road is a strong contender for that mantle despite the proliferation of numerous similar restaurants in the last few years.

Wonder why? Having been to Sunny's several times to date, I feel it comes down to the basics. Their menu provides fairly diverse options, the service is good (although I've seen it deteriorate when they are busy), and their classic dishes retain authentic flavors. Add to that a fun and lively ambience which attracts expat regulars, and the place is often buzzing on weekend evenings.

I'm hesitant to dive into a typical food review of Sunny's as I've eaten there several times, and likely carry some bias. However, some of my favorite dishes there are the goat cheese crostini, grilled salmon steak, roast filet mignon, and cannelloni. I've never tried their pizza or pasta, but they sure appear to be popular as well.

What makes Sunny's ambience special is that you can show up there with friends on a lively Friday evening or a lazy Sunday afternoon, and you'll find the right seating and menu choices to make your day. They have an impressive wine selection of both domestics and imports to complement your meal. Several imports are available by the glass - something which is not too common in Indian restaurants. Just as wide is their dessert selection, which will leave anyone with a sweet tooth quite satiated.

As a pet owner, I often struggle to find restaurants in Bangalore which permit you to bring your dog along. While there are the smaller joints that don't mind, most larger restaurants are quite anal about not letting you sit out even in the open with a pet. Fortunately for pet lovers, Sunny's lets your bring your dog along and dine in the open patio area. As would be expected, the dog needs to be on leash at all times and well behaved. As I understand it, the restaurant was posthumously named after the owner's golden retriever. We took out pet along on a Sunday afternoon, and it was a lot of fun meeting other dogs and their owners.

Cost: Rs 600-1000
Cleanliness: Excellent
Quality: Excellent
Service: Good
Ambience: Good
Bottomline: Party with friends in the lounge on a Friday evening. Laze around outdoors on a Sunday afternoon. Sunny's can make your day.

P.S: I've missed taking food shots at Sunny's. The picture inset is my wife enjoying a gimlet.

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