It was 15th August 1992, when our hostel mess was closed for the evening that I was forced to look for a place where I could feed myself. What was more, it was raining. I wanted to look for a place to eat, which looked reasonable and yet which I could afford. I had a choice of several places to go. One was the nearby Munirka market and the other was Yusuf Sarai. I thought I should give the latter a chance because it seemed to be a pretty decent market...
Karnataka is located on the Aurobindo Road at Yusuf Sarai. It was a small restaurant then in 1992. And I wanted to have something hot. So I ordered rasam with papad. In came a waiter with a huge glass of piping hot rasam with a large and unique south indian papad..This was the beginning of a relationship, which I have relished and so have my friends...What we found the most striking was the prompt service of the waiters here. There would be a glass filled with chilled water at all times on your table: the waiter is almost waiting for you to finish off the glass before he can refill it.
It is also a period which has seen the evolution of this modest place with a modest south-Indian menu to a place which serves mughlai, chinese and first class deserts as well.
I still remember the day I wanted to purchase a TV and came to the restaurant with a number of choices.....a coffee helped me and my friend concretise my decision. There are so many other instances which I share with the place.
The looks are in the process of getting revamped, the ambience there is airconditioned and there has been a recent expansion in space. A deity of Lord Ganesha adds to the beauty of the ambience. Moreover, there is always a waiter ready to serve you. On sundays there is a huge rush which leads to queing up outside the restaurant.
On the flip side is a lack of que management on Sundays, below efficiency A/C at times of great need and a heavily loaded waiter.
On the whole it has been a place, which has been a pleasant part of my memories.