When we meet the soft-spoken Panchali Bhatia at Oor, the newest South Indian restaurant in Fort, her eyes well up at the mention of her daughter. “I am an empty nester since she moved abroad. This restaurant serves dishes I made for her growing up. Some of the recipes are from my maternal side,” Bhatia smiles.

Oor, which means village in Tulu and Kannada, is spread across two stories and accommodates 44 seats. The wooden staircase leading to the mezzanine floor has railings decorated with Channapatna-inspired décor. Reprints of the women featured in Raja Ravi Varma’s artworks adorn the walls amid Kasuti embroidery frames from Karnataka, and wooden sculptures.  We have taken along a fellow idli-lover, who got the memo and skipped breakfast for our luncheon. We request for smaller portions to be able to try more dishes on the all-vegetarian menu.

Mysore Masala and Podi-GheeThatte Idli