A crispy golden exterior yielding to a fluffy, doughy interior makes the banana bun from this modest stall an effortless win for the best breakfast in all of India.

 

 

The buns themselves are enough reason to pay a visit to Gokarna (ಗೋಕರ್ಣ), a beachy pilgrimage town located in the state of Karnataka.

 

My Favorite Indian Breakfast Is Banana Buns, Hun

 

My hands down favorite Indian breakfast is unknown to most Indians, much less the rest of the world.

Banana buns, or Mangalore buns, or colloquially just “buns,” are deep-fried pillows of comfort. Buns are traditionally eaten in the coastal region of Karnataka state, and vary in texture and dimension depending on the family recipe.

 

 

Some street stalls make buns into like soft pancakes the size of my face, while others serve them puffed like balloons, packed tight with enough steam to scald off your fingerprints. 

 

 

 

 

Day 1031

5 December 2020

“I sank my teeth into their fluffiness, breaking past the golden outer layer.

I was in heaven.”

—Me, stumbled out from a crusty overnight bus.

 

As with other South Indian tiffin¹ items, buns are most commonly paired with spicy coconut chutney and sambar, a tomato and lentil-based sauce brimming with fragrant herbs and fiery spices.

While the coastal cities of Mangalore² and Udupi get credit for inventing the bun, my favorite place for my favorite Indian breakfast is further north, at Shri Gajanan Cold Drinks. The unassuming stall sits directly to the left of Pai Hotel in the center of Gokarna town.

 

 

Mohan has been whipping up buns, puri, and aloo vada for 25 years, and will proudly announce that the buns recipe he uses is 5,000 years old. His son Shridar is his loyal assistant. Together they serve plates of two buns at 30 rupees (41¢), and small chais at 10 (14¢).

These genius from-scratch concoctions are accompanied by two homemade condiments: coconut chutney and a lip-smacking curry of green peas and potatoes. For the hottest buns, visit the stall around 9am and 5pm.

 

 

 

Stray cows often stomp right up to the entrance with their muddy hooves, and receive either half a bun or the shooing stick. It is advisable to protect your plate.

 

 

Lightly sweet yet savory, dense yet fluffy, all encased within a flaky outer shell, there’s no better start to the morning than some warm banana buns, a chubby clay pot of creamy, chilled yogurt³, and a strong chai⁴ served South Indian style in double metal cups—the flatter dabarah cup for pouring a small sip of chai into from the taller cup, to cool it down faster.

I don’t want none unless you got buns, hun.

 

 

Shri Gajanan Cold Drinks Menu:

Prices given in Indian rupees.

Buns plate (2)- 30
Single bun- 15
Puri plate (3)- 35
Aloo vada plate (2)*- 40
Single aloo vada plate*- 20
Small chai- 10
Big chai- 20
Lemon soda- 20

Idlis and upma are available on rare and random occasions.

Inquire for local jaggery syrup, 100 rupees for a big tub.

*Evenings only.

Hours: 8am-12pm, 4pm-8pm.

Times are approximate and depending on preparation time and availability. I recommend going closer to opening hours for fresh, warm buns.

Runner up buns: Djanardan Dhaba. Situated in a cozy village along Gokarna beach, their buns are consistently hot and more like American pancakes.

 

1. Adorable yet ambiguous Indian English vocabulary, referring to anything from breakfast to lunch to light snack, to in-between-meals snack, to the steel container that holds aforementioned meal or snack.

2. I used to think Bangalore and Mangalore were the same place and would incorrectly say ‘Bangalore buns;’ while both cities are in the state of Karnataka, they are very far apart from one another.

3. Shri Krishna Pot Curd, available in the mornings at next-door Pai Hotel. Full-fat and smooth as hell, it’s unbeatable for cutting the spice from the curry and chutney.

4. I personally dip chunks of bun into the bitter chai (I ask for no sugar) because it reminds me of the street-side breakfasts of 油条 (fried dough strips) and 豆浆 (freshly brewed hot soymilk) from my childhood trips to China.