ADITHYA PAI, Manipal Institute of Communication, has the say on what’s to eat and how, in the Manipal campus. A mouth-watering account…

There is no place like Manipal for Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Malaysian, Indian, Arabian and other kinds of food. The restaurant dishes offers different kinds of foods; China Valley with its delicious Chinese Manchurian and rice, and Snack Shack with its selection of American, Italian and Asian food platters, Danish with its awesome shawarma  and Hangyo Saiba with its finger-lickin’ Indian gravies and breads.

The best place to get everything is the KMC Food Court;  safe, tasty and hygienic food; the only place with a students’ mess, and outlets for Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, and Thai cuisine, at student-friendly prices, like Kamaths Upahar, where the best south Indian dosas are available at reasonable prices.

Yo Dragon serves a healthy oil-free Chinese platter with Hakka noodles, fried rice, veg Manchurian starter and soup. The speciailty here is the Prawn Manchurian platter - the best Chinese meal I have had in Manipal. There is also Singapore Noodles, with its variety of veg and non-veg noodles-based dishes.

If you have a north Indian palette, or feel the occasional yearning for home food, the tasty north Indian gravies and tandoori bread of Hangyo Saiba corner are highly recommended. Hangyo Saiba may have the appearance of just another place, but its gravies are mouth-watering - from veg kadai to butter chicken, all gravies are worth trying – accompanied by the soft and delicious kulchas and butter naan.

If you want the mid-day meal with a low calorie or non-oily, non-fried food, there is nothing better than a SUBWAY sandwich. The only SUBWAY in Udupi/Mangalore serves the best subs with healthy veggies stuffed in between. But if you don’t mind consuming a few hundred calories, you can try the veg shammi or any other traditional sandwich.

Good Malaysian food is available at Asian K. Flavours. The lunch platter here costs 40 to 60 bucks and contains rice, dal, vegetable salad, mashed potatoes/ long beans/ or any other vegetable dry dish, and red tofu curry or chicken dish. It is also known for its non-vegetarian dishes.

 Try the local franchise food chain HOT CHICKS which serves the best crispy fried chicken for 60 bucks per piece, with a distinctly different taste compared to KFC chicken. Mexican fries?  Try the special fries tossed in flavourful spices. If you are looking for a roll in the evening then try the Mexican Paneer roll which has crispy paneer pieces along with lettuce, mayonnaise and veggies wrapped in a soft chapatti.

Hot Chicks also has a triangle roll, Burmuda: wrapped in soft parota or falaphil, it contains crispy chicken patty with mayonnaise or crispy vegetable patties. The combination of the crispy filling and the soft outside covering gives it a unique flavour. What is also especially nice about it is that it is easy on the pocket.

If you want to try Thai or Italian, then Sciracco Thai Continental has succulent burritos and quesadilla, served with salad and cream. The fries here with cheese are a must-try; crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. And if you love freshly prepared pancakes then there is no place better.

Evening snacks with tea? Chat lover? Try the samosa chat in Lets Chatz situated on the ground floor of the KMC food court. The chat tickles the taste buds in a unique way, compared to other chat stalls.

Can’t bear the heat in Manipal? Want to have something cooling? Softies at Hangyo Ice Cream is what you need. The swirling soft ice cream in a cone is dessert for the gods; the nutty sundaes and chilled milkshakes are unforgettable.

The KMC Food Court students’ mess provides you with unlimited food just for few bucks. There is a variety of gravies like paneer masala, soya chole, veg kadai and also non-vegetarian gravies. The meal includes dal, rice, papad, pickle, sambar, chapatis, curds and gravies. Go ahead, eat up to your heart’s content.