Fourteen years ago, Ajay Mallareddy opened Flying Spaghetti Monster, an Italian restaurant that introduced Vizag to a new culinary experience beyond its traditional local fare. Today, FSM has become a beloved favourite among restaurants in Vizag, with loyal patrons returning for their thin-crust pizzas, pastas, and the popular dessert: The Bomb. Now, Ajay has taken his culinary expertise to new heights with the launch of Circars Bistro in Visakhapatnam, located just one floor above FSM. After a visit, it’s clear that this new diner, specialising in American and Continental cuisine, is set to become the next hotspot in town.
Circars Bistro is full of surprises. Despite the narrow, dimly lit staircase leading up to it, the moment you step inside, you’re welcomed into a warm and inviting space. The room glows with soft golden light, featuring slim wooden tables, tiled floors, and cosy banquettes. A Marshall speaker fills the air with lively old-school tunes, creating an atmosphere that’s both minimalistic and welcoming—perfect for a relaxed lunch with friends or a casual-yet-stylish office dinner. And, of course, there’s the food.
“When FSM first opened, people who were not familiar with Italian cuisine would come in asking for burgers.” Ajay jokes. Over a decade later, Ajay has finally opened doors to those people, for ‘burgers’ is what Circars does best.
“We serve the best and only gourmet burgers in Vizag,” he explains. It was easy for us to agree after trying the Grilled Chicken and Pulled Lamb Burgers. Tucked between fluffy homemade buns, thick, juicy patties were topped with cheese, chili mayo and ginger hoisin sauces – every bite was devourable. Served on the side were crispy, perfectly salted fries, which were very light on the stomach.
Another memorable part of our lunch at Circars was the Garlic Parmesan Wings that had us wishing every meal started this way. Warm, tender chicken was packed with a buttery flavour, generously coated with parmesan cheese, and sprinkled with parsley on top. We also had Chicken Skewers, which were smoky and grilled to succulence.
“The response to the food has been good from the start”, supplied Ajay, explaining that Circars started as a cloud kitchen during COVID-19. “I had plans to start a Continental place in Visakhapatnam for quite some time – but I didn’t want to dilute FSM – and the COVID-19 lockdown gave me plenty of time to sit with one of my chefs and work on a menu for Circars Bistro. Testing and trials took about 6 to 8 months, and then we opened shop”, he said.
“Every item on the menu is handpicked and tailored to two conditions: what I like to eat, and what I think other people would like to eat”, said the owner, further elaborating that he travels both within India and abroad to find inspiration for his dishes. “The only time I travel is to eat”, he laughed.
It is also worth remembering that not all European and Continental flavours can be perfectly emulated in India, because of the change in available ingredients. “There’s a trade-off. It’s like creating Andhra cuisine in another country. The ingredients you have will totally affect the taste.” Despite this constraint, however, Ajay said that he aims to maintain the character of the cuisine as much as possible, “Sometimes, I put a twist on the food by changing the spice profile, seasoning, or adding or removing something.”
Talking to Ajay about his journey, and watching the servers explain and recommend dishes to other customers, one thing became abundantly clear: Food is a serious affair here.
For instance, every single element, including sauces and burger buns are completely made in-house. Behind the kitchen doors, cooking is done with care and attention. “We focus on old school slow cooking methods for our meats to extract the flavour, and use high-quality imported products as much as possible”, said Ajay.
Letting us peek into the kitchen, he assured that everything is clean and well-maintained, “Most of our food is made to order. We do a little bit of prep and we maintain strict safety standards. I’m not driven by commercial sensibilities, so I don’t try to preserve leftovers just because they might go to waste. This is something that I’m doing out of passion, so I want to give the best food out.”
For those who plan to visit, some popular and recommended dishes from Ajay’s passionately crafted menu are Goat Cheese Filo Parcels, Pork Ribs, the Tenderloin Burger with Bacon, Falafel Burger, Chicken Piccata, Watermelon Feta Salad, Tenderloin Steak, and Lamb Stew. Dishes are priced ranging from Rs 150-Rs 500, with main courses costing upward of Rs 350. Given the gourmet nature of cuisine, it is a reasonable price to pay. Ajay’s passion for food and commitment to quality shines through in every dish, making Circars Bistro a standout among the growing number of restaurants in Vizag.
Circars Bistro is located above FSM, on Waltair Main Road, Visakhapatnam, and is open from 12:00 pm to 10:30 pm. As one of the newest additions to the list of restaurants in Vizag, Circars Bistro is definitely worth a visit.
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