Finding calm in India can be a challenge. This is especially true in the crowded and bustling southern city of Mysore, Karnataka. Well known for the breathtakingly beautiful palace, the sprawling urban metropolis boasts restaurants around every corner. Yet, when you ask a local for recommendations for a roof-top location that comes with quiet on the side, tourists are met with blank stares and scratched heads. After much searching and repeated inquiries my driver located just such a place, The Viceroy Hotel.
Guests enter through the main lobby to a claustrophobia inducing elevator shuttling hungry patrons nearly to the top floor. A quirky maze of steps with turns around this and that corner finally yields to the dining area. 
First impression of the roof-top (with it’s tacky white picket fence railing, plastic tables & chairs and assorted pots scattered here and there) was definitely not that I had found an oasis in the heart of the city. Not another soul was there but for the wait staff. Admittedly my inclination was to bolt for the door until I saw the giant smile my driver was flashing. Lodging two days at a luxury hotel down the street had jaded my true traveling roots. This was paradise to him and I was being a pompous western tourist.
With menu in hand I quickly found enough mouth watering choices to feed the staff and all paying guests of the hotel, finally settling on a basic veg biryani and aloo dum. Some comfort food was in order after a long day of sightseeing. All reservations were dropped as the calmness of the top floor restaurant sunk in. Yes, a few toot and honks from the traffic below were still audible but at a muted tone. The staff was extremely friendly, attending to the few requests I had with precision perfect English and oh so comforting southern smiles. And the food? Top notch. To have doubted this place and leave as I considered would have been a serious error on my part. The Viceroy serves a break from the crowds without the usual overpriced fare.
Total cost for Kingfisher, Chai, Biryani and Aloo dum: Rs 356.00 + Tip
