There’s also the international brand label Esprit.

The icing on the cake is UB City, a posh, high security mall with service apartments and fine dining restaurants. An epitome of luxury retail, it flaunts labels like Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney, Salvatore Ferrigno, Gucci, Christian Dior and Alfred Dunhill, besides luxury watches like Omega and Rolex. Much before this, the haute route was chalked out when ffolio set its footprint there in the Nineties. Vittal Mallya Road has evolved as Bangalore’s Rodeo Drive, which attracts high value shoppers. It may have an upscale interpretation, but one can’t overlook its history.

It was once known as Grant Road and renamed Vittal Mallya Road in memory of the former chairman of United Breweries in the Eighties. During the British Raj, the area was part of the Cantonment and was then known as Maciver (Maclver) Town. Grant Road extended from Bishop Cotton Girls School to the then Tiffany Circle and along Sampangi Tank. Things changed when the Kanteerava Stadium was built on the tank.

Today Vittal Mallya Road boasts of having Captain Gopinath among its residents. As Grant Road, it was home to Kiran Mazumdar, whose father worked in UB. Even Vijay Mallya is believed to have spent some years there.

Gradually colonial houses were replaced by stylish glass-chrome buildings. However, there are traces of heritage homes like Lenarc, a two-storied bungalow with a wrought iron gate.

Though Bangalore had few restaurants, Vittal Mallya Road was the platform for three eating places, housed in colonial bungalows, each styled differently. Like Shilton Hotel, Bombay Ananda Bhavan and the Chinese restaurant Nanking which was then famous.

Apparently its owner cooked for Pandit Nehru.

Today the road is marred by potholes. Fireflies, the Mediterranean restaurant has suffered due to the present condition of the road. “We launched the restaurant two months ago and around 50 per cent of our business has been affected. We chose the place because of the prime location and hope to do better when the infrastructure improves,” explained Jose George, executive chef, Fireflies.

Things deteriorated until BBMP and the Prestige-UB Group arrived at a private-public partnership to repair the road. A 220 KDA line is also being accommodated.

The road is being upgraded with a 300mm thick reinforced concrete pavement. The work has been done by TJ Naik Construction Company and the design and construction management is by Invicus. Incidentally the trunk drain cuts across Vittal Mallya Road and goes into Kanteerava Stadium. The work began last year and is expected to be completed this month.