Three and a half meals in Chennai

Was in Chennai over the weekend and for a change got to eat out a lot. My typical chennai trip consists of lots of meals at various relatives houses and not too much eating out. I mean to say no point telling you lot that the Garlic rasam at Bhanu Chithi's house rocks since you won't be getting any.

Some quick observations in general.
Sambar really rocks in Chennai. Compared to the sweet Udipi crap you get in Mumbai such a pleasure to get some real sambar with spice and flavor.
I hate the bloody government for shutting down Drive In Woodlands. It was bliss for breakfast and whoever thought of not renewing the lease should be drowned in Udipi sambar of the worst kind.
Chennai is odd. Most people go out and eat the same kind of food they get at home. Even in places like Saravana Bhavan the number of people still eating meals is insane.

Had a decentish meal at a place in CHennai Citi Centre. Sangeethas or something. While my cousins od ed on Paneer (Their meal was Paneer Tikka, Paneer Koftas and Paneer Parathas. Shudder!) I had something called a Cauliflower dosa. (Shades of mumbai coming here). Con job where instead of the Alu sabji which you get inside a masala dosa you got a Cauliflower sabji. Outstandingly average but saved by the aforementioned Sambar and some rocking Chutney

Lunch was at a Saravana Bhavan with seating and AC. (Chennai of course being one of the cities where you need a AC through the year. Exception being the 4 hours in December where the temperature sort of looks towards the 20s and the thathas get their Monkey Caps out) While various people indulged in meals, more paneer et al I ordered the Mini Idly and Kaima Idly. The mini idly is a great concept where you get lots of bite sized idlis (12-14) all drenched in Sambar and then served piping hot. (Key words here being piping hot - The idlis and not just the frigging Sambar). Each idli has sambar infused and tastes incredible. The Kaima idly is something which only Chennai could invent. Basically a fried idli crumbled up and then served like a Keema. The veggie varient of Keema (hence Kaima in Chennaiese. Anita - simple enough for you ?) Just a feast of carbs. Incidentally Saravana also has a super rich all natural ice cream range which is just too creamy and hard.

Then a meal at something called Cornucopia. Average vaguely continental food of the type done to show that you have cool tastes. Galloping Gooseberry does this much better in Chennai. Redeemed solely by some awesome lemonade (Had Cinnamon in it. Finished a pitcher) and a really good Passion Fruit Sorbet. Just go for the lemonade and dessert.

The half meal was at the Chennai Citi Centre food court. Extremely bleah food with absolutely no memory of what was consumed. The only thing I recall are the Cookie Man cookies for afters.

La de lah Idli

The tam brahm genetics is hard wired to Idli. As opposed to the Gujju genetic which is favourable to "Itli". Being a hardcore TB the pleasures of a Idli are many. One of the simple pleasures of living in Mumbai was to go to the streetside dosa wallah and have a steaming hot idli and molagaipodi. If you timed it right you could get your idli just when he was getting it off the steamer and it would be soft and awesome in too many ways to describe. But alas poor Perumal or Kandasamy the BMC has to play spoilsport and he has disappeared from Matunga. The muttai dosai was also awesome and so was his masala vadai. And his molagapodi actually had a kick to it. Anyway getting back on track the idli is so awesome. The pleasures of going by train to "native place" (My native place is Wadala but then...) was that in addition to puliyodharai sadham and thayir satham you would get Idlis coated with Molagapodi for breakfast. These Idlis would be soaking in the Molagapodi and oil overnight and were insanely great the morning after. Wonder why is it that no restauranteur makes it. I am sure if you mark it as day old both Thayirsatham and molgapodi idli would rock..

Hello Boys

Apologies for the delay but been a bit tied up with work. Lots of meals but standouts including a beach shack at Vagator (Awesome Calamari), Howrah in Mumbai and a extremely forgettable meal in a place I forget in Chembur. Hope to get this done soon. Till then milte hain