Karimeen Polichadhu at Kumarakom

Happened to visit Kumarakom restaurant located opposite to DLF at Ramapuram for dinner with a colleague. My friend does not eat chicken. But I have destroyed several chicken farms just by eating chicken. So as a common apetizer, we have ordered a karimeen polichathu (300₹).

First impression of karimeen was a disaster. It was such a small fish, wouldn't be sufficient even for one and certainly not worth for 300 bucks. However it was well marinated with one of the best combination of spices, covered with banana leaf and tawa-fried. Do I need to say that the banana leaf was well cleaned at the end ;)

Palappams (20₹)  and egg curry (70₹) were the mains. These guys never gone wrong with appam. Egg curry had two boiled eggs with a little tangy gravy. It was well enough for we two.

If we go back, decided to order karimeen only after looking at the size of the fish. Otherwise it was a perfect supper.

AVK Fish Meal

In search of good nonveg meal, we a group of four friends rode towards Saligramam. But ended up in the same place which I have already written long back. It is AVK home meals center located behind Prasad studio on L.V. Prasad road which serves one of the best fish fries in Chennai.

There were few people standing right at the entrance waiting to get their fish meal parcel. It is a little cramped place with just four tables and four chairs on each table. Therefore only a maximum of sixteen people can sit and eat at a time. Not recommended for family visits. May be that's why lot of people gets takeaway for their family. Moreover there is no space for car parking. But one can park on the street side.

Luckily we got a table near windows with no waiting time. As usual ordered for four meals (70₹ each) and also sides such as four pieces of fried seer fish slices (140₹ each) and a plate of fried whole sardine fish (4 pieces for 100₹).

It was a limited meal with beetroot cum cabbage poriyal and spinach koothu. Also served with a big sized appalam. Seer fish slice was thick one not thin like we get in big restaurants. Sardine was a small one with lot of thread sized bones. Opted for fish gravy for first two rounds. And then the third round was steamed rice mixed with the masala topped on the seer fish fry, which was little spicy and a not-to-be-missed combo. Last round was with the pepper soup (rasam).

Washed down the meal with a cup of butter milk.They have plans to renovate the place with air-condition in few months. At the end, we had a happy tummy which is what we all needed on a Sunday afternoon.

Yanaikkal Sulthan Briyani

What to eat: Briyani and Sides

Where: Sulthan Restaurant, Yaanaikkal, Madurai

Verdict: Yet another Madurai trip. I never left this town without tasting briyani. Today my brother-in-law took me to a small eatery in north veli street located between Yaanaikkal and Simmakkal.

As per his suggestion, we ordered for half plate mutton briyani(145₹), with chicken(70₹) and mutton chukka(75₹). I was amazed at the quantity of the briyani and the price on the menu written on the wall. It is a seeraga samba rice based briyani with little fatty mutton pieces. Onion raita, dalcha with mutton bones and a spicy gravy were the accompaniments. It was too yummy with little hotness, way better than the cold briyani served in the famous Amma mess.
 

Both chicken and mutton chukka were semi-gravy with 4 or 5 pieces with bones. Finally we both shared a plain briyani (80₹) which was actually taken from mutton briyani, so it retains the flavour of meat. One has to take off the plantain leaves and throw at the garbage bin at the end of eating session.

Lunch set us back by 515₹ which is totally worth for the taste and quantity. Heard chicken majura and parotta are famous dishes here in the evening. They also have a branch opposite Mattuthavani bus stand. And also has a nearby air-conditioned restaurant. Do visit if you hit this town for lunch or dinner.

Karunaas Veg

What to eat: Idly, Dosa and Parotta

Where: Karunaas Vegetarian Restaurant, Arunachalam Road, Saligramam

Verdict: Despite the fact of being a hardcore non-vegetarian, sometimes I had to give up my principles because of friends and family. Tonight my friends were keen on vegetarian meal for dinner due to Purattasi Saturday. Though it caused immense sadness to me, I had to suggest them "thirunelveli saivaal" hotel in Saligramam.

As the thirunelveli hotel was closed bit early, we had to go to a nearby eatery. Few weeks back we had lunch at the non veg restaurant of Karunas in upstairs. Tonight we opted for the vegetarian restaurant in the ground floor.

Literally there are no limits on the amount of sambar, 3 types of chutney (coconut / mint / tomato) and Vattha kulambu. Even the aviyal and kuruma were served till we say stop.

Here is the list of dishes what we had for dinner.

Idly(10₹) - It was a regular idly when eaten with sambar or chutney. But vatta kulambu enhanced the taste to a higher level.

Garlic Dosai(60₹) - A spicy dosa made of dosa batter mixed with ground garlic. Gunpowder was sprinkled at the center with some onion as stuffing. All of us appreciated the taste.

Baby corn Dosai(60₹) - Regular plain dosa with baby corn masala stuffing. Felt like masala was over spiced. But my friends liked it.

Veg Kottu Parotta(60₹) - Never had such a good veg Kottu earlier. Loved the aroma and the fillings like potato and carrot. It was served with veg kuruma. But I prefer to have it alone.

Adai Aviyal(50₹) - Almost tasted like a home-made. We asked for little aviyal and had it with chutney.

Thooduvalai (Solanum Trilobatum) Dosai (40₹) - Though it is not a tasty one, I wanted to have it as I was suffering from cold. Thooduvalai is a creeper which is used as a remedy for cold in villages in Tamil Nadu. Thooduvalai leaves were ground and added to the dosa batter before cooking the dosa. They also have vallarai(generally given to kids for brain development) and mudakattan (balloon vine plant leaves used to treat joint pain) dosai.

Filter coffee (20₹) - A big let down. Tasted almost like an instant coffee.

Dinner for four of us costs 400₹. Parking is a big problem if you come in a four-wheeler as this eatery is located on one of the busiest roads in Vadapalani area. But two-wheelers can be parked in front of the restaurant. Not sure if they accept plastic, generally cash is the king in such smaller eateries.

Venz Restaurant

What to eat: Briyani

Where: Venz Restaurant, Opp DLF, Ramapuram

Verdict: Whilst talking with my friend, came to know about this restaurant which was opened just 2 days back at the first floor of a building near Rahman briyani. Heard the grills were too good. So decided to have today's lunch over there.

Ordered just a chicken briyani(140₹) as it's a solo visit. Quantity is not that big like other near by restaurants, but the taste makes it a perfect biriyani. Pretty flavorful basmati rice based briyani served with a big piece of chicken and boiled egg. Onion raita was the only accompaniment. But it went well as it allows me to feel the flavor. IMHO this is the best basmati rice briyani near DLF.

Happy to know that they are going to start delivery shortly near DLF entrance. Another important note is that they are going to start selling bucket briyani and introduce combo options after the end of Purattasi. Strictly told the owner that I will order bucket briyani only if they keep a layer of plantain leaf. He nodded immediately and said that what he is planning as well.

Overall its a nice place for briyani and grills near dlf to go along with the friends and colleagues. Last but not the least. GST is included in the menu card price. So if it says 140₹ for briyani, you don't pay even a single penny more than that.

Mangalambiga Vilas

What to eat: South Indian Tiffin

Where: Mangalambiga Vilas Kaapi Hotel, Near Adi kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

Location:

 

Verdict: Mangalambika vilas is a historical mess(place where people eat & socialize) located on an alley leading to the kumbeswarar temple. It is not an easy thing to run a restaurant for decades. But they have made it for more than 100 years. This tiny eatery is serving homely food since 1914.
One Mr.Hariharan Iyer came to Kumbakonam at the age of 14 and worked this eatery which was then owned by an old lady named Thayu patti. Later he bought it from the old lady as she was unable to manage it.

Not knowing the actual year of foundation, they just kept a board saying "Since 1914". It is now managed by Hariharan Iyer's son. Locals refer to it as "Sannidhi Kadai".
If you're looking for a good ambience, then this place is not for you. People come here to taste the traditional food.

You need to have enough patience to eat at this heavily crowded place. By the time we entered the place most of the items like arisi uppiya were finished. So just got 2 pairs of idly and 2 special dosai (they call it as special maavu).

Idly was steaming hot and pillowy soft. Special dosa is just another crispy dosai. What made the meal special was the kadamba sambar. It had different varieties of dal such as toor dal, chana dal, chick peas, moong dal. Chutney was a coconut+red chillie one which was slight yellowish in color, but very very fresh.

As usual I got a filter coffee at the end. Final bill was 137₹ for 2 of us. Meal was worth every penny. If I get a chance to visit again, I would like to taste arisi uppuma and adai. All I can say is just don't miss this place if you hit Kumbakonam, the city of temples.

Tanjore Devar Biriyani

What to eat: Biriyani

Where: Devar's Briyani, Gandhiji Road, Tanjore

Location:
 

Verdict: Our visit to this restaurant happened for lunch today. Opted for the air-conditioned hall at the first floor. This place is famous among the locals just for the word "Biriyani".

Bought an egg biriyani (130₹), chicken biriyani(150₹), seer fish Fry(130₹) and chicken 65(130₹). Both biriyani varieties are very flavourful compared to the one we had in Kumbakonam yesterday. Certainly the best one in this region, made of seeraga samba rice served along with two varieties of gravy ....coconut milk based one and other was spicy chicken gravy. Onion raita was just as usual.

Chicken 65 had too much of color , but tasted flavourful. Better to avoid this one for health reasons. Seer fish a.k.a vanchiram fry was top-class, thick slice well marinated before frying. What made it special was the spicy grated coconut masala topping. One can just eat it with steamed rice.

Waiters were very friendly, asked to us to have some white rice with rasam and buttermilk. Just had only a small cup of rice with rasam and ended the meal with a cup of butter milk. Rice, rasam and buttermilk are served free for every biriyani.

As we chose the A/C hall, we had to pay 18% GST additionally which is the only complaint we can say. One thing we have witnessed in the past 2 days of trip to this region is most of the restaurants use banana leaf to serve and pack foods which is not a common feature in chennai food scene. Even to pack the leftover food they use the leaves, not any plastic. It certainly gives a good feel and happy mood to eat and also to leave a decent tip.