Adikalathu Original Nei Mittai Kadai

"Madurai" may remind one of various eateries like Amma mess or Kumar mess serving non-veg food delicacies. However, many may not know this town also got some of the region's best sweet and savoury shops selling from halwa to mixture varieties. Many who visit this town don't forget to buy the famous prema vilas halwa near railway station. But there are equally good sweet stalls famous among locals for the wider varieties of short-eats.

During a recent visit, happened to stop by "Adikalathu Original Nei Mitai Kadai" at East Avani Moola Veedi(means "street") near Meenakshi Amman temple. There are two shops with the same name. My inlaw guided me to the original shop which comes first on the right whilst walking from the nandi statue. It has a bright red name board on the front. I was told that they sell solid wheat halwa which can stay intact for upto 45 days. Immediately after asking for the price details, I was handed over with samples of halwa, kara sev and mixture on mandarai leaf topped on a paper. Initial bites tickled my taste buds increasing my curiosity. Halwa was pretty yummy, mixture was good as usual, but the kara sev was super spicy that I had to look for water immediately.

Packed some halwa (400₹/kilo), kara sev (300₹/kilo), dry jamun(5₹ per piece) for friends back home. I was forced to have another sample of sweet boondhi and some spicy sev. Except the sweet boondhi (may be little old), every single dish was yummy and delicious. Had to refuce the samples as I was about to go home for lunch. But again forced to taste a small, but soft and crunchy murukku. Staff were so friendly and never bothered to give samples whoever shows up to buy. They even kept a brass vessel full of water on side so that people can drink after consuming the samples.

Before I thought of finalizing the bill, saw some triangular packs of potato masala(8₹/pack) packed in mantharai leaf. People use to use this to eat along with fermented rice ("palaya sadam"). Available only during lunch time, decided not to skip the experience. Bought a couple of packs for lunch at home and started walking home. Do I need to say it got empty by the time I reach home. Taste was just awesome to describe...it was a spicy blast inside the mouth with cumins and onions dancing on the sides.

This stall is located just next to one of the oldest food clubs in the town "Jayavilas Sappattu Club" that serves one of the best non-veg food in the town. Only problem is parking as it's a crowded street.

Lunch at Madurai Kumar Mess

As today is the last day of our Madurai trip, we all wanted to have feast in some local "mess". Drove to Tallakulam which has all four famous messes such as Amma mess, Chandran mess, Kumar mess and the recently added Arumugam mess near to each other. Amma mess serves dishes cold and Chandran mess will not serve any gravy(for free) along with the meal. Arumugam is mostly famous for parotta and mutton dishes. As I wanted to have Ayirai Meen, we chose Kumar mess which we had visited umpteen times earlier.

I asked for a sappadu(meals/thali for 80₹) and others ordered mutton briyani (160₹) and plain briyani(120₹). Sides were ayirai meen kulambu (180₹), vavval meen fry(180₹), nattu koli roast(150₹) and mutton kola urundai(25₹). Mutton briyani was yummy as usual. Country Chicken roast was chevy, not so great. Should have cooked it longer.

Vavval aka Pomfret was a medium sized tawa fried fish 👌👌👌. Mutton kola urundai was soft and juicy at the center. Meals was served in a banana leaf with the two poriyal varieties as sides made of plantain flower and beetroot. Also served some onion raita. First time in my life, I am served with plantain flower poriyal for a meal. Carried on with the rice with mutton gravy, ayirai meen gravy, chicken gravy and rasam in multiple rounds.

Mutton gravy was too spicy for me. But certainly a lovable one. Ayirai meen aka Indian Spiny Loach is a fresh water fish mostly found in paddy fields. It has several nutritional values, but not found in chennai. It is mostly found in Madurai and Theni districts. Ayirai Meen gravy had a little muddy flavour which is common in all pond fishes. Relished it till the last drop.

Chicken gravy and rasam were finger licking as usual. Briyani eaters were served with white rice and rasam to have a happy ending. 5% GST was added to the bill, but no service charge. So tips can be made as per one's wish. They also have three branches in Chennai, but we have not yet tried in Chennai.

Tiffen at The Modern Restaurant

Started the day with tiffin at the famous "The Modern Restaurant" at Nethaji road.

To keep it simple, ordered just sambar idly(28₹) and a plate of sambar vadai(24₹) to sample. Both the pair of idly and a single vadai were soaked in sambar and served with coconut chutney. Felt the dhaniya was overloaded in the sambar. Vadai was a big one, but still I think taste is not worth for the price we pay.

To be frank, "modern" can't beat Chennai Welcome hotel or Ratna cafe in terms of taste of the Sambar. Or may be the taste has come down recently. Never thought that I would write bad about the food joint which I celebrated since my childhood 😞. Hope the management do some improvement. Anyhow I will visit back on my next madurai trip to taste the lunch here. As usual finished the meal with a cup of flavorful filter coffee (20₹).

Atho Cart at Madurai Periyar Bus Stand

As we were having local cuisine for continuous several days, we wanted to try something different. Hence had to choose the atho cart opposite to Periyar bus stand.

Burmese cuisine like atho(rice noodles), bejo(burmese papad made of rice and Bengal gram), moinga (noodle soup) are famous street food in Chennai. Happy to find it in Madurai in a food cart.

Opted for an egg fried atho(30₹) and an egg masala(10₹) for take away which we later had at our hotel room. Both of them were good with no complaints. If one decides to eat next to food cart, they can have plantain stem soup for free.

K.P.S Coffee

During an evening walk, we had a pitstop at KPS coffee stall located on TPK road opposite Periyar bus stand. Please don't expect a "coffee day" kinda ambience. It is just a local coffee shop with no chair/tables to sit. One need to stand and eat inside the cafe or just outside on the road side.

KPS is famous among locals for various varieties of fried snack like medhu vadai, onion bajji, chiily bajji, mysore bonda, onion bonda and also for filter coffee. We just bought a potato masala stuffed mysore bonda(7₹) and an onion bonda (7₹). Both were served in a plate covered with banana leaf and accompanied with sambar and chutney. They were too big, we four had to share it. Taste was ultimate as usual.

Finally had a filter coffee(12₹) which was quite large and perfect as usual. They also have a restaurant next to coffee shop.