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EATERIES OF MYLAPORE

A Foodie, an Epicurean, a Gastronome -- all these words describe a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food). There are many groups in Chennai (Foodies groups) who periodically - often - take Group-walks in a particular locality of Chennai famous for its street-food. MYLAPORE is the often-preferred locality for these food walks. For, Mylapore boasts of many eateries.

# Though I have not "walked" with any of these groups, I will tell you about a few eateries of Mylapore. In the East Mada street, there is Kalathi Kadai which offers delicious rose-milk (12.00). This shop is 85 years' old but the taste of its rose-milk draws the crowd even today. (Rs. 12.00 a glass). It also serves panneer soda and goli soda. 

# Nearby in the same East Mada Street is the legendary Karpagambal Mess. A hotel really, very old, very traditional, and very delicious food. Their idly, vadai, sambar, Adai, Aviyal, Wheat Halwa are popular.

# Not connected with the above Mess, but near to it is Sri Karpagambal Kabali Sweet Stall - this 40-year-old stall is known for its excellent onion samosas. Tiny and crisp, they are filled with deep-fried and slightly caramelized onions. The unevenly-sized mint pakodas (pudina pakodas) are even more addictive. (Rs. 20.00 for samosas and 28.00 pakodas 100 g)

# Enter the Pitchu Pillai street, on the opposite side, there is the 44-years old The MAAMI's Tiffin Kadai. Here, one can eat all the traditional tiffin items piping hot and very economical. Both morning and evening time. During lunch hours (1000 AM to 1 PM) one can get 15 - 20 varieties of "kalantha saadam" for 15 rupees. On Fridays and during Vinayakar Chaturti they offer varieties of Kozhukattai. Excellent.  (Rs 30.00 for five kozhukkattais).

# Come out of this street, turn right towards Sri Kapaleeswarar Koil, you reach the JANNAL KADAI famous for its bajjis.  You have to jostle past motorists, walkers, shoppers and visitors to the temple. A plate of four vivid orange-coloured bajjis, served with white coconut chutney dotted with flecks of green chillies. The bajjis are soft and satiate you easily. And, there will be a milling crowd on all the evenings. (Rs. 20 for a plate of four). Recently, they have added idli, dosai, bonda, mirchi bajji etc to their menu.

# There are six or seven large hotels (Sangeetha etc.) on the South Mada Street, Adyar Anand Bhavan in West (?) Mada Street, and Saravana Bhavan and Grand Sweets in the North Mada street, and 'Subham' Ganesan shop in the East Mada street.

# Walk towards Luz, enter Kutchery Road, you locate the Rayars Mess. It was established 70 years ago, still runs to a packed house. There are queues and there are queues. The one outside Rayars Mess reminds me of the crowd of devotees snaking their way up the hill at Tirupathi. Sample the fluffy, crispy vadais, you will realise why this place is an institution. You can get their Mysore bondas, and sweet — a piece of gulab jamun. WOW.   (Rs. 9 for one vadai and Rs. 12 for the sweet).

# On the Kutchery road, you find the Senthil Softy Zone. The place has flavoured milk, milkshakes, fresh fruit juices and ice creams, buns, a variety of puffs (baby corn, cheese, paneer), samosas and sandwiches that are a hit among the young crowd. The mint lime juice, especially, is much sought after.  ( Rs. 9 for a glass of mint lime juice).

At the corner of South Mada Street, and on the East Mada Street, there is the famous Rose milk shop - KALATHI Rose Milk. Have a very cool and tasty Rose Milk here for just Rs 15.00 And on the other end of East Mada street, there is Akka Bajjis kadai, always crowded.

There may be many more which I have missed, but all in all, Mylapore, particularly its four Mada streets are heavenly for a Foodie.

rajappa
10-06-2015

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