ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Address: The Savera Hotel, 146, RK Salai, Dwarka Colony, Mylapore, R.K. Salai, Chennai 600004
Time: 12 to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 12 Midnight
Meals for two: Rs. 1,300
Cuisines: South Indian, North Indian
Facilities: Air Conditioned, Valet Parking, Take Away, Kid Friendly, Wifi
www: saverahotel.com
[taq_review]
DECOR
Before you enter Malgudi, spare a few moments to look into your future. Right there, at the doorstep, the in-house palmist will read your palm and look into a happy future; and may be, whet that appetite some more. Inside Malgudi, little has changed. It still has the sparkling white in place, with splashes of colour adding liveliness and intrigue. Malgudi has been named after Narayan’s simple yet RK & charming book, Malgudi Days.
FOOD
Elaneer Nannari Sherbet does its bit to cool you down, tweaked as it is with almond gum, another cooling element used generously in the famous Madurai drink, Jigarthanda. Quick in its wake, the typical south Indian crisps arrive with their delicious chutneys. Four to be precise: coconut (fresh and textured with a slight lift from green chillies), Vegetable (a mix of gourds, mint, coriander and green chillies), ridge gourd (coriander seeds make their presence felt) and tomato (with a distinct touch of garlic). Before you polish off the whole platter, remember there’s more to Malgudi food than crisps and chutneys. The Podi Idli Pidi Kozhukattai for example. You may think here comes a mini podi idli in another avatar, and you may be right. Still, this one is soft, in a different shape, has the crunch of the podi and the fragrance of ghee to egg you into taking another.
Soft, golden and deep fried, Goli Bajji, the Karnataka street food, is addictive. Great with tea, this sweetish salty little orb proudly reveals restraint in the form of those minced curry leaves and cilantro.
Alleppey Veg Curry, delicious with its coconut over tones and mixed veggies plays the perfect accompaniment for Appams: airy, soft in the middle and lacy crisp towards the edges. While the Orru Kodi Pulsu is country chicken in a thick gravy that’s simple yet complicated, it has bold flavors that come from the chicken being cooked in its own juices. Tamarind tang works towards softening the overtness of the country chicken. Get set to be floored by the desserts. Quite much the favorite that afternoon was the Kamarkat Ice Cream. It has the very same flavors and memories of those childhood days when you chewed on the small, hard coconut sweet till it was all gone. Only, this one is soft, is in ice cream and a little more sophisticated, seeing that its been made at home, in Malgudi.
PLUS AND MINUS
Amazingly, Malgudi has retained its elegance and the quality of its food. Knowledgeable staff and a helpful smiling host put you at ease instantly. Young Chef Jessu Santiagu Lambert, has his roots deep in the South. He brings new twists to the food while leaving recognizable elements of the original intact.
