Malgudi: Savera Hotel, Mylapore, Chennai Restaurant

Restaurant Name: Malgudi: Savera Hotel
Phone: +919710947361, +914428114700
Address: The Savera Hotel, 146, RK Salai, Mylapore, Chennai
Time: 12:00 Noon – 03:30 PM, 07:00 PM – 12 Midnight
Meals for two: Rs. 2500
Cuisines: South Indian, Kerala, Tamil, Andhra, Beverages
Facilities: Home Delivery, Wheelchair Accessible, Full Bar Available, Indoor Seating, Romantic Dining, Valet Parking Available, Table booking recommended, 4/5 Star, Wifi

Malgudi, the restaurant in Savera, is named after author R K Narayan’s fictitious small town in South India, called Malgudi. With dazzling, bright, white walls, and marble flooring with dark wooden furniture, the place has quite an aura. The green and orange drapes flowing from the ceiling, add a festive look to the restaurant. South Indian art adorns Malgudi’s walls, while bells hang from the ceiling.

Semi-privacy is offered in the form of trellised alcoves around the main dining space.

Malgudi: Savera Hotel, Mylapore, Chennai – Food

The chefs here are quite innovative with their food, while keeping the ingredients traditional and authentic. Their combinations make all the difference. The starter, Murungakai Kuchi Varuval is a complete Malgudi innovation. Made mostly of drumstick, it has patties on sticks. Even the sticks are of split drumstick, and the patties have drumstick pulp mixed with mashed potato, breadcrumb coated and deep fried to a brown crisp.

I like how the restaurant has kept an eye on the health of their guests. No cornflour thickens their Mathalangai Maaingi Chaaru, which essentially is a yellow pumpkin and mango ginger soup with both key ingredients complementing each other. The pumpkin puree thickens, while mango ginger gently flavors.

The Dindukal Saiva Kari Biryani is a pleasant surprise. It is mild and is made using short-grained rice instead of Basmati. Because I asked for vegetarian instead of the traditional meat, the chef had used raw jackfruit chunks. The accompanying Siru Urulai Paal Kari, made using the recipe from Chef Jesu’s mother, is mildly spiced, and it has baby potatoes and peas in a gravy of coconut milk, cumin, pepper, fennel and green chilli – a perfect support to the biryani. The Paal Kari and Onion Pachadi are both equally good, different.

Badam Halwa has to be had warm, gooey with ghee glistening on your fingers and pure saffron strands adding their personality.

Plus & Minus:

Malgudi has stood the test of time. It has carved a niche for itself, maintaining high food standards all through.