On the menu at Tamarind Tales
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What constitutes a tiffin dilemma?
That is one thing Tamarind Tales, Chennai’s latest restaurant that throws open its doorways on Monday, hopes to reply. “What if I’m craving a benne dosa, a podi dosa and a few puttu? I might fairly not head to a few completely different locations,” says Yeshvin Mathew.
Having run inns and eating places in Ooty, Kiran Anandamurthy and Sonakshi Krishnamurthy labored with Yeshvin, who runs Grub Meals Firm to convey the most effective of what South Indian vegetarian delicacies has to supply. at their new Chennai enterprise. “We didn’t need an intensive menu, however had been eager on bringing some favorite primary choices at a very good worth level,” Kiran says. Once we stroll into their house, the kitchen is totally in motion, unbothered by the pre-launch chaos exterior. There are dosas being plated, cups of steaming scorching espresso being readied, and mini idlis being doused in sambar. The cooks are from Mandya in Karnataka, we’re advised.
Open Benne Masala Dosa
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Particular Association
Chennai may be blazing scorching within the afternoons, however this doesn’t cease us from reaching for his or her filter espresso proper off the bat and it doesn’t disappoint. Sturdy, scorching and with simply the correct amount of sugar, we’re off to a promising begin.
We pattern the dosa subsequent. The open benne dosa is served right here with a scoop of potato masala and coconut chutney in addition to a dollop of butter. Most locations are likely to go overboard with the butter however right here, the dosa is crisp on the surface, smooth on the within and surprisingly prudent with the grease. For the spice fiends, the pesarettu that comes lined with a spicy ginger chutney needs to be your decide. The mini idlis served soaked in sambar disappoints; the idlis should be spongier, in order that they take in sambar.
Our subsequent spherical of mini idlis come tossed in a signature chilli garlic crunchy combine, one thing that we’re advised the kitchen at Tamarind Tales specifically labored on. This crunchy combine has been used to whip up one other dish we immensely take pleasure in, a chilli garlic rice that feels just like the equal of getting a spicy avakkai rice on the menu. This Pan-Asian influenced dish is an unexpectedly nice shock at a spot that guarantees nice tiffin.
Garlic chilli podi idlis
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Particular Association
With a lot of the gadgets on the menu being dishes superb for its self-service setup, Tamarind Tales additionally has meals throughout lunch. There are lengthy excessive tables dealing with the open kitchen, in addition to a very good variety of tables organized in tastefully wallpapered rooms for diners who need to have a extra leisurely meal. “We additionally plan to have a small cafe exterior the restaurant the place individuals can both drive in and have a espresso and a snack, or can take them to go as properly,” Yeshvin says. The outside cafe, which can keep open later into the night time can have jam and butter buns, samosas, puffs, bajjis and drinks.
The espresso at Tamarind Tales
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Particular Association
Provided that now we have had some selection picks from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka throughout our first meal there, we ask them the all essential query. What of the sambar? Whereas the sambar we pattern shouldn’t be too candy and never too spicy, Yeshvin says their cooks labored on this combine to appease all sambar loyalists throughout the spectrum. He provides, “We are going to nevertheless be serving each the Karnataka sambar and the Tamil Nadu sambar quickly. Our diners can take their decide.”
Tamarind Tales is at 11, Cenotaph Rd, Austin Nagar, Teynampet, and opens on June 16, Monday. A meal for 2 prices ₹400.
Printed – June 13, 2025 05:29 pm IST
