I remember my first taxi ride from the airport: we drove under two huge arches, abutting naked pillars of a half-finished flyover and onto the wide, leafy avenues of Anna Nagar.
Cloistered from the hustle and bustle of Madras, dining at hip spots in town inevitably entailed a trek across the city. Options in Anna Nagar were limited to branches of popular chains like Buhari or Saravana Bhavan. However, the past few years have seen a slew of home-grown eateries spring up in the neighbourhood to fantastic reception. Such is their popularity, that restaurants like Brick House Bistro and Pantry d’or have turned the tables, and established outposts in the buzzing East Coast Road and Besant Nagar.
There is much more to Anna Nagar though, than just trendy cafes and bistros. Mylapore has its legendary tiffin centres and Sowcarpet is a halwai heaven, but did you know about the off-beat gems of Anna Nagar?
Hardcore foodies adore quaint, unassuming places where you are too busy stuffing your face to Instagram a plate. No social media marketing or artful plating required here; these hidden gems let their food do the talking!
For a kick of kaapi
While the spiritually inclined begin their day circumambulating the Ayyappan temple, joggers go around the landmark Tower Park. Wherever your loyalties lie, you must pay obeisance to the filter kaapi at Srivari Sweets nearby. It is a small sweet shop which also sells tiffin items, but it is their frothy, robust Filter Kaapi that is truly noteworthy. A self-service establishment, you have to buy a coupon, queue up at the coffee counter, grab your dabara and jostle for a table. Ask nicely, and you’ll even get a bit of extra froth with a drop of decoction on top. For the calorie-conscious, they’ll even make yours with an artificial sweetener. sugar-free The coffee is strong, with slight caramel overtones, and is a great way to start the day.
Bring on the breakfast
Give the famous Saravana Bhavan a miss; there is a new breakfast king in the ‘hood. Sree Akshayam has quickly established itself as the most popular Tiffin spot around, in spite of biggies like HSB and Murugan Idli just down the road. It stands out for offering a contemporary ambiance, generous parking and consistently good food at comparable prices. Perpetually crowded, the food is worth the wait and service is zippy. Try their mini tiffin which is great value at Rs. 40, and the homely ragi dosas. Finish with a soothing sukku malli coffee.
To the Thar for lunch
Don’t let the obscure location and a boxy old lift deter you; Shri Rajasthani Dhaba serves food as close to the Thar as you can get in Chennai.
The expansive, air-conditioned Dhaba was set up by garments trader Ashok Kumar Vyas more than 15 years ago, when he moved to Chennai from Jodhpur.
While the garments do brisk business, what really flies off are plates of bajre ki roti and gattey ki sabji. Sample their unlimited Rajwadi thali for a sumptuous lunch, and do order the daal baati, which is sold separately and only on weekends.
Wash everything down with a refreshing homemade jaljeera, to make space for a decadent malpua or the crowd-favourite abu gatta ice cream.
Chaat from a cubbyhole
It is hard to miss the ravenous throng opposite Jessie Moses School every evening. Elbow your way to the cubbyhole to find Mr. Shankar from Bihar hard at work, dishing out plates of samosa chana chaat and dahi puris at Shankar Chaat Bhandar. The soulful chana masala and astringent onions are livened by the crunch of crushed samosas and (on request) topped with a tongue-tickling splatter of chutneys. A subsequent dahi papdi is an ideal balm for your tingling tastebuds — piquant dahi poured over crisp papdi, topped with meethi chutney and crunchy sev. There’s no seating available, so you’ll have to stand or perch yourself somewhere. Cap your evening off with their kadak chai — the best in Anna Nagar.
Family recipes for dinner
Comments and likes go through the roof whenever I post about Aamala Mess in Chennai’s popular Facebook foodie groups. Mr. Anton Samy moved from Karaikudi in the heydays of the Chettinadu restaurant boom in Chennai. After a few hits and misses, he set up a small mess in the bylanes of Anna Nagar and named it after his wife. The unpretentious joint has a fiercely loyal clientele who keep coming back for its rustic fare. Everything is made from scratch, on the spot and as per family recipes. The sura puttu has a subtle smoky note and their bewitching naattu kozhi Chettinadu curry doesn’t overwhelm you with spice and oil. You can either sit in the spartan ground floor or the air-conditioned ‘family’ room upstairs, which is just as functional for wolfing down their meals.
