This wasn't meant to be a weekend of Chennai-based restaurants in Singapore. But when I was at Anjappar yesterday, it reminded me that I had yet to go check out that idli shop that popped up here earlier this year (81 Syed Alwi Road, 6298-0858). And when the logo in front showed nothing but five idli steaming away, you knew exactly what to order.
The process was simple: sit down, mark your selections on the piece of paper, and then out comes a banana leaf-covered tray with a few chutneys ladled onto the edges. Give it another minute and a guy comes by with your piping hot idli, placing them onto the center of your banana leaf. If you got the optional "oil & podi" condiment to go with it, then another guy comes by with heaping spoonful of a brownish powder, digs a hole in the middle, and then pours oil into it. Even though that dark mixture didn't provide the searing chili pepper heat that I was hoping for, its savory earthiness went well with the idli, allowing them to disappear into my mouth faster than Homer Simpson could eat doughnuts. And I didn't even opt for the more sinful "ghee & podi" option!
There was other stuff available, ranging from dosai to uttappam and even little cups of rice if you happen to be there before 3 PM. But I just loved the sheer simplicity of this place, as I was in and out of there in ten minutes with a satisfied belly. Plus, its business hours of 9 AM - 11 PM meant that it will make for either a convenient breakfast or late night snack. Yum.
1 comment:
I walked into this shop randomly on my way to Ananda Bhavan, and it was pretty mind blowing.
I love their tomato paste and green chilli paste!
They make uttapam the way Xiao Ping makes dumplings -- ethethral. Ha.
The idlis are simply the best in sgp, I've not eaten better before or since.
Btw, Sakunthala has many branches, but please don't go to the poshest branch at Race Course Road. The food is exactly the same as the one in Dunlop Road (though if you order fusion it could be better), and worse still, the air-conditioning was so cold, the curries cooled pretty quickly. Urgh!
Funnily enough, I like their sweets, and I'm pretty picky about my desserts. You can taste this light cinnamon(?) taste in their payasam, together with little raisins and chopped nuts scattered around. Pretty rare for the grubbiest joint in their chain.
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