Nobody can understand the joy of feasting on soft, fluffy piping hot idlis dipped in tangy sambhar more than a South Indian living in Delhi. It is hard for them to find authentic South Indian food despite so plenty of restaurants offering the cuisine. On this World Idli Day, we asked some South Indians living in Delhi about their struggles of finding the perfect idli and here’s what we got.
“You have always stayed at a place where you get soft, fluffy idlis at every nook and corner, and then suddenly you are in Delhi, where finding a perfect plate of feather-light idlis is a task,” said Bishakha Ganesh. Chennai-based Bishakha is new to Delhi and misses her home (mostly food).
Idli (Photo: Dreamstime)
She further explained about her struggle of finding a perfect plate of steamed cake of rice, “I often crave for idlis and staying away from home, just made it worse. I visited ample of places but no, nowhere found the awesomeness of Chennai.”
Idli (Photo: Dreamstime)
Same is the story of Krishnan Swaminathan who is originally from Coimbatore. “Being a Tamil brahmin Iyer and staying away from family often puts me in a serious dilemma when idli craving hits me,” he said.
Then we asked them to recommend their favourite place in Delhi
“Experience ranks better than Zomato when you’re craving for home-cooked food. Look for a happy crowd outside a restaurant and a no-nonsense setup and that is where you get a meal to match your craving,” said Charumathi Sankaran. Check out the top recommendations:
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1. Saravana Bhavan: Most of the people prefer visiting Saravana Bhavan when it comes to idli craving. “I consider Saravana Bhavan services the best perfect idli texture and consistency,” says Sunitha Chandrashekharan. Her vote is seconded by Shashank Raman, 23, who finds the place overpriced but appreciates the quality and taste.
Cost: Rs 114 (3 pieces)
2. Chidambaram’s New Madras Hotel: For Krishnan Swaminathan and Charumathi Sankara, it is Chidambaram’s New Madras Hotel that serves the best idli. “Having tasted some of the most pathetic idlis around the city, finally my quest for authentic idlis ended, thanks to Chidambaram at Khanna market,” said Krishnan Swaminathan.
Cost: Rs 130 (3 in 1)
3. Naivedyam: Charumathi Sankara also prefers going to Naivedyam. According to her, this is the best place to relish on some rava idli.
Cost: Rs 125 (2 pieces)
4. Anand Adyar Bhavan: Third on Charumathi’s list is Green Park’s Anand Adyar Bhavan. One of the most popular restaurants, you will hardly find it empty.
Cost: Rs 100 (2 pieces)
5. Madras Cafe: “This tiny place in Green Park serves amazing idlis,” said Bishakha Ganesh. Not only they serve delicious idlis, they also have scrumptious rice preparations like lemon rice and tomato rice.
Cost: Rs 80
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