I have a lot of passions. But food, friends and Madras are definitely up there in the list. Living away from home has made me realize how much these mean to me. I’m a complete foodie. I love to eat and experiment all kinds of food. I am also a glutton and so don’t have too much of a connoisseur’s discerning palate. But I love my food, my friends and “namma madras” and here is how they all come together. From my stomach and heart, onto this blog!
Gangotree : This is THE place. Numero Uno on my list definitely. A small bite of their pani puri and I have arrived home! I kind of grew up with this place. From late night ice creams with perippa, to trips with the “third street gang!”(after a lot of begging and pleading to convince parents), to the coke cards and “New Gangotree”, saturday stops with school friends, the 35 college bus gang, the chemie gang-I have memories at this place at every phase of my life. All visiting relatives get taken there; take them once and they demand to go there everytime! It of course helps that I live 2 streets away from G3.Whenever amma sensed an about to explode tantrum on upma days,G3 always came to the rescue. They make the world’s best pani puri. The bhel puri and Tawa tikki are other personal favorites. And ofcourse the mouth watering Dhokla and the yummmmmmm kalakhand and other drool worthy bengali sweets. To me Gangotree is gastronomical heaven! I’ve tasted the “oh so famous” chaat in bombay and also the gol guppas in Delhi. But IMO Gangotree kicks butt!
College “family” hangouts: The golden era of my life so far definitely began somewhere late 6th semester of Engineering. That was when THE GANG evolved. From a bunch of friend’s friends who hung out together we became a wonderfully knit group of people who knew everything (i mean EVERYTHING!) about the others and then CHOSE to be friends and practically lived like a family. Every moment away from home and classes was spent together or scheming and “making the plan!”. I will never make friends like that again and the carefree and fantastic times together will be some of my most cherished memories. There are a lot of food “spots” that we frequented and those are extra special to me. Kai yendhi bhavan outside Brilliant Tutorials- for the uninitiated, it is a road side van type place serving the most scrumptious dosas, idlis and biryani. You will see Sonatas and Astras and Accords vying for parking space aroung this eatery. The food is cheap yet delicious. Healthy? I don’t know..They do sell Aquafina though :P. As college students we were always short for money especially to finance our rather extravagant outings. So kaiyendhi was the pit stop for stomach fill up before we went on elsewhere.The nei podi dosa there is to kill for. Close to kaiyendhi is RADO (right across the road from Holy Angels school) a juice bar that serves the best apple milkshake ever! There is also Buharis on East coast road which has amazing dhaba type food. A superb Panner Butter masala. Ambur Biryani (in T.Nagar? I donno. Amber always called to get it delivered) home delivered amazing biryani and curd rice. Of course there was also Galloping Gooseberries on Greams road for amazing Lasagna and sandwiches, Cascade in Nungambakkam for great Chinese, the delicious Tapas at Zaras…..
Great Kabab Factory: This is my Favorite restaurant in Madras! It is in the Radisson on Airport road. Preset menus. A superb variety of delicious kababs, mouth watering dal and salt lassi. They have a wonderful cake too. We always announced someone’s birthday when we went there to get a on the house cake!
Mainland China : Delicious chinese food. Their crackling spinach and pickled cucumbers are my favorite. Love the fried ice cream and they make delicious juice too. I think of D and her parents who introduced me to this restaurant along with several other awesome places.( including Little Italy which makes the best thin crust Pizza!) D’s dad and family in general are my “foodie” gurus. They are a wonderful family who take such pleasure in hosting people and also exploring all kinds of food. They always made me feel like one of them and I love them!
Eden : The one in Besant Nagar used to be a family favorite. Birthday and anniversary dinners. I remember going there on getting my 12th board results and my 20th birthday (the last one in India). The baked corn and cottage cheese is the one I always go for. They also have a heavenly aloo dish called aloo chutneywala or something. And of course their “Last time I saw my waist” dessert.
Karpagambal Mess : Mylapore and Vallishwarar koil always brings memories of my maternal side of the family. The adai avial and badam halwa in Karpagambal mess are beyond description. The place doesn’t have much of an ambience but makes up for it twice over with its amazing Tam Bram culinary delights.
McRennet : I love their Black forest cakes and Veg puffs. And who can forget the yumm Japanese cakes. M (the bestest bus partner :D)and other people on the bus always bugged Nedu sir to make the stop. Getting the bus driver to stop at the Poonamalee McRennet and scrounging enough money to buy the goodies; sometimes even trying to get Nedu to treat us. The joy of biting into a delicious cake after a long day at college and half of the journey back home, with the stomach juices getting ready to devour amma’s tiffin , is closest to edible bliss.
Desi Remixes : Heavily Indian influenced Mexican food at Don Pepe and of course the splendid Tandoori Pizza at Pizza Hut are also very badly missed 
Murugan Idli shop : This elitist idli kadai serves the world’s best chakkarai pongal! Period!
Red-E -Food Court : I don’t know if this place still exists. It was this international Food place at the Harrington Road signal which was the place to go to when I was in school. A lot of birthday treats and friendship day celebrations happened there. I love the Lasagna there and their chocolate Mousse.
Saravana Bhavan : Nobody ma(r)ke(t)s and serves South Indian food better. Surprisingly I love their Pav Bhaji. And the Saravana’s Bakery and ice creams are actually world class.
Woodlands/Palmgrove/Maris/Mathura : These are grouped together cos they are all family hangouts. Playing in the Woodlands park on the swings and slides followed by amazing Channa Batura and Dasapraksh ice cream. “Driving in” and catching a glimpse of P.B.Srinivas with his funny headgear. Stops at Palmgrove for sambhar vadai in between Diwali shopping, idli from Maris on sick days and Gumbal dinners at Mathura . All great memories.
And of course there are the other “bit” memories. Amma’s dosas and Mor kuzhambu, Perimma’s Kozhukattai and dangar pachidi, M’s mom’s beetroot paratha’s and peanut chutney (not together of course!), Maddy’s manchurian, Suze’s sambhar rice, D’s house manga thokku, (all eaten from respective dabba’s in college), sundal,manga and corn at the beach, rosemilk at Kalathi in Mylapore, Mint cooler and Jughead’s special at Fruit Shop, Krishnar Kovil pongal, Puliotharai from Parthasarathy Koil, Boondi Ladoo in school functions, Flavored corn at Sathyam/Spencers, Joy Shop 50p samosas, Biryani from wherever in Kancheepuram that the boys used to bring, cream bun and Masala Sandwich from Iyengar Bakery near Mandaveli bus stop….Okie that’s it. Time for snack break 
P.S: D chides me for forgetting Anokhi! How could I? I spent every evening there literally final semester of college. Buying the cheapest coffees, the yumm quesidillas and ofcourse avoiding “The Card!”. She also reminds me that the Biryani place in Kancheepuram was Pandian- “How can you forget after hogging all the food?”, she says! :O
