Be it oil dripping vadas or spongy vada pavs or crispy dosas, street food is always an enticing option for gourmands. Tuck into the street cuisine of The Gateway Hotel.
Colourful lights, a cycle, cinema posters of Maan Karate and Vallavanukku Pullum Ayudham … create a perfect ambience at the Khau Galli festival at The Gateway Hotel. “It would be more fitting to call it Madurai Theruvora Sappatu Thiruvizha,” says V. John Praveen, Executive Chef. “We wanted to kindle nostalgia and have reintroduced some forgotten recipes and masalas,” he says.
“Have you heard of ‘Marathi Mokku’ or ‘Kalpasi’?” he asks. “In the name of sophistication we have lost good number of traditional spices and recipes which are also healthy,” says John Praveen.
‘Kozhi Milagu Soup’ and ‘Paruppu Malli Chaaru’ kicks off the culinary journey. Though not too elaborate, the buffet table serves the ‘Virudhunagar Kozhi Biryani’ and ‘Chettinadu Muttai Roast’ to woo the non vegetarians. The muttai roast is easily the dish of the day prepared in Chettinad style with onions, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes and garam masala.
Vegetarians enjoy the ‘Masala pulao’, ‘Thakkali Sadham’, ‘Lemon Sevai’ and ‘Podi Idli’ to go with ‘Urulai Pal curry’ and ‘Kaikari Milagu Masala’.
There are live counters that serve freshly fried vadas, pakodas and vada pavs. “Since it is street food we have concentrated more on these live counters. Memories of long walks with parents down streets eating this kind of food are still green my mind. We have tried to bring those experiences back with these counters,” says John Praveen.
The vada kadai has medhu vadai, keerai vadai, paruppu vadai and kariveppilai vadai with another station making egg bonda and bread pakodas. The ‘Veechu Parotta’ counter serves parottas stuffed with vegetables and chicken and is bustling with diners.
There is a chaat counter, too, where paani poori, bhel poori, poori kachori, aloo masaladar.
There is the unusual dal station where guests are encouraged to prepare their own dish with a choice of boiled rajma, toor and hara moong dal.
‘Vazhai Then Amirdham’ with a consistency of a payasam and the local delicacy jigarthanda make up the dessert section. ‘Sukku Kaapi’ is also a part of the feast. For those who are usually hesitant to eat street food, this is a perfect opportunity to try out the same in hygienic surroundings. Khau Gali is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 7.30 p.m.
“We have planned to extend this festival for two months depending upon the business,” says John Praveen.
The aromatic vegetarian and non vegetarian fare comes at an all inclusive price of Rs.799. For reservation call 6633001.
