“You must taste their burgers. The patties are oh so crispy and yumm,” a friend had recommended this café. So I walk into Madfellas, a charming rectangular space with a striking orange wall studded with fanciful black-and-white frames of quirky quotes and mood images. Tucked away in a quiet corner on a shady street, Madfellas is a place to laze around, sip on some cinnamon flavoured hot chocolate, chat and eat! 'Insanity Served', says the menu that lists over 15 varieties of burgers, sandwiches, waffles, crispy starters and a dozen kinds of juices and shakes. Big Fat fries, Mr.Mad Marine, The Fat hook... the names make me think of flabs, but also entice the junkie in me.
Even as I fight temptations, Sanjeev Hari, the young vibrant restaurateur suggests the biggest burger on menu. “No worries. Just chill,” he assures. “The patties in our burgers are made from fresh lean meat and not out of processed and frozen meat. Every morning, we source the meat locally and mince it ourselves. After marinating for few hours, the patties are lowered into the retriever right when the order is placed. That way, we avoid trans fat,” adds Hari, who has a fine taste for food, luxury and everything nice in life.
“I wanted to introduce something new to Madurai and that's how Madfellas happened. My idea is to wow anyone who walks in with a surprise element,” says Hari. And there comes my four-inch burger sitting prettily on a plate. A kitchen knife holds together the burger's layers of a double-cheese patty, French fries, lettuce and the bun that's topped with chunks of fried chicken. As I take a bite, it's a medley of crispy and spongy textures in my mouth. “All the burgers are my own creations. As a boarder in Chennai, once I made a patty with left-over mutton kheema. I threw in some capers, peppers, mint, coriander and cooked up a perfect round cake.”
“People in Madurai don’t see burgers as wholesome meals. It's still a snack and hence I have also introduced a range of light-patty and bulls-eye burgers like spicy chorizo. Chorizo is otherwise made of pulled pork but we do it with chicken,” says Hari. Smoking Gun is an interesting patty that's smoked up with barbecue sauce and has a subtle sooty flavour to it. Fried squid or prawns and Jalapeno chicken poppers are popular as crispy starters.
Whether it’s waffles with nutella, oreo and chocolate sauce or a virgin mojito with a dash of panneer soda, Madfellas excels in making avant garde recipes using authentic ingredients. Fusion burgers and sandwiches are made with Idukki peppers, Guntur chillis and bun that's baked in Madurai. “The idea is to be global-local. In future, I would like to make my own ketchup and mayo too,” says Hari.
Another highlight element is the wide range of freak shakes, that literally freak you out. Colossal glass jars overflowing with layers of fresh cream, candies and kulfis, studded with cookies and sometimes topped with a whole pastry, freak shakes are trending big time among foodies in the city. Glancing through the menu, I go for Dr. Chocolate which is a cure for the chocolate fever, as the tagline says. The shake arrives in a jar dipped in chocolate, filled with frothy chocolate milkshake, topped with whipped cream and a pair of syringes containing white and dark chocolate sauces. “Just pull them out and splash the sauces into your mouth,” says Hari. With a variety of flavours, textures and colours, the drink is indeed a chocoholic's delight.
After what seems like a never-ending junk ride, I shed all guilt. Though I feel a couple of kilograms heavier, the sugar rush keeps me afloat and I walk out happily.
MAD OVER FOOD
@ 401, 9th Street, Behind SPK Hotel, K.K.Nagar
HIT: Innovative burgers and sumptuous freak shakes
MISS: Some starters are too oily
MEAL FOR TWO: Rs.500 approx.
Phone: 4378724
