A menu card found in my mail box one day tickles my interest. There is a range of dishes listed on it and although the emphasis is on Indian food, the ubiquitous Chinese dishes are on it too. The menu is neatly categorised: soups, tiffins, biriyani, fish, fried rice, salads, noodles, pulao, egg, vegetables, chicken, mutton, beef and tandoor.
It’s a Sunday, and expecting a modest range, I stop by for lunch. Based on the menu card at home, I plan to dine on fried rice, chicken 007 and Chinese chop suey. Thanks to excellent directions from friends, I spot Home Kitchen, a non-descript place at Sasthamangalam.
It is solely a takeaway joint; there are no seats or tables, just a tiny non-frills space with a cash counter and a counter for food cloches. There is no stove or wok at sight. A white board lists the day’s specials for lunch. There are only choices of biriyanis and kappa and fish curry.
Surprised that there are no more options, I ask the waiter. He says that they do not serve everything on the menu at the joint. “One has to order in advance most of the listed dishes. We have day’s specials which we change daily. We have a list of dishes available for lunch and another for dinner.”
Disgruntled, I settle for kappa and fish curry and a chicken biriyani. The aromas however, soon cheers me as I head home. The chicken biriyani is accompanied by a side of raita and pickle. One needs to mix the biriyani well so that the masala coats the rice evenly. It is flavoursome and thankfully, there is no overpowering use of spice.
A portion or plate of biriyani is more than sufficient for two (moderate eaters). The kappa perattiyathu when teamed with the tangy fish curry was excellent.
Pleased with having discovered the joint, I make a mental check to try their other dishes. A couple of days later I am parked in front of their counter to pick up dinner. This time, pathiri, appam, iddiappam, parotta, chicken curry, chicken dopazia, beef masala, chilli gobi and vegetable fried rice are listed on the board.
Confused as to which chicken dish to choose from, the waiter recommends chicken dopazia. The pathiri was soft and flaky and went well with the chicken. While the chicken pieces were a bit leathery, the thick gravy had a blend of spices that gelled well together.
The take away joint is open daily from 11.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. Contact: 3194400, 3195500 and 3197700.
