The minute you enter the revamped Malgudi restaurant at The Savera, you feel like you’re peering through a kaleidoscope. There’s a riot of intense colours on the ceiling, and the latticed partitions in the cosy, 80-seater dining space only add to the effect.
There’s change in the food department too — the menu stays the same, but not the way the dishes are served. “Earlier, we would customise dishes as per client preference. We would turn down the spice and fat content, increase it… slowly, I realised that all this tweaking was bringing down the overall quality of our food. Consistency suffered, and that’s not good at all,” says A.K. Mohana Krishnan, executive chef. So now, when people mention a preference, the serving staff gently suggest other options in the menu.
Malgudi, which serves handpicked dishes from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, limits the number of dishes from a State to 10, five each in vegetarian and non-vegetarian. “We’ve chosen these with care, so that they reflect the regional specialities of every State,” says Mohana Krishnan.
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Before I begin lunch, affable waiter Pandian comes by with a bowl and a jug of warm water — it’s time for the hand-washing ritual. At Malgudi, they’d like you to set aside the fork and spoon, and immerse yourself in an authentic South Indian experience, beginning with eating with your hands. First up is everyone’s favourite — murungakaai chaaru, a mildly-spiced aromatic infusion of drumstick and lentils. Next up, I’m served their bendakaya vepudu, a lip-smacking dish of fried ladies finger, garlic and roasted groundnuts that marries many flavours with ease. Then, it’s time for a sample portion of their signature rajbhog thali, which comes in three variants — vegetarian, non-vegetarian and seafood.
The starters are vazhaipoo vadai and urulai kizhangu pakoda, followed by a thali with rasam, sambar, poriyal, kootu and biryani. This platter also offers diners the option of sampling one dish from every State — so you have thotakura pappu from Andhra, the almost-sweet rasakai from Karnataka, Chettinad vegetable kurma from Tamil Nadu and kadala curry from Kerala. Accompaniments include freshly made idiyappam, idli, dosai, parotta and chapathi. A smattering of chutneys is served, as is a platter of fryums and fried lotus stems. Then comes the star of the lunch, a near-white appam, cooked just right — a spongy core held together by a crisp, lacy edge. This is served with freshly squeezed, mildly sweetened coconut milk, bearing the faint fragrance of cardamom.
The non-vegetarian options feature a range of seafood and meat — some seasonal. For the diners’ benefit, each regional menu is listed in vernacular. The restaurant also offers combination meals for those dining alone. These meals feature half a portion of any gravy (choose among five vegetarian and non-vegetarian options), served with dosa, idiyappam, chapathi, appam or rice.
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“In the a la carte section, the vegetables are cut after you place the order. That’s the only way to ensure food reaches the table the way it has to be eaten — steaming hot, fresh, and at the right consistency,” says Mohana Krishnan.
You tend to agree, after sampling the bendakaya vepudu. Sometimes, the simplest of dishes takes on the avatar of a gastronomical star, only because of minor, deft touches.
Malgudi is located at The Savera, 146, Dr. Radhakrishnan Road. A meal for two is approximately priced at Rs. 2,000. Call 2811 4700.