Madras Café & Co. firstly isn’t about idli, sambar, pongal and dosa. The menu covers every region of south, or the erstwhile Madras Presidency region, including Tamil Nadu, the Malabar, Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, South Karnataka and even Ceylon. And yes, a bit of Telangana as well. Now that we have that clear, the best time to plan a visit to Madras Café will be a leisure lunch or a relaxed dinner. This bright spacious lively restaurant has more than 3D pop up wall graffiti keeping in mind the ‘selfie’ needs. Right at the entrance, stands a post box! We learn that it’s more then just a quirky piece of décor; but more of that later.
Madras Café at Hi-tech City is a cheerful place. The colour and décor will bring instant cheer and it is a place perfect to go with kids, grandparents or even on a date.
Begin your meal with Nannari Sherbet. It is a traditional root drink which is mostly used a coolant (for the body) and is very popular in dry, hot arid regions like Anantapur. This Nannari sherbet comes with the zing of lemon and is perfectly sweetened. As you sip, you will enjoy its freshness.
Next, after you are done with ordering your requirements from starters to dessert, you can spend time admiring the colours, the graffiti, the décor or even indulge in a small game of ‘bongaram’ (spinning top). Cut a puppy face and you might even be given one. Or if you take a kid along, you could get it as complimentary toy.
Among the starters, the gunpodi prawns will blow your mind. Crunchy-munchy and then a meat prawn bite with the finger-licking flavours of the gun powder. The dish is pretty simple but the presentation is unique. If nothing else, the prawns will make you go back for more.
Indian food is elegant and unique and you will agree with it when the crab soup is poured on to your soup platter with a kettle. Flavourful and meaty, this soup will make you regret that the you didn’t let the kettle pour till the brim of your platter. There is always a next time.
The starters don’t end here, the Syrian mutton fry and the Mysore chili chicken will want you to reach out for a glass of beer. In the absence of beer, simply treat the Nannari sherbet as your best pal. A must try here is the beetroot dip.
What is nice about this restaurant is that you get to learn a lot about Indian crafts and food. For instance Ankapur chicken curry is a fresh inclusion than the same Natu kodi pulusu. There is a tale behind this chicken curry as well. Fish lovers, do dig in the king fish fry.
Rice options are more than just steamed and pulao/biryani. If they offer daddojanam they also have vangi bhaat, yerra pulao, kothmiri rice as well. Dosas include a variety but a kuttu parotha or an appam with stew will be a good choice as well. Desserts will surprise you when they present their filter coffee mousse and a whole lot of fusion Indian desserts.
Once done with eating, write a post card and post it in the post box, mine reached its destination, so will yours.
Madras café & Co.
What: Indian fusion food
Where: 1st Floor, Phoenix Towers, Opposite Trident Hotel, Hitech City, Hyderabad
Table for two : Rs. 1500 Approx (3 course)
