Aashruth Rangarajan was about 13 when he first tasted food from Karnataka during a function in the family. Memories of the event faded, but the taste of the food lingered till years later. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he wanted to recreate that experience for Chennaiites. He made two trips to Karnataka — both times, the food was the calling card. He went on to study commerce and work in investment management. And then, the old dream resurfaced. This time, the 22-year-old worked to turn it into reality.
The result is Eating Circles on Poonamallee High Road. Less than two months old, the restaurant has been working overtime to meet customer demand for thatte idli, idli, crisp dosas , vada and sabudana pongal . The menu has been purposely toned down to stick to a few speciality items. “I did, at one stage, look at a different format, and lost time, before I returned to the original plan,” he says.
The USP of the eatery, which draws in a huge crowd in the evenings, is its dosas , made Bengaluru-style — thick, perfectly round, and crisp, with a slathering of chutney. It took time to arrive at the perfect proportion to ensure the dosas were just like what his memory approved of. “I always wanted to stick to a few quality items on the menu. I did not believe in an extravagant one where we lost focus. Plus, I wanted to start small, and consolidate.”
Rangarajan also looked at the concept of an open kitchen to add to the meal experience, which was in the ‘express’ format. “People stay for about 20 minutes. I wanted the kitchen to allow a sensory experience; the aroma of the food and the crackling of the dosa on the tawa add value. In the ‘darshini’ format, the food is the star; it has to be good. And so, we worked to please the palate and the eye,” he adds.
Some new variations have been introduced — think red rice dosa, and zero oil dosa. Or, the decadent open dosa. And, there’s Jain sambar too, to cater to people who like Madras sambar. “I personally ask people to try the jaggery-laced Bengaluru sambar; in keeping with the spirit of the eatery,” says Rangarajan. Eating Circles can accommodate about 25 people at a time; sometimes, though, about 30 manage to fit in to tuck into wholesome food. Before wrapping up a meal, check out the rosemilk, cool, blushing pink, and with shredded rose petals and ground cashew for company. “Liked it? That’s something we are very happy with,” smiles Rangarajan.
@ Eating Circles
No: 151, New No: 132, Poonamallee High Road, Kilpauk, Chennai 84 (Diagonally opposite Sangam Cinemas on the right side of PH Road)
9790762351
