CHENNAI: Every night, as the city settles down for slumber, lanterns continue to burn in a few pushcarts and kiosks across the city and go on well into the night. Thronged by people from IT sector in their night shifts, lorry and bus drivers who have long journeys, passengers and night-show movie goers, these places form an important part of the city’s nightlife. “It’s very helpful to have a few shops open at midnight. Since most of the restaurants close by 11 pm, only tea and bun serves our appetite. Now there are a lot of varieties available too,” shares Kishore, an IT employee. Let’s hop through a few city favourites.
Mouthful of kulfi
A small pushcart selling only kulfis can be spotted at Marina beach behind the Avvaiyar statue. Nagaraj anna is busy on his phone guiding people to his place, while his hands busy serve kulfis. “I hardly have time to breathe during the weekends. Customers wait even if the stock finishes, till its refilled,” he says. He has been traditionally making these kulfis in the ice house area and sells about 500 kulfis a day. The kulfis are served in palm leaves and there is a bin to dispose the waste to prevent littering. He has been following his father’s business for 30 years now.
One of the customers who has been visiting his place for 15 years tell us, “The kulfi is made out of perfectly boiled fresh milk, creamy, filled with rich nuts and chocolate. The consistency and quality is what attracts the crowd and people never stop with just one,” he says. Time: 8 pm to 1 am. Price: From `30
‘Mor’ please
As you walk down the Thiruvanmiyur-Kottivakam beach road, you will find two cycles selling buttermilk near the bus stand. With the number of cars parked and bursts of laughter among groups of people, we can easily say that its mor thatha’s spot. Ramajeyam, fondly known as mor thatha, started out with a tea business in T Nagar.
He has been doing this business for 14 years and recently switched over to buttermilk a few years ago. “My wife makes the buttermilk thick and churned to perfection. It is not watery like other places serve. I add a few slices of raw mango and boondi which adds to the tangy flavour,” shares Ramajeyam with an ever-present wide smile on his face. His son assists him to manage the crowd. “We also sell masala milk. Despite wrapping up by 11 30, there are regulars who drop by our home to buy buttermilk,” his son says. Two to three cans of buttermilk get sold per night.
Time: 10 pm to 11.30 pm Price: `30.
Bun, butter, jam
There is one place near the Gemini flyover where people have to fight for parking even at 4 am in the morning. On a TVS 50 scooter, fresh jam buns are stacked inside a box along with hot and fluffy puffs. While the masala chai and butter milk are the more sought after choices, the accompaniments also get sold out within minutes. Grape and lemon drinks are also available. Cheta, who owns the place, is from Kerala. He started this business seven years ago. “Our thick masala buttermilk is famous. We’re open from 10 pm and youngsters seem to be very fond of this place. Every night you can find group of friends having a nice time,” he says while delivering glasses of boost and horlicks to kids inside a car.
Time: 10 pm to 4 am. Price: From `30
For the love of chai
Anbu anna hardly gets time to sleep because he closes his stall at 11 30 pm and opens again at 3 am. Located near the Ambattur Estate bus stand, the tea shop is brimming with people at all times. The customers are mostly passerby lorry drivers, bus drivers and conductors who take a break, IT employees during night shift and the passengers waiting for their buses. “Tea helps people stay awake during long hours in the night. The crowd usually picks up in the evening after 6.30 pm,” says Anbu who has been doing this business for ten years in the same place. They also serve piping hot bajjis, bondas and
vadais. Time: 3 am till 11.30 pm Price: From `10.
What’s so special
● Patrons are loyal and don’t mind travelling long distances to their favourite midnight snack
● The places are pocket-friendly with fresh stocks everyday
● They offer minimal variety but in good quantity
● These are family businesses passed on over generations
● The peak hours during weekdays and weekend differs