Naati koli, ragi mudde original version
Offering home made traditional Kannada delicacies has become a fad among local entrepreneurs. But ‘Thirumala Desi’ has gone a step ahead by ensuring that it is a family fare, especially in the evenings. Rules relaxed in the afternoon.
At a time, when multinational food outlets have sprung up in every nook and cranny of the city, there are still some hardcore traditional entrepreneurs who are willing to bring the taste of authentic Karnataka to the plate (or the leaf).
While we have seen the success of Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) and Vidyarthi Bhavan among many others, there is a new breed sprouting in many parts of the city. Halli Mane which means village home, in Malleswaram serves authentic Karnataka cuisine where one can try the mouth-watering Kadabus, Akki Rotis and Ragi Rotis.
Village snacks is what Halli Thindi means, and earthy, rustic food is what you get at this no-frills eatery. This place near Dodda Ganesh Temple has quite a reputation for its South Indian tiffin, particularly the Mangalorean-style dishes. A place to try out for Akki Roti and Ragi Roti as well as the unusual offerings like Kai Kadabu and Averakalu Dosa. The Mangalore Bun is also a big hit.
The latest to join the bandwagon is ‘Desi Thirumalaa’.
Chaya Ramesh, progressing from a home maker to an entrepreneur, is a women who has risen above the conventional role of a housewife to enter into the dicey world of restauranting.
But the allure of providing good homely food as her main occupation was hard to resist especially when she had a series of unsavoury and unhealthy experiences eating out at restaurants in the city.
After much deliberation and homely research, she and her husband devised a commercially strong but a risky strategy.
Her husband, Ramesh owns a popular bar and restaurant on West of Chord road, Rajajinagar.
Chaya strategically rented a place next to this and quickly converted it into a brightly lit, spacious and minimally designed but soothing space for her traditional multi-cuisine restaurant — Thirumalaa Desi, strictly for family, especially in the evening.
Offering home-made authentic Karnataka and Chennai delicacies like Mudde Saaru, Naati Koli dishes, Ambur Biryani, broken wheat paayasam, mutton curry, mutton chops and even boti fry along with an array of Chinese and vegetarian fare at surprising low rates, she has been able to garner a strong customer base of men as well as families in the afternoon and evening times.
“It is about safety. Being attached to a bar and restaurant obviously has an adverse reputation. It took us time to build on the fact that safety is given priority and now within 3-4 months, we have been able to create a brand image among customers. In the evening, no ‘only men’ are allowed. They have to be accompanied by a women or two. This aspect has successfully been able to create a sense of security and standard for the restaurant. Rest of the experience is taken care by our food and service,” said Chaya.
The most important thing about Desi is that all the main masalas, be it Coriander, turmeric, Chilli, Cumin or other masalas - are brought and ground in homemade fashion, thereby, giving the same taste of home made food. “It is not possible to get the same taste in the ready made masala powders available in the market. The artificial colours and flavours in these powders can also prove detrimental to health,” said Chaya.
The cooking process followed at Desi is also worth mentioning. It is a common practice to use gas stove and electronic gadgets for cooking. Cooking on firewood has become almost impossible in hotels and it has also disappeared from houses. This practice is limited to villages these days.
“It cannot be denied that the food prepared on firewood surely tastes much better than the food prepared on other stoves. We mainly use firewood for cooking and it is a humble attempt to give this experience to the customers. This food has an earthen taste to it,” said Chaya.
There is good variety of traditional food from South India. Ambur Biryani and Natti Koli Fry top the list. “Not many people are aware of the tasty Ambur biryani. This recipe has been limited to Ambur in Tamil Nadu and surrounding areas. Being cooked on firewood and served in a Donne, this biryani is a culinary delight. Along with Natti Koli fry, ragi balls prepared in traditional style is a treat. Broken wheat payasa prepared with jaggery is complimentary to all and aids in digestion,” said Chaya.
The Khaali Dosa available here has become a hit in and around Rajaji Nagar. In the evening, the restaurant also serves alcoholic beverages.
The restaurant management has intelligently placed a glass wall adjacent to the BBMP park thereby, giving a full view of the park.
Though there is a lot of space to accommodate more chairs and tables, the numbers are limited as the management believes in giving quality service to the limited number of customers. The restaurant does not have an air-conditioner and according to Chaya it is a well thought decision.
“We want to stick to our principle of providing affordable and authentic food and for that we do not want to burn the pockets of our customers,” said Chaya.
The 100-covers restaurant also serves Chinese delicacies. Service in the afternoon is on Banana Leaf, while in the evening, it is replaced by the common crockery.
“We have limited staff as of now and we have encouraged people with limited knowledge or skill to join us in the service department. This is because we want to encourage them to take up jobs which can be useful in the long term. We provide them with required training and now, within three-four months, they are all well trained. It gives us a sense of responsibility when we play a role in the upliftment of the youth,” said Chaya.
The restaurant also has a counter called Highway, only for take aways.
All the items available in the restaurant are available in Highway. The restaurant also undertakes outdoor catering.
It is also planning for breakfast service as well as home delivery within a radius of three kilometers. Buffet is also arranged if required.