CHENNAI: As heavy clouds took on a threatening shape, waiting to empty themselves, a group of youngsters gathered on the narrow Arundale Street, Mylapore. Listening to the bits of their conversation, it was clear that they were returning after a “semma” cricket match. They crossed houses painted in white, orange and brown. At one of the house’s entryways, a man was sitting, sipping hot coffee from a davara set as rainwater started seeping through the walls of the building.
A blue colour name board hanging above the door frame reads ‘Rayar’s Mess’ in Tamil and English. The building has stood the test of time — the faded yellow walls on the outside, a rusting black gate at the entrance, and huge blue-coloured plastic drums stored with water for people to wash their hands and feet as they entered. The place carries a strong aroma of spices, tanginess, and sweetness.
Upon entering the hallway, Kumar, one of the owners of the mess, folds his hands and welcomes customers in. They are then led to the dining area which has four tables with four plastic chairs each. Inside there is a small kitchen where a cooker whistle blows and two wet grinders churn idli/dosai batter for their special menu. Spread across 500 sq. ft, this is the second location of the mess. Until 1992, the mess was on Kutchery Road, but it shifted to the present location — Arundale Street — some years back.
Commencing business in the early 1930s, the mess has completed 90 years of service. “We believe in providing quality food at a nominal price so the clients go home satisfied and happy. This core principle is also one of the reasons for us to sustain in this trade,” shares Manoj, son of Kumar. Rayar’s Mess is a family-run business and has seen four generations taking over the line of work. “My great-grandfather, Srinivasa Rao, began this eatery. We are followers of Raghavendra Swami; his followers are called Rayars. People called my great-grandfather Rayar, hence the name of the mess,” explains Manoj.
Unsure of the practices in the early days, Manoj takes CE through the operations carried out by his grandfather — the second generation at work — Padmanaban. “My grandfather was very hardworking. He took all the work upon himself, from buying vegetables in the morning to plating the dish. People were hired only to serve the plate on the table,” he shares.
Padmanaban was sincere in his work. To keep customers attracted, he experimented with the sweets on the plate. Manoj shares from his early memory, “We have been serving food only on banana leaves. Thatha (grandfather) was very moody. If he felt like having badam halwa, he served badam halwa, if he felt like kesari then customers ate kesari. There was no standardisation on the sweet menu and people enjoyed it.” He adds that the sweets were a surprise element on the menu and people looked forward to it.
It is the recipe he mastered that has been passed on through generations. “My father followed the recipes given by him. He followed the same. Now with my generation, I do most of the supervising work. Other works such as preparing food, purchasing raw materials, presenting a dish, and other errands are run by the staff,” he adds.
The mess has employed eight North Indians who are trained to be observant. Manoj explains, “Once you visit our eatery and order food, the staff members make note of your likings. Some prefer idli with chutney, some soft dosai, some crisp vadai and others like strong coffee with less sugar. The boys remember the order and when you visit again even before you say ‘strong-a oru coffee’, the staff knows it and serves accordingly.” He says that this makes the customers get homelike care which in turn results in them visiting the mess more often.
Actor Simbu orders food from Rayar’s Mess almost thrice a week, claims Manoj. “Since we customise our delivery, they crave it regularly. Veterans like MGR, have been our regular customers,” claims Manoj. Another unique quality of the mess is that it functions at fixed timing and has a fixed menu. The working hours are from 7 am to 10 am — offering idli, vadai, pongal, and coffee — and 3 pm to 8 pm in the evenings — providing varieties of dosai and bonda with coffee.
While the highest price is `65 for ghee dosai, the lowest is for idli at `15. “During my grandfather’s time, the dishes were served at half aana. The billing system was on board and balpam (chalk) now it is on a white paper,” shares Manoj. The bill is not delivered to the clients at their seats, but the customers make their bills. “The individuals approach us and list their order. Appa (father) or chithappa (uncle) note it on paper with the cost of each dish. The customers add the price and pay the bill,” he elucidates.
Rayar’s Mess is a legacy of serving quality food at a reasonable price. With time they adapted themselves. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the mess registered itself on food delivery applications and proved their motto of ‘customer first’. Standing strong at 90, they plan to expand their business to a larger space and eventually to franchises. But as of now, their focus is on attracting customers.