Inside the narrow Pandia Vellalar Street, where people, vehicles and stray animals constantly jostle for space, the 37-year-old Ayyappan Tiffin Home, which is like a pigeon hole, manages to provide space to its customers. Mindless of the mishmash on the street, portly men squat on the platform and focus on eating the steaming hot crispy dosas. It’s almost like they have an intimate romance with the food on plate. This is how Madurai feasts in the dead of night!
The city is hailed as the food capital of the State with hundreds of eateries thriving its streets for Centuries. Though star hotels and niche restaurants have also mushroomed in the Temple Town, true-blue Maduraiites never miss to pause and have a bite by the footpath.
What makes these street-side stalls tick in the age of gourmet eating?
“Apart from the taste and quality that suits the pocket, the personal rapport I share with the customers keeps the business going,” says A. Karthikeyan of Ayyappan Tiffin Home. “The food we serve is as good as mother’s cooking at home and I also have the liberty to experiment as there are no set formulae for recipes. Everyday I whip up a new flavour.”
Karthikeyan who started off with just two basic varieties of dosa, now offers over 40 different types from tangy garlic or spicy mushroom stuffing to sugar glazed sweet dosas. “The next time you come, you may get ‘desi pizzas’ (cheese and chocolate dosas),” smiles Karthikeyan.
“I never skip a visit to the eatery during my trips to Madurai,” says M.S.P. Senthi Kumar, a businessman from Virudhunagar. “The variety they offer is unmatched,” he says. Ayyappan Tiffin Home is patronised by customers from all over the world now, as foreign tourists also include it in their itinerary now. The eatery has found mention in the New York Wall Street Journal as well.
Madurai’s street-side eateries are synonymous with the ubiquitous idli shops and parotta stalls that dot the town. After sundown, idli counters spring up along the streets. They have been part of the city’s culinary culture. “Idli is the comfort food for many and the simple pleasure of eating it is unmatched,” says Meena, who runs a makeshift idli stall on the West Masi Street. “I experiment with the chutneys so that customers get something new daily.” For instance, she adds dried red chillis instead of the green ones in coconut chutney and sometimes an extra dose of porikadalai gives a unique taste and flavour.
Food buffs don’t mind trading comfort for taste and feel of eating at a street-side stall. The kitchen is out in the open and one can see what goes into the making of the food and it’s served hot and fresh off the stove. One also doesn’t have to wait for long.
Though roadside eateries serve the staple varieties, each of them has an USP. Burma Idiyappa Kadai specialises in delicate idiyappams while Arumugam Evening Mutton Stall is known for its Elumbu roast and a slew of spicy gravies. Simmakal Rajeswari eatery is a sought after destination for its Vengaya Kudal and Konar Kadai attracts foodies from far and wide with its kari dosai . They are living examples of how exclusivity is very much a part of Madurai’s street cuisine. Though some of these have now upgraded into new-age restaurants, they still retain the earthy identity of typical street stalls.
Roadside eateries have been one of the main reasons for Madurai getting the tag of Thoonganagaram (the city that never sleeps)! Many food lovers and stall owners rue that the 24x7 nature of these eateries is gradually dying. The restriction after midnight has cost not just the business but the very spirit of the city. Traders who flock the town in the wee hours suggest that the eateries may at least be allowed to function at vantage points like the bus stands, railways station and the main markets to keep the glory intact.
