When you think about a food trip to Chennai, you may just think about the tons of idli, dosa and uttapam varieties you would eat {because, stereotype}. As much as we love these dishes there’s also plenty of other local delights that one cannot miss. So the next time you are flying {which should be soon} bookmark this recommendation because you have to try the other good stuff that this beautiful city has to offer.
Not Just Idlis & Dosas: Try These Other Awesome Local Dishes In Chennai
Pongal
We are talking about the famous breakfast staple and not the festival here. Pongal is either sweet or savoury and tbh we love both. But for breakfast, nothing beats a good serving of the savoury one {also known as venn pongal} with a dollop of ghee and spicy chutney. If you are on the hunt to find pongal in Chennai and without spending a bomb Rayar Mess is one option we swear by.
Murukku Sandwich
We’ve all had murukku the usual way, just like that with some tea or coffee. But have you tried something a little more offbeat? No, why would you? It is just so awesome on its own. But then you introduce this to the regular Bombay-style sandwiches where you replace the humble bread slices with murukku and you have bite-sized crunch bombs. Head to Sowcarpet for this and more.
Mulligatawny Soup
A British take on rasam, this soup literally translates to pepper water. Made with coconut, carrots, apples and chicken, this is a kind of soup that warms the soul. The soup is generally served with some rice and is available at many street corners in Chennai.
Sundal
The simplest dish on this list, Sundal is nothing but a mix of boiled chickpeas, grated coconut, raw mangoes and curry leaves tempered to perfection. They remind us of walks on Marina or Besant Nagar beach – is there anything more perfect that a cool breeze, sandy toes, fresh coconut water and a heap of Sundal? We can’t thing of anything better.
Atho
When Tamilian refugees came to Chennai from Myanmar, they brought some amazing food with them. One of those dishes is Atho, a noodle salad with cabbage, onions, tamarind, chilli powder and lemon juice and then hand-tossed in garlic oil. It might not look like #foodporn but it is epic in the flavour department. Get your hands on the best Atho at Burma Bazaar.
We got you drooling, haven’t we? Writing this recommendation has convinced us to book our tickets to Chennai {if you’re not from this gorgeous city already} this weekend and you should join us too! Awesome food awaits, and the travel plans are equally awesome too. And there’s nothing better than flying Vistara! You can fly premium economy, get gourmet meals, there’s Starbucks coffee in business class & premium economy, priority handling and more. Our flight to Chennai will be nothing short of perfection. See you there?
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