When Porai (Rusk) became Spicy Crunchies!!!
It was half past eight in the evening. Me and a couple of friends decided to catch up for dinner. Being the Master Planner I am, we went round and round the city before settling down at the Eden in Nungambakkam. Part of the Harrisons Hotel on the busy Nugambakkam stretch towards Chetpet, a few hundred metres from the College Road / Sterling Road junction. Gave the car to the valet, and got on to the elevator. The restaurant is on the 3rd floor, and mind you there were atleast 25-30 people waiting outside. And this is a week day. We patiently waited and were directed to our seat. We order for some soups and some Spicy Crunchies as starters. The soup was ok, but story that follows is hilarious. The spicy crunchies was nothing but our very own Porai (Rusk) with Masala Powder. I wouldn’t for my life have paid Rs. 50 for Porai. And I would never eat one ‘caus I didn’t like them all along. I always thought they were for dogs.
Move over, we asked for their Signature Curry Leaf Rice garnished with tomato curry and what turns out is “Karu Vepillai Sadam with thakkali chutney”. Huh. Give me a break. Rs. 150. Huh!!!! I could have bought 10 packets of Curry Leaf powder at the Ambika Appalam store and that tastes better. Another one was the peppered Sevai / Idiappam (something like a noodle) which I didn’t have the courage to order.
I don’t know why are we fooling ourselves by giving fashionable names even to our native food stuff? I agree you need to explain what the dish is but don’t make make it such a farse.
But let me be fair to Eden, the food was not bad at all.
LOL :-)
Once,i picked a packet which read “Indian string hoppers” at a supermarket here,and that turned out to be idiyappam.It dis cost my wallet !:-(
Vin, Eden food is very good. Infact I had dinner at eden in harrisons last saturday and on sunday at eden in besant nagar :o)
I heard from my friend whom i went with abt the spicy crunchies and avoided that. Instead we ordered corn on toast and was a disaster as well. the bharwan paneer was very good and different. I infact tried the ‘Peppered Idiappam’ thing and really really enjoyed it. There is also this vegetable risotto was very very good. The desserts menu looked impressive as well but with having eaten a lot of stuff, i just admired at it…burp!
String hoppers is a pretty common name for idiyappam in Sri Lanka.
i just read the experience by vinod.,the same thing i faced myself., i even ate at lots of kai yenthi bhavans years ago., some of them really good for taste., i fell they were the best for the price and peace.
i didnt try this time since i heard that lots of them are not good for health b`cas of bad ingrediants they add now.
i really miss old madras.
Harrisons and the area brought back fond memories. My whole education was down college rd.. LOvely place, not to mention good old Amul billboard changing its face with current events. Absolutely witty, and creative.
I find renaming foods with their exotic or anglicized versions quite amusing. Frankly, some are very creative and it’s become a game of sorts – deciphering what the heck a dish is.
*note to self, I should stop visiting here, this just aint helping my nostalgia :( *
Porai is called VARKI at Coimbatore