Chennai's finest - MIK

It is probably quite appropriate that the first eat-out place to be featured here is the Agmark Chennai place - Murugan Idli Kadai. In my list, it would be right at the top of must-visit places in Chennai apart from the Marina.


As a typical South Indian who relishes his idlis at home, trying idlis at hotels can be a pain. In the name of standardisation and mass production, they seem to require idlis to be either rock-solid or dry, if not both. MIK is one place where I've never experienced either. As per our self-imposed rule, a meal at MIK always begins with two idlis dipped in that sambhar surrounded with a range of chutneys to pick from. The chutneys deserve special mention. To actually see four varieties of chutneys vying for your attention while you're at those two idlis is such a thrill! My choice for the next item usually oscillates between masala dosai and pongal. I'm not too great a fan of the Masala Dosai; but that might not be specific to MIK. I've never really appreciated the concept of having an aaloo curry stuffed in the middle of a long dosa. To even out the masala per dosa usage, one has to desecrate the dosa starting from the middle leading to such an ugly mess! Name one other contiguous piece of food that you start eating right at the middle and I'll swear to not swear at MD anymore. Seriously, why cant the masala just be served as a separate side-dish, like when served with poori? Getting back to MIK, the pongal is always great, though its availability is sometimes an issue. MIK does a good job of providing a consistently sized vadai every single time. But the vadai can become a torture if you leave it for the end of your meal. Vadais demand your respect. You make them wait; and they strike right back at you by becoming so dry that you wonder why you would have ordered such an item. And then you make a mental note to not mete such treatment to any more members of the vadai family all your life. But at MIK, the occasional rebellious vadai and the ever-confusing masala dosa cannot stop you from coming out with a sense of complete satisfaction. MIK's filter coffee is among the best - especially for those who cannot make it to Sarada Colony, Bangalore everytime you want real-good coffee :)

Apart from the actual food items, MIK always promises quick service. Of late, though, the service level at the GN Road branch has been falling. But the overall package is definitely more than worth it. One drawback at MIK is that they do not provide any non-rice items like upma etc. But what they do provide, they provide the best!

So the next time you're thirsting for a delightful replica of South Indian home food, head out to the nearest MIK. We frequent the branches at Usman Road and GN Road, but there are more in the city.

For starters

It feels good to be in your twenties. That is the stage when your friends get married one by one and you get free good food (and lots of it at that). But well, life is not always that simple. While waiting for the next friend's wedding, there is a lot of eating out that happens. This blog shall serve as an avenue for two Chennai-based boys to give gyaan on the places they eat out at.