Mylapore South Indian Westgate

Masala Dosa

A properly fermented, audibly crisp crepe wrapped around spiced potato masala — the benchmark dish and a reliable indicator of how well the kitchen is running that day

Paper Dosa

Tissue-thin dosa stretched to an absurd size, ghostly crisp and almost translucent — ordered for the spectacle as much as the flavor

Ghee Dosa

The same fermented crepe base finished with a generous pour of clarified butter, giving it a richer, slightly nutty finish

Idli

Pillowy steamed rice cakes with a soft, spongy interior — properly fermented batter makes all the difference, and these hold up

Medu Vada

Fried lentil donuts with a crisp shell and airy interior — best dunked in sambar until they soak through

Pongal

Slow-cooked rice and moong dal seasoned with black pepper, cumin, and ghee — a simple, deeply comforting breakfast dish

Uttapam

Thick fermented pancake topped with onions, tomatoes, and green chili — softer and more filling than a dosa, good for those who want something heartier

Sambar

The lentil and tamarind broth that accompanies nearly every dish — at a good South Indian kitchen it's aromatic and complex, and here it earns its central role

Filter Coffee

Strong South Indian coffee brewed with chicory, served hot in a traditional metal tumbler and davara — do not skip this

Banana Leaf Meal

Weekend-only full Tamil Nadu spread on a banana leaf — rice, multiple curries, rasam, kootu, papadum — the best way to understand what the kitchen is about