If your stomach craves the fiery flavours of Madurai for lunch and your heart yearns for a taste of Tamil Nadu, teleport to Suvaii – A Pandyan Legacy in Indiranagar, Bengaluru. Teleportation, because, driving in the premature summer sun, we felt like the fremen riding a sandworm in Dune. It was a journey that had us wishing for a Jigarthanda IV drip. 

Which is exactly how we started our lunch. The jigarthanda, with its medley of milk, malai, kalpasi (black stone flower), and basundi ice cream, cooled us down and prepared us for a fiery meal that awaited us. We also had a glass of elaneer sharbat to beat the heat. Because why not?   

The décor of Suvaii might have you squinting at blurry photos depicting Madurai (like that of Meenakshi Amman Temple and Poikaal Kuthirai), but trust us, your tastebuds will be seeing just fine.

From the moment you spot the kolam designs on the ceiling, you are halfway to Madurai. Sure, those wall photos could use a Photoshop touch-up, but who needs pixel-perfect temples when there is chicken kothu parotta to be demolished? This glorious mess of shredded parotta, egg, and spicy chicken chukka is the perfect fuel for your culinary adventure.

The mutton biriyani is equally worthy of praise, with tender meat and a spice level that whispers sweet nothings instead of shouting obscenities. But the real star, the dish that had me contemplating a holiday to Madurai, was the chicken kari dosai. This three-layered dish (batter, secret recipe-plus-egg, and chicken filling), according to Suvaii’s co-founder Sathish Mahadevan, has to be eaten in a certain way for maximum relish. “Though it’s like a pizza, it shouldn’t be eaten that way. You need to crush it, mix all three layers, pour some of the curry, mash it and eat it with your fingers,” he instructs. In fact, most of the dishes on Suvaii’s menu are best eaten with hands.   

Thankfully, Suvaii understands the importance of a sweet landing after a spice flight. The elaneer payasam? Let us just say it proves that not all payasams are created equal. This smooth, creamy concoction is a sweet tooth’s dream.

Speaking of sweet, the carrot halwa deserves its own standing ovation. Forget sickly-sweet sugar bombs – this version relies on the natural goodness of honey, dates, and a generous dose of ghee. It is so good that you might consider licking the bowl (do not worry, we will not judge).

Service at Suvaii is as warm as a Chennai afternoon (okay, maybe a slightly less humid). The friendly, all-Tamil staff are happy to guide you through the menu and even offer insights into the secret ingredients. Plus, a revamped menu with detailed descriptions is on the way, ensuring future orders are even more informed (and delicious).

Sure, the ambience could use a little polish, and the AR Rahman instrumental music, albeit pleasant to the ears, made us feel like we were at a Tamil wedding reception. But when the food is this authentic and flavourful, you will happily overlook a few blurry photos and incongruous music. Even the mouth fresheners have a local touch. Thankfully, it is not sugar-coated saunf again! You have a variety: vethala-paaku with paneer sunnambu (betel leaf and nut with rosewater limestone), paaku mittaai (a paan-flavoured candy), orange mittaai, lemon mittaai, kamarakattu, and more.  

For anyone craving a true taste of Madurai cuisine without the plane ticket, Suvaii – A Pandyan Legacy delivers in a big, moderately-priced way.

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