It may have a long history in Tamil Nadu, but Dindigul Thalappakatti Bangalore opened its doors only recently. Named after the founder, Nagaswamy Naidu, who always wore a sort of turban called the ‘thalappa,’ the restaurant first opened its doors back in 1957, and the secret recipe (which was actually invented by Nagaswamy’s wife), fiercely guarded by the family, is said to be followed strictly even today.
The tables were just about starting to fill up with diners from neighbouring offices, it being a weekday, as we reached the restaurant in Indira Nagar. After waiting for close to 10 minutes to hand over our car to the valet (we made a mental note to factor this in on our next visit), we were happy to settle down at a table overlooking 100 Feet Road.
Service is slow and not upto the mark, so we were a bit apprehensive but went ahead and ordered a few starters. Thankfully, the food did not disappoint. The Nattu Koli Idicha Varuval, shredded and fried jungle fowl, was spiced with fresh pepper and flavoured with a host of freshly ground spices. The meat was well cooked and the spicy notes hit the spot. We paired the dish with the Moru Morupu Parotha — a crispy and flaky roti that worked well with the chicken. The Kuchi Mutton, lamb chops, on the other hand, proved to be generic though the meat was well cooked and nicely spiced.
For mains, we asked for their famous Thalappakatti Mutton Biriyani without batting an eyelid. Served in a metal pot, the frag-rance of the rice was enough to have us waiting impatiently to tuck into it. We found that the taste lived up to the aroma. The meat too was tender and cooked to perfection. The unique flavour of the biriyani cannot be compared to any other style and can be best described as having a distinct earthy note, which we could not get enough of.
A fitting end to this meal would have been the legendary Madurai Jigarthanda, a drink made with milk, almonds, sarsaparilla or nannari root syrup and vanilla ice cream. However, it was not available on the day we visited, so we settled for the falooda.
The service might need major improvement but the food won us over thanks to the authenticity, freshness and punchy flavours.
Rs.800 for two. At Indira Nagar