Just a few days ago, one of Hyderabad’s favourite South Indian restaurants, Simply South, started a new breakfast menu. We visited the outlet for a weekend tasting session and were joined by the place’s cofounder Jagan Mohan who shared what went into the making of this menu. As we sipped on our piping hot filter coffee, which was frothy and creamy, he said, “There are so many breakfast places in the city. But, how many of them serve an authentic South Indian breakfast without any fusion? That was when we decided to start this menu, with recipes — we find back home.”
First up we picked the Ghee Karam Idly — two soft and fluffy idlis came drizzled with ghee and kaaram podi and had a pillowy texture. The spicy podi was so flavourful that we didn’t need any chutney to pair it with. The Rava Dosa that came with freshly chopped onions and green chilly bits was crisp and the sambar served alongside was a perfect accompaniment. The sambar was cooked with loads of tomatoes and thankfully didn’t have any hints of sweetness.
The menu also had vadas and we were initially skeptical to try them as it is mostly dense in most breakfast places in the city. But to our delight, this plate of vadas was loaded with onions, green chillies, and coriander leaves. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, they paired well with the chutneys. Speaking of chutneys, the restaurant serves four varieties with every breakfast dish you order. Amongst the tomato, groundnut, coconut, and ginger chutneys, it was the tomato one that stood out for us. Spicy, tangy, and full of flavour, we went for seconds.
Finally, we sampled their signature MLA Pesarattu. The crispy and savoury crêpes had a hint of mild sourness, which we loved. The pesarattu was also topped with a scoop of upma — an ideal combination we thought!
Rs 600 for two. At Film Nagar.
— bsuchitra@newindianexpress.com