The Tamil breakfast Chennai loves, now faster than ever

Chennai has been filling up with Udupi-style cafes for a while now. M Idli Quickaa just reminded the city what a proper Tamil breakfast actually feels like.

The breakfast upgrade Chennai has been waiting for

Murugan Idli Kadai’s first foray into quick-service dining is designed for the early hours: for the people coming off their morning walk, fresh from a game, needing something real before the day properly begins. Healthy drinks for those who want to start clean, Murungai soup for those who need something warm and restorative, and then the full idli repertoire for everyone else.

We started with the murungai soup. Rich, savoury, the drumstick flavour clear and present without being medicinal. The response from everyone who tried it was unequivocal. The kitchen was only supposed to offer it at breakfast but demand was loud enough and immediate enough that it has since been extended through the day and into other branches. That kind of popular pressure is its own form of review.

Then came the podi idlis and this is where M Idli Quickaa shows exactly what it is doing. The Curry leaf podi idli arrives coated in curry leaf powder, the idli itself soft and giving, the aroma filling the space around the plate before you have even picked up a spoon. Several chutneys and sambar come alongside it, generous and well made. We barely touched them. The idlis did not need them. The Garlic ghee podi idli is the one that did something to us emotionally, and we say that without embarrassment. Soft idli, garlic, ghee, podi powder: it smells exactly like the thing you throw together at home when you are starving and there is nothing else.

The Ghee podi onion uttapam uses small shallots, which means it punches. Crispy throughout, spicy, the onion present and unsubtle. It is strong and wakes you up properly. The Paneer butter dosa is where the menu surprises you: a hearty dosa with a subtly seasoned paneer butter masala that is restrained enough to let the dosa do its work and rich enough to make you want to come back for this one specifically. New favourite, immediately.

We ended with sundal because health comes first, and coffee because there is always a reason for coffee, and then a Bun butter jam because no meal should end without something sweet.

Meal for two: Rs 400+. From 7 am to 11 pm. At M Idli Quickaa, Mogappair.

Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya

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