In the second edition of the T5E Food Crawls, we venture even closer than before. A quick peep right outside Taramani Gate will amaze you with its plethora of tiny gems. Among the important settlements of Chennai’s rising IT regions, Taramani is often known for its expensive restaurants and swanky food courts, but as our foray suggests, there are other sights that await you too.
The little shops here serve different purposes (some open just for breakfast and others just around dinner, while a few just provide early morning munchies).
Scattered amongst three narrow lanes right outside insti’s Taramani gate, pin pointing locations is a task that’s hardly made easy by some food-sellers…
Nevertheless, here is our attempt to list out Taramani’s Top Five (in no particular order):
#1. A Lunch Home
Location: On the road right outside T gate. Turn left and walk a little further down to find this to your right.
With cutlets doused in spicy chutneys and fairly decent chaat items served on foam plates, the place is excellent for a quick bite. Though the gobi paratha is perhaps not quite the best, everything else is quite lovely and the twin gulab jamuns served for a mere Rs 15 make the walk down completely worth your time.
#2. Cool Cakes
Location: On the road right outside T gate. Turn left and walk a little further down to find this to your right.
Hard experience has taught us that though most ‘pottikadai’ cakes look pretty delectable within their transparent glass display cases, this illusion only lasts until you taste them. Cool Cakes is the happy exception to that rule with its truly creamy confections. While I especially recommend the chocolate, do be warned that the place is hardly ever open before 5:00pm.
#3. Hotel Amutha
Location: Turn left outside T gate, walk further down until the road ends. Turn left there and walk down the wider road. Can be found to your right, approximately opposite the bus stop.
I’m perhaps not qualified to review this particular joint as it does not really have a selection appreciated by vegetarians. But my carnivorous tasters (thank you, Zarin) assure me that Amutha serves the best kotthu barotta within a wide radius of campus.
#4. Chinthamani Snacks
Location: Turn left outside T gate, walk further down until the road ends. Turn right, there and walk down the wider road. Can be found almost immediately to your right.
Post 4:00 pm, this snack stall serves hot bondas, vadas and bajjis, priced between Rs. 5 and Rs. 10. The molaga bajji is especially worth a try if you like the challenge, but don’t want to burn down your oesophagus.
#5. Dreams Nest
Location: Turn left outside T gate, walk further down until the road ends. Turn right there and walk down the wider road. Can be found to your left.
With an array of tasty biscuits and well-made omelettes, Dreams Nest is a comforting haunt post a night out or right after class. The must-try item here however is the Ginger Tea.
Parting warning, before I conclude — if you want to get juices, flavoured milk or milkshakes, please just stick to Guru.
(Special thanks to Ajil, Amritha and Zarin, my incredibly awesome tasters who turned up the second I promised them free food.)
