Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant @ Chennai

The first thing we do the day we land in Chennai is - head to Sangeetha for breakfast. It is a ritual we have religiously followed. We can't wait to relish piping hot pongal, vada, sambar, chutney and poori, while sitting at a table on the sidewalk. They now have branches in the UK and other countries.

It is a vegetarian fast food restaurant, more popular for breakfast. It is one of the few restaurants that has maintained the ancientness. Stainless steel jugs, plates (covered with plantain leaves), tumblers and cups, uniformed waiters, the same old tables and chairs and the same fabulous food! Nothing has changed.

Just a five minute drive from home, we reached there at 7: 00 am, and sat at a table on the sidewalk. The waiter came by.

A: "Menu irukka?" (Do you have a menu?)

Waiter: "Sambar vada, pongal vada, masala dosa, ghee roast, uttapam, rava dosa, onion rava,.............."

Me: "Poori irukka?" (Do you have poori?)

Waiter (noding): "Irukku."( Yes. It's there.)

Me (to A): "I'll have a poori."

A (to Waiter): "Oru Poori, Oru pongal vada." (One poori, one pongal vada)

Waiter: "Approm?" (What else?)

A: "Avalodhan" (That's it for now.)

Steaming hot Poori and Pongal arrived within 10 minutes. The Poori came with two smallish sized bowls of  different tasting Potato gravy - Potatoes cooked with onions and green chillies with turmeric and other spices. Excellent!

And, the Pongal was smothered in a generous portion of ghee :) It came with Sambar and chutneys (usually unlimited, but was sufficient for the amount of pongal and vada it came with) - Tomato garlic chutney, cilantro chutney and coconut chutney. All very fresh and as tasty as homemade.The Vada was very crispy and inviting.

We reminded ourselves of the calories that will be consumed later in the day and in the days to come, and forced ourselves to leave the restaurant before being seized by an insatiable urge to order something else off the menu. An excellent place for south Indian breakfast!