Intorduction

HERE'S A restaurant that I'll go back to again and again. Hopefully, Shanta Kumar will be there to guide me through the menu, each time. This is his favourite restaurant; he comes here regularly with his friends and sometimes with his family of Indu, Manju and Maithili. I believe that it's always a good idea to get a local person to guide you to their haunt of choice, because that way I will not only sniff out the authentic eateries but also eat the dishes of choice there.

So, here we are then in Vijay Kumar Reddy's showcase of authentic Chettinad food "Kaaraikudi". I enjoy it all...from the old-world high-ceilinged look, to the patterned lotus floor tiles to the wooden pillars and partitions (brought in from Kaaraikudi).

What a variety of reasonably priced Chettinad food there is...from the superb, spicy and deep fried chicken 65 (Rs.90) to the flavoursome mutton chukka fry (Rs.90), brain (Rs.70), kidney/liver (Rs.70), fish kuzhambu (Rs.65) and crab masala (Rs.70) too. At dinner, you can try their appams, idiappams and dosas. Vegetarians have a good choice too, from cauliflower specials (Rs. 48) to the delicious vellai poondu kozhambu (Rs. 48). We nibble the afternoon away and wind up with the silken honey and fig ice cream. The service is swift and courteous and every now and then the waiters come and chat with Shanta Kumar. I am told that this is the restaurant, which is on every dignitary's map when he or she visits Chennai. Actors Ajith and Vijay enjoy it too. To Vijay Kumar Reddy also goes the credit of setting up the Chinese "Shogun", The Goan "Coastline", and the Punjabi "Dhaba." But right now, it is this Chettinad food eatery, which I am enjoying and will come back to this 'value for money' Chettinad food and hope to meet Shanta Kumar here again! 'Karaikudi' on Radhakrishnan Salai call be reached at 28111893 / 28111128 / 28110553. Home delivery within four kms for a minimum order of Rs.300. Open 11.30 to 3.30p.m. and 7p.m. to midnight.

THANKS a million for your calls, messages and e-mails. Love to receive them and can only apologise for not being able to print all of them immediately. Please do keep calling and emailing and do keep smiling!

(Rashmi Uday Singh is a food reporter,critic and author for 21 years. Food and health are her passions. Her path-breaking TV serials "Health Today",nationally best-selling " Good Food Guides " the "Good Food Gallerie" and the Good Food Academy are a part of her continuing and pioneering effort to make the world a more delicious and happy place. It is not her policy to accept free meals or anything that will compromise objective food reviews.)

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RASHMI UDAY SINGH

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