Simply South is one of the most honest names in the
business. It has a simple, home cooked fare kind of image that’s as South
Indian as you can be without becoming Srilankan
The last year when they opened their Gachibowli outlet, it
was an occasion to relaunch a whole new menu. Feedback had been received. The
location psychographics had been taken into account. And so on.
And Chef Chalapathi Rao’s magic touch has ensured that in a
hardcore liquor thirsty environment Simply South has stuck to its guns of being
a Food Only place and the people have accepted it as a prime example of where
to go when you are hungry for authentic South Indian cuisine.
Of course, a lot of the regulars have been carrying their
personal Spice Meters and napkins to wipe of the sweat.
But when the time came for a relook at the menu, it looks
like there was nothing really that didn’t deserve to stay on. So El Jefe, the
Chief, the Chef decided…Simply of course…to just expand the menu. To add a
couple of dishes that would enhance the South Indian experience at the
restaurant and not meddle with the basics.
And quite honestly, that to me is a sign that the restaurant
has truly arrived and is here to stay. Simply South now has a base that
audiences have accepted and indeed loved enough not to demand even the
slightest bit of tinker.
So what did the expansion include?
For starters they reached out to the heart of Karnataka and
discovered Maddur Vadas. Those of you who are regulars on the Bangalore Mysore
stretch know that Maddur is a town between the two cities that is home to this
iconic snack.
The Andhra palate was satiated by Alasandala Vadas. Just as
the Hyderabadi touch was added by the inclusion of Tala hua Gosht.
Getting down to business, the Chef played chicken with
Telangana and introduced an earthy Kodi Koora (Chicken Curry).
Ok. Let me salivate for a moment. I can still smell the flavor
of the Ambada Kheema. While Ambada Mutton is commonplace, the kheema variant
was a new delicacy that I was trying. And at the cost of irking my wife (who
always tells me not to over eat) I mst confess that I had several helpings of
this delicious variant. And while I ate it with Phulkas (yes, Simply South
makes these too, and very well indeed) I have no doubt that it will go well
with parathas, pooris or rice.
The appams were served with something they called Allepey
Prawn Curry…and it was a fight. Would I soak up the lovely yummy gravy first or
would the appams?
The sweet ending to the delicious meal was a quadraphonic array
that included a ‘parpu pradhanam’ and a very different Qubani ka Meetha. And if
I know my Hyderabad, this is the freshest Qubani you can get anywhere in town.
Every dinner normally ends with a signature and last night
was no different. And we laced our good nights and goodbyes with loud screams
of Filter Coffee Zindabad.
I mean Seriously…can anything South not have a simple filter flavour?
