We actually had breakfast like a king at Murugan Idli Shop! A superb place to have breakfast if you are in Chennai!
We had breakfast like a king when we were in Chennai, particularly when we went to Murugan Idli Shop. Chennai, according to me, is the land of idly dosa specially when one compares it to what you get in Bangalore.
I love Bangalore, but let’s face it. The sambhar here sucks (apologies to those who love it). When I eat here, I look for places which serve Chennai kind of sambhar. So, for me, the trip to Chennai, apart from the usual relatives and friends meeting is the trip to gorge on idli, dosa and tons of sambhar.
The minute we started planning for a Chennai trip my mind starts parallel planning as to when can I go to Murugan Idli Shop and if I can squeeze more than one visit there.
I was in Chennai for 3 days and had 2 mornings for breakfast and in my mind had planned it for both the days 😉 Unfortunately, the first day didn’t happen as we went to the beach at 5am in the morning and were really hungry at 7am. But the shop opens only at 8, so that day we had our breakfast at Hot Chips which is not too bad in itself but really can’t be compared to the Murugan Idli Shop.
So, the next day morning promptly at 9am, 4 hungry souls reached the shop and after a little wait, grabbed a seat. I say grabbed a seat because that’s what we literally did. N saw one table with banana leaves folded and declared this is where we have to sit and we all promptly plonked ourselves there. After 2 minutes came a family who had just finished eating and gone to wash their hands, had ordered coffee too, it was a totally facepalm moment I tell you. Luckily, they were nice people and said they didn’t want the coffee anyway and went off without us having to get up and stand in the waiting queue which was beginning to form outside.
We started with the customary idli wada, sambhar and various chutneys.
And if I say they are best idlies I have ever eaten in my life. Trust me, there is no exaggeration involved and this when the idlies in my house are pretty soft. But these are just melt in your mouth kind of idlies, but let me warn you addictive very addictive. Like N says that you keep on eating them because one gets over before you even realise. The vada is crisp with little bit of chilli and pepper in between, just as it should be.
The four chutneys that they were finger licking yum, the sambhar perfect tamil sambhar just rightly spiced but if you ask me for the star of the accompaniments, then it is the podi that is served with gingelly oil, spicy smooth and totally different from what one usually gets as a podi everywhere. I wonder if he would have given me the recipe if I asked. I have been dreaming about it ever since.
If you ask me, I could go on and on eating the idlies if not for the other things on the menu. The yummy all time favorite of everyone, the masala dosa.
We also eat a plate of pongal and two plates of paniyarams between the 3.5 of us but we were in such a hurry to eat that we forgot to click pictures of them. Also, I was afraid that one of the other two will actually hit me if I don’t let me eat and keep clicking pics 😛 With a satisfied and very very full stomach we ordered the brilliant tasting filter coffee and not to be missed at any cost chakra pongal (the sweet jaggery pongal) and that could have been the only way to finish the super awesome breakfast that we had.
If you are in Chennai, this is certainly a place you should not miss at any cost. I guarantee you the breakfast you will always remember 🙂
And dear Deej, this post is for you darling. Not just one dosa, I eat many things in your name :P.
You beauty! You made Murugan Idli come alive for me and bless you for that!
Your menu list tallies perfectly with what I end up gorging whenever I land up there, which is every time I go to the beach. As my folks live 5 mins away from the Beach, that is at least once a week. Drool worthy eh? Breakfast like Kings indeed!
Oh Monika… this is just heavenly.
I need to have lots of masala dosas now…craving alert !!
I am drooling here looking at the breakfast platter…have been umpteen times to chennai but never visited murugan idly shop…don;t know which era have I been living. Next time this is going to be first stop for me in chennai.
We were in Chennai for almost 9 months in 2006-7 & lived v close to Besant Nagar beach & ofcourse Murugan Idli Shop was our fav fav place to eat.
I’ve said this to a lot of ppl Monika, that Chennai sambhar is much much better than the Blr one.
Your post took me back to such wonderful memories I have of Chennai….pre-baby days, beaches…..
btw, have to been to Rangoli in T-Nagar?
WOW !! Such yummylicious pics. 🙂 Certainly Chennai sambar is better than Blore or Hyd – even I am not so fond of those sambars, when compared to the Chennai ones.
Gud u ate at Murugan Idly – the best bfast shop in town. 🙂
🙂 oh this is the 4-5 time I am eating there I make sure I never miss it when I am chennai 🙂
see so many people agree abt the sambhar 🙂 glad u enjoyed the post
rangoli is good? must visit it next time I am in chennai
please do raji I can assure u will not be disappointed
You made me crave for vada sambhar and idli, and it is just 11 in the morning. I’m gonna make them for dinner
u know i live at madras…but not been here !! good post 🙂 happy to have found your blog !
wow wow! im drooling! I LOVE the onion oothappam there. Dont know if they serve it for breakfast. But I ll sell my soul for those awesome crispy crisp oothappams. And Im not even that big a oothappam fan, mind you! nothing like it anywhere!
btw, Grand sweets sells a kick-ass ready made Idli Milagai Podi! yum!
LOL so did u make it?
u must try this place and I am sure u will love it
must try the onion othappam next time N is a big uthapam fan so I am sure he will love it
and thanks for the tip I just sent a mail to my cousin who keeps coming to blore often to bring a packet next time 😀
u at this point should give in to all cravings ok 🙂
aaaw thank u deej darling the time when u eat this is not very far now
OMG How did I miss this post!! Mmmm… the pics are making me drooool!!!!!
Its 5pm. Time to leave for work and I am hungry. All I have at home is some leftovers for dinner. And then I bloghop and land here. Why? God? Why?
Hey do try the Andhra meals in Pondy Bazaar, just opposite Big Bazaar next time, serves typical spicy andhra food.
And we love the sambar here too, my husband says he can even swim in chennai sambar. 😛