What better place to sample some delicious Chettinad cuisine than Chennai? Hence, it’s little wonder, that the city is dotted with several restaurants serving delicacies from this southern city of Tamil Nadu, famed for fiery, spice-rich dishes.

What makes Chettinad cuisine a hot favourite in the city is that most dishes have a distinct palate-trying taste, thanks to the generous amounts of peppercorn, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, nutmeg, green and red chillies used, not to mention a liberal dousing with oil and ghee.

Some of the popular and reasonably-priced Chettinad establishments in the city include Anjappar (Nungambakkam High Road), Ponnuswamy and Aachi (Egmore). Typical Chettinad dishes would be mutton sukka varuval, chicken varutha curry, prawn masala, and roast chicken. If you have an appetite for the unusual, then do try the sheep’s head and goat’s trotters. Rabbit and pigeon meats are easily available here, along with the usual liver, kidney and brain dishes.

Anjappar’s signature dishes are clearly their brain-fried masala, and spicy biryani, including the excellent nandu rasam. Similarly, the roast Madurai fried chicken and manchatti curry kuzumbu at Aachi’s are to die for. Ponnuswamy is well-known for its mutton pepper fry and chicken biryani.

Kaaraikudi at Mylapore is yet another popular haunt for many, despite it being slightly more up-market. Their egg appams, Chettinad nandu varuval and white garlic kuzumbu are excellent, and so are the vegetarian counterparts that include vathal kuzhambu and vaalaipoo vadai. Midnight Express at Alwarpet is another place worth checking out for in the city.

Seeking a no-frills restaurant? Then look no further than Hotel Kurinchi. Easy-on-the wallet and a fantastic fare make this a popular haunt with the Kollywood fraternity as well. And for those with slightly deeper pockets, there is the Rain Tree (Binny Road).

Despite having a good vegetarian fare, Chettinad cuisine can be quite easily considered as meat-eaters haven!

Go on, what are you waiting for?