Thread by @MumbaiCentral

So many people come to Chennai and want to do things or eat good food and some helpful bloke tags me but I don't end up seeing it in time. So I'm going to be pretentious and set up a thread on what's good in the city IMHO, for ready reference.

Disclaimers: None of these are 'paid' tweets, I'm no food writer, please don't quote tweet and tag restaurants or brands it just makes everything super awkward.

Also I'm sorry if you disagree with me, but again, this may not be the best of Chennai list but its what I like. Make your own thread. Mute this one. Boo.

Okay, so people want to have great idlis in Madras. Outside of @chenthil_nathan's home the best idlis are at Kozhi Idly. They have branches in Royapettah Gandhinagar and Anna Nagar. Kozhi means chicken. The side dishes are excellent. Vegetarians, poondu kozhambu is your salvation

Dosas - am partial to the Sangeethas (Velachery, Adyar). The ghee dosas are the bomb. They are just the level of crisp that I like.

Pongal - Sangeetha again does a good one, but ID is very very good as well. Sadly its not as good as it used to be BUT if you wake up at 10am probably only place in the city that'll serve you pongal with just fried vadai.

One of the best breakfasts in the city is Hotel Topsee in Adyar. They have great egg appams and mutton curry and flaky parottas. And their tea was 15 bucks last time I checked. Fabulous.

If you want a western breakfast, probably the cafe at Chamiers is a good bet. Variety of pancakes, eggy things, and bacon. They'll even serve just a plate of bacon.

Special mention to the French Toast at the Brew Room again served with real bacon (not chicken bacon). They also do a decent eggs Benedict and customize it for #keto eaters.

If you want an all you can eat binge breakfast all signs point to heading down the ECR to Gossip Fusion Bistro. Saturdays and Sundays. Since you're already that far, here's something for you to do...

Crocodile Bank! Croc B is AMAZE the number of crocodiles will blow your mind. If you have a disability you can call them in advance for their accessible vehicle to take you around. Don't miss the snake venom extraction. Its wild.

Sweets - not the biggest fan of TN sweets as available in Chennai but I have to admit a soft sweet spot (heheh) for mysurpa. Sri Krishna Sweets, also available at the airport, has a badam mysurpa using almond flour instead of besan. Its crazy good. And keto! (LOL no it isn't)

Coffee - first of all, theres more Tea to be had than coffee in Chennai. Don't be surprised if a 'tea coffee' stall serves up instant coffee + milk to you, you deserve this for being presumptuous.

My personal pick for filter coffee outside of home is Vishranthi, in besantnagar. Adyar Ananda Bhavan isn't bad either. I do not apologize for buying filter coffee powder online FROM BANGALORE.

If you want good espressos and the like, I point you in the direction of Pumpkin Tales Alwarpet. Nice and smooth coffee they do.

Tea - honestly it took me a while to get on board with tea in Madras. My favourite currently is Lovely Bakes at Vannanthurai bus stop. For "chai" with ginger, masala etc. I can't recommend Chai Galli in Besantnagar enough.

Right, now to the good stuff. Chennai LOVES its biryani. There are a number of varieties and its all very hotly debated. Again, this is what I can vouch for: Daawat, Adyar: not the nicest place to dine in but their mutton biryani and their kathrika (brinjal spicy side dish) is 👌

Hajeeras kitchen Muslim Wedding style biryani is excellent. But the requirement of min half kilo ordering a day in advance etc etc is tough sometimes. But if you can, please try it.

For the Dindigul mutton Biryani aficionados I liked Maplai's (ECR, Nungambakkam) better than Dindigul Thalapakatti Biryani. And DTB is pretty good, though I can never understand that dalcha that comes along with it.

Maplai's Ambur Chicken Biryani is also amazing. Avoid the Star Biryanis in Chennai. The biryani there tastes of deception.

I like the Kappa (Tapioca) Biryani at Kuttanad. But fellow moolah biryani fana do not order the regular biryani there, it has pineapple essence and will make you weep. Please send mallu biryani reccos my way. Thanks in advance.

The thing to have at DTB is Nenjucurry Chops Kuzhambu. Its mostly never available. I cold call them randomly to see if its available and if it is, it is on. Fatty soft chops in this thick gravy with fennel jeera and pepper. That + parottas is heaven.

Madurai Arulanandam in the heart of T Nagar doesn't look like much but their mutton chukka is one of the most astounding dishes to be found in this fine city. Its also quite unlike the mutton chukkas you find elsewhere. Worth going through TNagar chaos.

Another one dish wonder is Amma Chettinadu on Giri Road, T Nagar: the crab curry. If they don't have it, just leave. If they do, say a prayer to MGR and prepare to ugly cry.

More seafood reccos: The Marina, College Road. Its expensive, but possibly the best seafood in the city. For all its coastal charm restaurants tend to stick to seerfish-anchovies-prawns, if not basa. Marina displays its fresh catch of the day and invites you to pay per weight

Its a brilliant variety of fish you don't even see in the markets. And the range of preparations they have to offer suits all tastes and spice levels. Please leave your non fish eating friends behind for this one.

Good seafood also at Swiss Hutte, opp Apollo Hospital. They make a fabulous Sri Lankan crab curry and their prawns piripiri and calamari are also great. Actually most things there are great. And its a gorgeous place, and Joe and Lincoln really are sweet.

Lots of shout outs for Junior Kupanna. Great brain fry, kaima, and chicken pallipalayam. Their veechu parotta and nice dosais are legendary. Don't judge, but they also make a good butter chicken! The cold payasam is a good finish. The TNagar flagship branch is the best.

Speaking of butter chicken, Gerrys at Velachery, famous for pork and beef specials, does a butter pork. Yes. Pork in a makhani sauce. I ordered it with a sense of wonder and horror. Its amazing. As is their roasted garlic pork. And syrian beef.

Beef beef beef beef its legal in this State

Best steak is still probably Basil with Twist, T Nagar. This restaurant also has this delicious Pesto Tempura Broccoli for the vegetarians. Its also ridiculously child friendly. The mousse la chocolate is easily among the top 5 desserts in the city.

Burgers - this is tough. *deep breath* I'm going to go with Sitcom. The bread doesn't survive the philly cheese steak, the others do well. The butter burger is dirty, in the best way imaginable. If you want something healthy you probably shouldn't be eating a burger.

We need to talk about the Sandy's enterprise. The Teynampet branch has incorporated the menu of the late Chop (RIP) which is great because the steak, burger and pork belly there are terrific. And don't forget, it's a chocolate laboratory.

But Sandy's also runs the Broken Bridge Cafe. It has a 3.2 rating on Zomato which is absurd. I've written a detailed review here zoma.to/review/33132803 Thayir Saadam fritters. Spiced up chicken liver pate. And I think best Tiramisu I've had yet. AND THEY SERVE BOOZE.

(Drinking at places where you can hear yourself think and see clearly is quite tough to come by in this city.)

ANDHRA MEALS!!! ANDHRA MEALS!!! Keepin it real, there's nothing better, for veg and non veg alike. There's a place behind IIT (forget the name but its on the first floor) and its really good and cheap. If you want to posh it up, Mana Andhra, just thinking about it makes me go

JM White Pork Shop, Valsaravakkam, sells raw pork but also serves up this amazing amazing roasted pork, and pork pepper fry. Its a short share auto from Vadapalani bus stand.

If you are in Valsaravakkam but pork isn't your scene, Skewered has a fierce Kebab game going. Definitely worth the trip if you aren't usually that side of town.

The beef stall just ahead of the Nilgiris near the Besantnagar Church has this soft fatty beef fry served with the flakiest porottas. Look for the Ambedkar photo, you can't miss it.

Still thinking about a meal I had with friends last week at the new Savya Rasa in Kotturpuram. The menu is incredible. You want to plan your next visit as soon as your finish ordering. Can't wait to go again.