From Madurai with Flavour: Kullappa Mess makes a tasty mark in Chennai’s T Nagar

CHENNAI: Amid the honking noise of vehicles and bustling vibe of T Nagar, a newly opened diner welcomes us with garlands at the entrance. As we step in, we are greeted by staff that are beaming and the silent hum of classic Tamil songs in the background, contrary to the noise outside.

The classy, spacious and vibrant ambience was complemented with the paintings on the traditions and culture of Tamil Nadu on the wall. The variety of dishes served at the Madurai Kullappa Mess transports us to the city of jasmines.

Founded by Jeyanand Divakaran, the chairman of the diner and V Sivasankaran, the managing director, the restaurant aims to bring the authentic flavours of Madurai, especially the non-vegetarian, to Chennai, without compromising on taste and quality. “Most of us are foodies, and food is our passion. We wanted to venture into the industry and experiment with native flavours.

Madurai is famous for many things. But one aspect that stands out in the city is its rooted culinary connection, with non-veg as base,” says Sivasankaran.

Delving deep into the research that went behind carefully crafting the exquisite menu, the managing director adds, “We did research and development for 18 to 20 months before opening the diner. After zeroing in on our recipes, we conducted tasting sessions within our circle in a trial and error method. It was Jeyanand who fine-tuned the recipes along with the chef.”

Notably, to bring the authentic taste for the guests to savour the dishes, all the delicacies in Madurai Kullappa Mess are prepared using home-made masalas. Also, they import ayla fish on all the Sundays from Thoothukudi. Sivasankaran notes that Chennai welcomes all the cuisines, if the food served is great in taste and quality.

“Whether push karts or luxury restaurants, if the flavours strike a chord with Chennaiites, the diner will be celebrated. The spice level used in Madurai is high when compared to what we use here.

We have tweaked the recipes a bit to match the flavour profile of people here,” shares the 53-year-old. Sivasankaran also states that when it comes to food, we cannot segregate people into different categories as the target audience.

Though Chennai has seen a surge in the number of regional cuisines entering the city, the home-cooked dishes are yet to enthral people here.

As we reached the first floor of the 114-seater diner, we sipped the refreshing nannari sarbath to battle against this scorching heat.

The kullappa kadhamba mutton kola urundai is recommended for its texture and perfect balance of taste. In the starters, the kozhi milagu varuval stood out for its high pepper flavour and scrumptious chicken. Unlike the usual chicken 65, the restaurant’s special chicken 65 had a citrusy palate, making it a must-try with the seeraga samba chicken biryani, which has a subtle flavour.

Among the mutton starters, the mutton thala kari, brain fry and boti had unique and rustic tastes. Even for those who do not like dry fish, this karuvadu thokku served at the diner should be on your list.

With a mild aroma of the karuvadu, the thokku paired well with piping hot white rice. The admirers of Kullappa Mess come to the restaurant for their non-veg meals, which comprise a variety of dishes including chicken curry, mutton curry, fish gravy, crab curry, karuvadu kuzhambu, boiled egg, rasam, appalam, buttermilk, and the not-so-sweet javvarisi payasam.

The diner is located on Sir Thyagaraya Rd, near iPhone store, Pondy Bazaar, T Nagar.