After many meals at Sangeetha in Hong Kong, increasingly curious became the mind and the palate for the "real" or "original" Sangeetha in Chennai.
However, wondering no more. Finally, the real "Limited Meals" at, well, one of the Sangeetha's in Chennai - too many and too hungry to figure out which one would be as close to the original as possible.
Instead of testing the water, tested was the sambar and it passed the first hurdle as it nice and smooth with adequate amount of tool dal to thicken the broth.
Strong and bold kara kuzhambu was red and heavy.
While the rasam was spicy and hot, it missed its mark on the requisite sourness and saltiness.
The best of the day was the kootu of mung beans and spinach. Lovely texture and delicate flavor. A very close second was the light and flavorful poriyal.
A real palate shocker was the savory sesame rice: not only redolent with black sesame seeds, but also loaded with roasted peanuts. A second serving was quickly commanded.
Baby potato curry was unusually pungent with a kick like the horseradish. Clove, black pepper, cinnamon and mustard seeds added even more punches.
Pickles were tangy and fresh, and the buttermilk was creamy and better than vichyssoise. The meal could not be complete without the thick and creamy curd and the crunchy papadam.
Rice was fluffy and moist; however, chapatis were the same as the ones in Hong Kong - oily, heavy, hard and too sugary.
Payasam was sweet and velvety, and allowed the meal to finish on a lovely cardamom note.
The friendly waiters, covered with the head nets, filled the "limited" meals over and over with a big smile, hopefully, not the extra servings did not come out of their pockets.
Sangeetha
Phone Numbers: +91 9789366266/+91 9789566266
Address: 102/82, GN Chetty Road, T. Nagar, Chennai
Hours: Everyday 7 AM to 10 PM