C Salt - Coastal Cuisine by the sea shore!

         

C Salt is a fine dining restaurant predominantly serving South Indian cuisine and located as part of the sprawling Sheraton Grand resort. You could see patches of greenery all around with the main entrance being constructed under a thatched roof like setting. It gives a laidback atmosphere and the blowing of the breeze from the beach side from just across the corner gives it the much needed tranquil environment. Sunday drives in Chennai to the serene beaches and hogging along some glorious cuisine is surely a great getaway to spend the weekend and C Salt amply caters to that requirement.

The menu is well rounded bringing the curated best of South India from 4 coastal regions covering the belts of Malabar, Konkan, Coromandel and Andhra. These areas are known to dish out supreme stuff making primary use of coconut and the aroma can be inherently felt as you step in. It is largely a limited menu comprising of an interesting array of small plates, a few combo based meals and a few mains to go along with side dishes.

Even before we could set the ball rolling, we were served some crunchy tapioca chips to go along with delightful cilantro and lemon dips. We started our foray with the button cakes which were fluffed up pieces of idly generously topped with abundant pieces of podi masala topped with layers of chilies and curry leaves for that enhanced zing. It was absolutely delicious and dwells up as a superlative cocktail based appetizer. Next up from the starter section we had a droolworthy malai brocolli. These florets were drenched along with the rightful dose of cream to get the ammunition soaring and came along with pink onions and a dollop of soya sauce. The pieces were just about perfect both in texture and taste.

                                       

In the main course section, we chose to have a combo meal in the form of a rich creamy gravy comprising of cashew nuts, asparagus and potatoes simmered in a coconut cream avatar coming along with couple of chunks of Aki Roti. It had a wonderful effervescence with the dreamy gravy being suffused with a beautiful blend of coconut cream and going along perfectly well with the rice breads made famous in Karnataka. One minor blip in the gravy was the fact that mix of the ingredients making up the curry seemed a bit one sided. An abundance of cashews made up almost a whole of the mix relegating the potatoes and asparagus to play a distinct second fiddle. Just felt the combination of the three could have been a little more judicious thus avoiding the over powering of cashew nuts in the overall scheme of things. Apart from this we also tried a paratha infused with cheese to go along with a tangy egg gravy mingled with spices aplenty to get a signature taste. The parathas were nice though not dolled up with that much of cheese and also being a little too hard on the surface. The egg curry hit all the right spots on every angle with all the add-ons elevating its taste to another level. Only gripe that was felt was on the quantity which seemed a little less from the bowl being served. We skipped having desserts as there wasn't really more space to take in any further intake.

Overall it was a relaxing meal soaked on a smooth Sunday afternoon setting with the sound of waves providing for some great company to go along with the food that was largely wholesome on substance and flavours. The service was apt and we were helped with some wonderful choices to go with. Time taken for the food seemed a bit on the longer duration but it didn't matter much as we were anyway here to just kill time and enjoy the calmness of this sea side resort. Rates seem fair for the course and definitely in line with what is served at a 5 star property. On the whole, if you're looking for a well deserved yearning weekend afternoon in Chennai wanting some unbridled peace and food to relish, you don't need to look much beyond C Salt which is certain to ensure meeting expectations with aplomb.

Aadhirai - Shining South Indian!

Aadhirai is a new restaurant which has cropped up in a quaint location off Nungambakkam constructed out of a olden day vintage property. The first thing that strikes you is that it infuses the homely feel evidently. The handicrafts and wood work largely give it a very regional as well as authentic feel. The cuisine is largely South Indian and predominantly bordering into Chettinadu.

We were here on a weekend afternoon to soak in some of their special offerings. We started our foray with a delightful thirst quencher in the form of a Panagam Granita. The icy instincts didn't condense the taste one bit and this sweet traditional drink was as delicious as ever with the ice essence just adding an extra twist to this ever popular summer special. I had portions of the drink all through the meal and it acted as the perfect beverage.

On the soup side, the Malli Rasam soup was delightful. It had a subtle hint of flavours which worked very well. In the starter section, we were served a yam loaded nachos. To be frank I'm not a fan of Yam but this was done up in a renewed manner with salsa sauce and cream in the form of a nachos. It was bang on crispy and turned out to be a great opener. The karuvepillai panneer was simply sterling. This one was tossed and diced up in this traditional leafy powder and the essence it brought out was sensationally slithering.The Gobi ghee roast was again quite an eye turner. The pieces of cauliflower were cooked in ghee and a chilli based masala and were served on thin coin like pieces of paratha thatched with a touch of honey to slightly lower down the spice content. If you're a spice lover you'll love this and more so some of their special offerings loaded with abundance of chillies and spices. The Vazhapoo Vadai was one more starter which we tried. This was however more of the usual stuff and the paruppu flavour out did the vazha poo. Nevertheless it was crispy and bitesome.

In the main course we tried paratha with a well made up panneer peas combo gravy. Apart from this we had a crack at the trademark pulliyodhare which they served us tied in a green leaf potalam. The aroma and smear of this Puliyodhara is something I tell you. It was simply a delight to just feel the flavours hitting on you as it's slitheringly opened up from the green leaf enclosing. The Thogaiyil just enhances the taste. Seldom have I sampled a lovely version of this temple delicacy served in any restaurant.

The ending was in the form of a bucketful of desserts served in malayali style Nair wala tea glasses. 6 slurpy mousy desserts that simply butterly dutifully induces the instincts to dig in
1) Pomegranate Payasam
2) Coconut Souffle
3) Falooda
4) Kubani Ka Meetha
5) Black Forest Akkarivadasal
6) Karupatti Panacotta
Each of these not only looked appealing but had a lissom lusture to it and riveting in taste and texture. Such toothsome delights in small portions were indeed the perfect meal-ender enabling our sweet tongues to punch in pure excitement.

The service was quick with the items reaching our tables at regular intervals. The staff were very courteous explaining each dish in detail and also helping us with our orders. I must also mention the vadam which they serve with 4 different side dishes which complements so well namely a tomato thokku, mirapakaya pachadi (green chilli infused), Avakai Mayo and a garlic dip. From a holistic picture, if you're looking for exquisite south Indian cuisine done in traditional style yet throwing up innovations but not compromising on the taste, you should certainly check out Aadhirai for a rich home grown South Indian meal.

A foodie's Guide on Novelty Tea House!

This is the first and oldest Novelty Tea House outlet having a rich history associated with it. They began operations in this small by lane of Sowcarpet way back in 1958 and have well and truly served delightful food over the years for more than a golden jubilee.

I was here in Sowcarpet for some dry fruit shopping and then for lunch decided to check in this place. Instantly I ordered the Pav Bhaji which was jaw droppingly riveting. This is an evergreen item on their attic and provide a whole layer of bhaji to go with your bhaji. It was a lovely masala mix submerged by a dollop of butter and it was such a joy consuming the softish bread buns with this juicy gravy.

Other than this, I ordered one of their recommended items Pure Ghee Aloo Tikki. This was done up really well with the tikkis being very crispy and smudged over with oodles of curd. The presence of curd didn't hinder the crispiness and it proved to be very tasty.

Ended the meal by ordering a cheese molagapodi onion dosa. This was again jaw dropping. The mix of the cheese and red powder with onions for that extra zest worked wonderfully well. To be frank the chutney and sambhar were just an add on and you could very well have the dosa standalone.

The prices are pretty reasonable and the service is quick. It may not be the most cleanest place around but if you're willing to get down and dirty with great food, Novelty should certainly tickle the taste tongues. Not often do I get a chance to come by this neck of the woods and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the fare on offer.

Old Review of Closed Mylapore Outlet - July 2014
Before even entering the restaurant , you are greeted with a Graffiti board in front of their gourmet store stating "Serving with Love since 1958". The brand Novelty Tea House i believe has been in existence for a good 50 + years catering to the needs of the localites in Mint Street , Sowcarpet and Purasalwalkam and the one opened in RK Salai , Mylapore is a new branch of theirs to perhaps target a bigger presence in the upmarket of Chennai.

For those not aware of their history from the name of the restaurant , you might be tricked into thinking that this place is a beverage place serving some mediterranean snacks or something along those lines. But in reality it is an authentic Indian Veg restaurant whipping up some delightful Indian food which will leave your tongues craving big time.

The restaurant is located in the same place which used to house Kabul before and the ambience is pretty decent albeit not great. Somehow you instantly get a Northie feel and flavour by looking at the waiters , crowd which predominantly seem to be comprising of Jains , Marwadi's etc and the brownish Dhabba kind of setting adorning the restaurant.

The menu was an intriguing mixture containing a wide variety of items to choose from North Indian , South Indian and Chaat. We started off our journey by ordering Papad Churri and one of their signature starters Palak Cheese Rolls. The former comprised of small broken pieces of Papad tossed up with the rightful masala ingredients to give a nice crispy feel to the mouth. It set the ball rolling and our tongues wagging. The latter was a bunch of small brownish breaded rolls stuffed inside with a creamy paste mixed of spinach and cheese and it was jaw dropping. It was something new that i had tasted and only wished they had served a special kind of cheese sauce to make the lusciousness a bit more invigorating.

We also tasted their Bhel puri which was large in quantity spruced up with all the requisite toppings to appetize the taste buds and the Cheese Masala Pav Bhaji was totally a winner where the Pav was laced with a tinge of masala coating and the Bhaji was decorated with a layer of cheese floating over signalling the enticement :). Also tried their Dosas which were thumbs up - the Cheese Molagapodi Dosa was simply put absolutely brilliant and the way the Masala , Podi and melted cheese were diced upon made it totally alluring and their Novelty special Dosa which was embellished with Green chutney and Masala Aloo on the one side and spicy red podi , onions etc on the other was a thumbs up. The Dosa's standalone were exceptional no doubt but they could do with some amelioration on the Chutney and Sambar which i found to be pretty watery and bland. Polished off dinner with Badam Kesar milk shake which was the perfect fillip to end to the meal. Loved the yellowish drink and the assortment of dry fruits inside the drink made it rivetting.

The rates seem to bit on the higher side but you feel justified since most of what you are served seem to fit the bill atleast on the mouth :). The decor is decent but it isn't a place where you can enjoy a quite meal as its very noisy. The serving of the food was pretty quick but we had to call and there seemed to be confusions as to who was taking the order. The minor quibbles apart , there are a lot of positives which far outweighs the negatives. Wish to dine here more often to taste some of their North Indian stuff and also the Lunchathon concept buffet where you get to choose what you want from about 50 items on the card. All in all , another fine Veg Restaurant to satisfy the always craving Chennaiites appetite.

Match Making - South Indian Format (Jadhaga Porutham)

With regard to matching horoscopes for marriage purposes, moon plays the most pivotal role. There are many different types of matching methods which go under the scanner and the surprising part is that in traditional format of matching, it's the planet Moon and its Rasi which is of supreme importance. All you need to know are basically the Nakshatra (Star constellation) and it's Rasi (zodiac sign). There are 27 Nakshatra's beginning from Ashwini (1) and ending with Revathi (27) and there are 12 Rasi's starting from Aries (Mesha) and finishing with Pisces (Meena).

Mentioned below are the prominent test criteria's for match making. Most astrologers just do this star/rasi match and for that you don't really need to go and examine horoscopes with an astrologer as you can do it yourself. However for advanced matching, definitely a recommended professional should be considered.

One more interesting thing to note is the basis of difference in the methodology of matching between North India and South India. In the North Indian scheme of things, 8 determinants (kootas) are taken into account and each of them are assigned weights ranging from 1 to 8. This will result in a total of 36 and if the overall score exceeds 18 or 50%, it can safely be assumed to be a decent match. In down South of India, usually no specific points are factored and they are generally matched on a scale of 10 to 12 factors with some criteria's given far more importance than the others. Though you find a few criteria's over lapping between the two systems, the computation is marginally different as in Ashta Koot Milan, each of the tests are assigned weights and hence you have different ranges whereas in Jadhaga Porutham that's not the case and most of the test results either point to a 'yes' or 'no'.

This particular post will highlight on the South Indian Jadhaga Porutham format of match making. The North Indian format has already been made as a separate post. Listed below are the 12 main porutham's (tests) considered to assess the compatibility between the bride and the groom. Out of these, the first 10 are the major ones and the last 2 are optionally considered.

1) Dina:
Indication : Good health and prosperity based on counting of Nakshatras
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
In this only the star constellations are taken into account and this technique tests the health and prosperity of the couple based on a counting criteria. The counting is always ascertained from the girl and the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th set of star from the girl is considered to be auspicious. For this purpose, the Nakshatras are divided into 3 sets of 9 stars each. In effect taking the 27 stars in totality, the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th (1+1=2), 13th (1+3=4), 15th (1+5=6), 17th (1+7=8), 18th (1+8=9), 20th (2+0=2), 22nd (2+2=4), 24th (2+4=6), 26th (2+6=8) and 27th (2+7=9) can be taken for matching purpose. There are some further exceptions outlined on top of this but the basic objective is the star of the boy needs to fall in the aforementioned star number counted from the girl. Under this proposition, there will be 15 stars out of 27 that will meet expectations.

- If grooms star counted from bride falls in 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th and 27th, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms star counted from bride falls in any other position, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

2) Gana:
Indication: Habits, behavior and temperament based on 3 Nakshatra groups
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This method is for determining the temperament between the individuals. Here stars are categorized into 3 sections namely God (Deva), Human (Manushya) and Demon (Rakshasa) and are matched accordingly. The girl's star should be of equal or higher level than the boy for compatibility. For eg. if girls star and boys star both fall under the same category then its considered to be auspicious. If Girls is of God and boys is either of Human or Devil, then also it's considered but the other way round is not considered as a favorable match as the female is expected to possess higher sattwik (pure) qualities than her male counterpart.

- If brides star and grooms star both fall in the same category of Deva, Manusha or Rakshasa gana, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides star falls in Deva Gana and grooms star falls in either of Manusha or Rakshasa gana, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If brides star falls in Manusha Gana and grooms falls in Rakshasa gana, then also it is good match (Mathimam)
- Any other case, it is not recommended (Athamam)

3) Mahendra:
Indication : Progeny in family based on Nakshatra counting
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is required to assess the possibility of offspring(s) in the family and also determining the longevity and bonding of the couple. This is always counted with basis from the girls star and if the boy’s birth star falls in the positions 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd and 25th from that of the girl’s birth star, it is considered to be a happy match. Going by this proposition, only 8 stars out of 27 happen to meet this test criteria.

- If grooms star counted from bride falls in 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd and 25th, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms star counted from bride falls in any other position, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

4) Stree Deergam:
Indication : Wealth and Prosperity from Nakshatra counting
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This test tells about the well being, longevity and prosperity between the couple and it is determined by the distance of the boy's star from that of the girl. The larger the distance better is the match. Always take the females star as base and count the boys star from her respective star. If the boys star is more than 13 of the girl, then it is very favourable. But in today's times, anything beyond 7 stars is considered reasonable for matching purpose. For eg if girls star is Ashwini, boys star can be anything from Poosam to Revathi as only then it happens to be greater than the said equation of 7 stars.

- If grooms star counted from the brides exceeds 13, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms star counted from the brides exceeds 7, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If grooms star counted from bride falls 7 stars or below, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

5) Yoni:
Indication : Sexual inclination and physical compatibility based on animal grouping
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is the method that tests the sexual compatibility of the couple. The nakshatras are categorised into animal categories with each star representing either a male animal or female animal. The matching is done based on different animal traits.

- If bride star is female animal and groom star is male animal, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If bride star and groom star are both male animal or female animal, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If bride star and groom star fall in enemy animal category irrespective of male or female, then its not recommended (Athamam)

6) Rasi:
Indication: Family welfare and prosperity based on 12 zodiac signs relationship
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This is for ensuring a peaceful life between the couple. Both the girls as well as the boys Nakshatra's get tagged under a particular rasi based on the star rising at birth and the points are allotted accordingly based on the zodiac sign compatibility. For good match, the grooms rasi should either be the same or be more than 6 signs away from the bride (except the 8th rasi) ie 1st, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th rasi from brides rasi

- If grooms rasi is in 1st, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th from the brides rasi, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms rasi is in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 8th from brides rasi, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

7) Rasi Adipathy:
Indication : Mental compatibility, friendship and understanding based on 7 planet lord parameters
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This determines the mental compatibility between the partners and for this the ruler ship planet of the rasis in question is taken into account and compared. The basis of understanding is ascertained from the rasis in which the grooms and brides star fall into.

- If brides rasi and grooms rasi are friendly to each other, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If one of either brides or grooms rasi is friendly or neutral to the other, then it is good match (Mathimam)
- If both are enemy to each other, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

8) Vasiya:
Indication : Mutual physical attraction and mental happiness based on rasi compatibility
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This is for estimating the level of mutual physical attraction between the couple. There are certain Rasi's which go along well with the other and if they are matching it is expected to be a good match, if not then the attraction factor is said to be not up to the mark.

- If grooms rasi falls in vasiya (attraction) to brides rasi, then it is very good match (Uthamam)
- If grooms rasi does not fall in vasiya (attraction) to brides rasi, then it is not a good match (Athamam)

9) Rajju:
Indication : Strength of marriage lasting based on Nakshatra body parts
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is an important criterion to assess how strong the marriage will be and about the health and  livelihood of the couple in question. For this each Nakshatra is linked to a body element and it is recommended that stars denoting same body part should not be matched for marriage to be long lasting. Stars of feet (Ketu/Mercury) indicate instability, stars of hip (Venus/Saturn) denote poverty, stars of navel (Sun/Jupiter) indicate issues of offsprings, stars of neck (Moon/Rahu) indicates problems to bride and stars of head (Mars) indicates problems to groom. For eg Moolam and Kettai should not be matched as they both represent the 'feet' body part.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall in the same rajju (body part), then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides and grooms nakshatra fall in the same rajju (body part), then it is not a good match (Athamam)

10) Vedha:
Indication : Hardship in marriage based on Nakshatra constellation
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is a factor to assess failure, hardship and incompatibility in marriage. For this purpose there are certain stars which are repellant to the other. They are supposed to be enemies and it's advised to avoid stars that are forming vedhai (enemity) to each other. For eg. Ashwini star should not be matched with Kettai and likewise Rohini should never be matched with Swati.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall in the same vedha (enmity), then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides and grooms nakshatra fall in the same vedha (enmity), then it is not a good match (Athamam)

11) Nadi:
Indication: Genetic compatibility and heredity based on 3 kinds of Nakshatra groups
Nakshatra: Essential
Rasi: Not necessary
This method computes the genetic compatibility based on the Nakshatra prevalent. The Nakshatra constellations are divided into 3 types of Nadi symbolizing 3 basic qualities of heart beat to test the genetic compatibility. It is advised that the star of the groom and bride should not fall under the same Nadi and this is somewhat similar to Rajju based match. This is however just an optional test of matching in the South Indian scheme and not given as much importance as how its viewed in the North Indian means of matching. For eg Hastham and Sadayam should not be matched as they both fall in Left Nadi, likewise Pooram and Pooradam also isn't a good match because they are in Middle Nadi and similarly Magam and Swati also shouldn't be matched as they both are in Right Nadi.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall in the same nadi (heartbeat), then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If brides and grooms nakshatra fall in the same nadi (heartbeat), then it is not a good match (Athamam)

12) Mara:
Indication: Conceiving ability to bear offspring based on grouping of  Nakshatras into 2 tree types
Nakshatra: Essential
Rasi: Not necessary
This method mainly tests on the ability to conceive and give birth to children. For this purpose, Nakshatras are classified into 2 tree types viz Milky trees and Dry Trees. It is highly ideal if both the girls star as well as boys star come under the ambit of milky trees. It is even beneficial if either one of their stars get assigned to a milky tree.

- If brides and grooms nakshatra both fall in the milky tree group, then it is a very good match (Uthamam)
- If either of brides and grooms nakshatra fall in milky tree group, then it is a good match (Mathimam)
- If both brides and grooms nakshatra don't fall under the milky tree group and are in dry tree group, then it is not a good match (Athamam).

Match Making - North Indian style (Ashta Koot Milan)

With regard to matching horoscopes for marriage purposes, moon plays the most pivotal role. There are many different types of matching methods which go under the scanner and the surprising part is that in traditional format of matching, it's the planet Moon and its Rasi which is given supreme importance. All you need to know are basically the Nakshatra (Star constellation) and it's Rasi (zodiac sign). There are 27 Nakshatra's beginning from Ashwini (1) and ending with Revathi (27) and there are 12 Rasi's starting from Aries (Mesha) and finishing with Pisces (Meena).

Mentioned below are the prominent test criteria's for match making. Most astrologers just do this star/rasi match and for that you don't really need to go and examine horoscopes with an astrologer as you can do the same yourself. However for advanced matching, definitely a recommended professional should be considered.

One more interesting thing to note is the basis of difference in the methodology of matching between North India and South India. In the North Indian scheme of things, 8 determinants (kootas) are taken into account and each of them are assigned weights ranging from 1 to 8. This will result in a total of 36 and if the overall score exceeds 18 or 50%, it can be safely assumed to be a decent match. In down South of India, usually no specific points are factored and they are generally matched on a scale of 10 basis points with some criteria's given far more importance than the others.

This particular post will highlight on the North Indian Ashta Koot Milan means of match making. The South Indian format will be made as a separate post. Listed below are the 8 koota's (tests) considered to assess the compatibility between the bride and the groom.

1) Varna:
Indication : Spiritual compatibility and ego level based on 4 classes
Nakshatra: Not necessary
Rasi: Essential
This is a Rasi based matching tool based on spiritual compatibility/personality and all you need to know is which rasi the prospective grooms and brides star fall into. The rasis are categorized into one of four types (Varnas) and based on that the matching is reckoned.

- If bride is Kshatriya - 1 point given if groom is either Kshatriya or Vipra, 0 for Vaishya and Shudra.
- If bride is Vaishya - 1 point given if groom is either of Vaishya, Vipra or Kshatriya. 0 for Shudra
- If bride is Shudra - 1 point given if groom is either of Shudra, Vipra, Kshatriya or Vaishya
- If bride is Vipra - 1 point given if groom is also Vipra. 0 for Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra

2) Vasya:
Indication : Power equation/influence over one another based on 5 groups
Nakshatra: Not necessary
Rasi: Essential
This is also a rasi based tool to establish the influence the couple has over one another. All one needs to know is which rasi the stars of the groom and bride fall into. The rasis are classified into five groups (Vasyas) and the matching is done accordingly.

- If bride is Chatushpada - 2 points given if groom is either Chatushpada or Keet, 1 for Jalchar, 0.5 for Manava and 0 for Vanchar
- If bride is Manava - 2 points if groom is also Manava, 0.5 for Chatushpada and 0 for Jalchar, Vanchar and Keet
- If bride is Jalchar - 2 points if groom is Jalchar, Vanchar or Keet, 1 for Chatushpada and 0 for Manava
- If bride is Vanchar - 2 points if groom is Vanchar or Jalchar, 0 for Chatushpada, Manava and Keet
- If bride is Keet - 2 points if groom is Keet, 1 point for Chatushpada, Jalchar and 0 for Manava ,Vanchar

3) Tara:
Indication : Health aspect and well being based on 9 groups
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
In this only the star constellations (Tara) is taken into account and this technique tests the health and well being of the couple based on a specific criteria. The 3rd, 5th and 7th Nakshatra from each of boy and girl is considered to be inauspicious. For this the Nakshatras are divided into 3 sets of 9 stars each. In effect taking 27 stars in totality, the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th (1+2=3), 14th (1+4=5), 16th (1+6=7), 21st (2+1-3), 23rd (2+3=5) and 25th (2+5=7) aren't considered to be good. Whichever Nakshatra is rising at birth that is taken as the Janma Nakshatra and counting proceeds in same manner for both bride and groom.

- Counting from bride and groom, if for both of them it does not fall in the set of 3,5,7 then 3 points
- Counting from bride and groom, if for one of them alone it falls in the set of 3,5,7 then 1.5 points
- Counting from bride and groom, if for both parties concerned the respective others Nakshatra falls in set of 3,5,7 then 0 points (This condition will be void as it's not practically possible for both bride and groom's star to appear 3,5,7 from each other)

There is a fundamental flaw in the third distinction and that situation can never arise as the group total comprises of an odd number (9). So effectively counting from one side if it is even, counting from other side it has to be odd and vice versa. The maximum scenarios of counting from bride and groom can be in ratio of 1/1, 2/9, 3/8, 4/7 and 5/6. If it is in the former two categories 1/1 or 2/9 then 3 points allotted because series of 3,5,7 is not touched for either of bride/groom whereas if it falls in the last three categories namely 3/8, 4/7 and 5/6, 1.5 points shall get allotted since 3,5,7 series will be touched from either of bride/groom counting even though the offset count will happen to be an even number.

4) Yoni:
Indication : Sexual inclination and physical compatibility based on 14 animal groups
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This is the method that tests the sexual compatibility of the couple. All one needs to know is the stars of the groom and bride. The 27 stars are grouped into 14 categories of animals and the matching is done based on it.

- If both bride and groom are of same animal group, then maximum 4 points,
- If both bride and groom are of friendly animal group then 3 points
- If both bride and groom are of neutral animal group then 2 points
- If both bride and groom are of enemy group then 1 point
- If both bride and groom are of sworn enemy group then 0 points

5) Graha Maitri:
Indication : Mental compatibility, love and friendship based on 7 planet lord parameters
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This determines the mental compatibility between the partners and for this the ruler ship planet of the rasis in question is taken into account and compared. The basis of friendship is ascertained from the rasis in which the grooms and brides star fall into.

 - If two lords are the same or they are friends, 5 points are given.
 - If one lord is friendly and the other is neutral, 4 points are given.
 - If both lords are neutral, 3 points are given.
 - If one lord is friendly but the other views it as an enemy, 1 point is given.
 - If one lord is neutral but the other views it as an enemy, 0.5 point is given.
 - If both lords consider each other as enemies, 0 points are given.

6) Gana:
Indication: Habits, behavior and temparament based on 3 Nakshatra groups
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This method is for determining the temperament between the individuals. Here stars are categorized into 3 sections namely God, Human and Demon and are matched accordingly.

- If bride is Devata, then 6 points if groom is also Devata, 3 points for Manushya and 1 for Rakshasa
- If bride is Manushya, then 6 points if groom is also Manushya, 5 points for Devata and 3 points for Rakshasa
- If bride is Rakshasa, then 6 points if groom is also Rakshasa, 0 points for Devata and Manushya

7) Bhakoot:
Indication: Family welfare and prosperity based on 12 zodiac signs relationship
Nakshatra : Not necessary
Rasi : Essential
This is for knowing the family welfare and financial prosperity. The counting of rasis is done both from the brides rasi to the grooms rasi as well as from the grooms rasi to the brides rasi. The entire set of combinations that are possible are 1/1, 7/7, 2/12, 3/11, 4/10, 5/9, and 6/8. Based on the combination obtained scores are allocated.

- If the rasi count disposition from bride and groom results in 1/1, 7/7, 3/11 or 4/10 series it is auspicious and 7 points granted
- If the rasi count disposition from bride and groom results in 2/12, 5/9 or 6/8 series it is inauspicious and 0 points granted

8) Nadi:
Indication: Genetic compatibility and heredity based on 3 kinds of Nakshatra groups
Nakshatra : Essential
Rasi : Not necessary
This method computes the genetic compatibility and is given the most weightage of all. The Nakshatra constellations are divided into 3 types of Nadi symbolizing 3 basic qualities of Vapha (wind), Pita (bile) and Kapha (phlegm) to test the genetic compatibility. It is advised that the star of the groom and bride should not fall under the same Nadi.

- If bride star falls in Adi Nadi, 0 points if grooms star also is in Adi Nadi, 8 points if Madhya or Antya Nadi
- If bride star falls in Madhya Nadi, 0 points if grooms star also is in Madhya Nadi, 8 points if Adi or Antya Nadi
- If bride star falls in Antya Nadi, 0 points if grooms star also is in Antya Nadi, 8 points if Adi or Madhya Nadi

Savya Rasa - Curated cuisine captured from the southern regional belt!

In a nutshell, Savya Rasa proved to be a wonderful experience. The ambiance with touches of yellow indicating an old world flavour was surely on point. The cuisine is largely South Indian and more of heirloom with authentic curated food from the down south belt of India comprising of 7 different regions. Lots of research had been performed and it was pretty evident during our recent visit.

This is sure to be a connoisseurs delight especially for those who've lived and tasted the sensory pleasures of the special food that the regions such as Nellai, Chettinadu are known to whip up. I began the evening with a vetrilai soup. It was a classic rasam soup with the betel leaves and spices combining to give the tongue an exquisite flavour. It surely sounded the bells in the right direction for more brilliance to be hurled at.

Then up in the starters, Urulai Podi Varuval was delightfully done up. The whiff of fresh podi coated over these burly sized potatoes had such a smoky lingering taste. The traditional green leaf gave it that extra punch. The other appetiser namely the pallipalayam kalaan was as superlative as it got. The mild hint of coconut over drool worthy mushrooms spiced up with ground masala and turmeric was indeed quite something. The panniyaram stuffed with chutney inside was also really good and so were the flavour filled vazhapoo vada.

For the main course, we tried the vetrilai poondu saadham. Being a quintessential lover of garlic, I lapped this one up instantly. In the mould of a biryani, the flavour was vehemently strong and possessed a rich taste. To go along tried the Avicha Muttai kuzhambu. This was quite nice too but would have ideally liked it to be a bit more spicier. More in the kurma texture, this contained three big fat pieces of boiled egg. Also happened to try the tamatar pappu which was a lovely Dal creation. Lastly I also wanted to try their egg hopper which wad so fluffy and an absolute tongue twirler. One word I need to mention about their gravies which were super succulent and amazingly rich in taste. You could feel the inherent presence of coconut cream tail gating on to the mouth.

And towards the end of the meal, we tried a number of refreshers ranging from Sharbath, rose milk, vasantha neer, neer moru and kokum mojito. There were all lovely in their own way carrying the necessary essence of flavours. And for desserts, we had a lovely slurp at the elaneer payasam along with the kavuni arisi halwa. It was a super sweet way to end a wholeseome delicious meal. The service was onstead and it's always a good thing when the servers know the menu in and out as their suggestions came in really handy. The rates as expected are a little pricey but since it is guaranteed to give a good fine dining experience, it ain't something really slouching over.

On the whole, a tremendous restaurant serving authentic flavour filled cuisine from down south of India.

Thirukkural Unavagam - Simply Traditional!

There are very few restaurant's which have been resoundingly good from start to end and Thirukural Unavagam rightfully falls in that positive bracket. All the items dished out here are of the traditional kind made from millets and herbal products.

The place is located in a quiet suburb in Gandhi Nagar and shouldn't be much of a hassle finding it with maps coming to aid. No valet facility but as it's situated in a silent lane away from the hoot of the streets, sufficient space is available for parking your vehicles.

It is a converted restaurant from a quaint old house and consists of a portion downstairs as well as upstairs. There is a very local and rustic feel about the surrounding and you find scriptures of the ancient Thirukural scrips and the bommais (soft toys) bring out the cultural feel of the rural land. It is very simple in it's outlook with no gimmicks whatsoever.

They usually allow for upside seating only once the ground portion is filled and that was the case when we reached here at around mid 8ish prompting us to be sent to the top. We were the only one's there and the cane chair seating gave a very cozy and languid feel. We were apprehensive on the service whether we would at all be checked upon being the only exclusive guests on top but that was put to rest immediately with a dedicated waiter being assigned to us who was very adroit and not only helped us with our order but also brought along the food in doubly quick time.

The menu is just a 2 sider laminated copy with one side having the dine options and the other comprising of the drinks. Interesting point to note is that all the food items are written in local tamil language. We first had a shot at the soup titled "Thoothuvazhai" which set the tone beautifully for things to follow. It was a light spicy soup consisting inset shredded pieces of potatoes, carrots, beans and spices. The dosa section had interesting choices and we enjoyed a sumptuous feast here. The Vendhiya keerai dosa was simply ravishing with the essence of the vendhiya keerai lingering for long. A word of praise should also be reserved for the coconut/onion chutney and the sambar which were such joyful accompaniments. The millet and herbal dosa too went along expected lines as the former turning out to be ravishing in taste. We also had a hand made millet kozhakattai which had a nice sweet tinge to it. The beetroot chappathi looked all pink with the strong odour of beetroot and went along in sync with the delightful veg kurma. Another show stealer of our dinner sojourn was the veg omelette made with paasi payaru with a strong peppery hint and cut pieces of onions. This was infectious in taste prompting us to go for a repeat. The pachai payaru payasam was close to the equilavent of chakra pongal and felt sweet and the goodness in taste was apparent.

For closure, we went with white pumpkin juice, amla buttermilk and herbal (mooligai theneer) tea. The first two were more of the 'mor' kinds and felt very refreshing. You could also feel the presence of pumpkin and amla along with the elongated butter milk froth. After a heavy meal these come in really handy and can give infuse the perfect signal to finish proceedings. But the best was reserved for the last. The herbal tea at an insanely low cost price of 20 bucks was one of the best tonics I've ever had. It had such a divine taste and was to devour. It was like the final sockdolager punch and was simply killer. I will revisit this place just to have a slice of the tea yet again.

We were very satisfied customers and all the stuff we had pushed us back by just a wee bit above 500 bucks. The taste on offer and value for money will guarantee give you something to relish about. This is a gem of a restaurant and trust me you can take my word and go feel the simple, homely and divine taste of Thirukural. I'm more than confident you won't come disappointed. Highly recommended for a wholesome south indian aromatic experience.

Haritam - Forgotten flavours of South India!

Haritam brings to the fore the forgotten flavors of South India. The cuisine is predominantly from curated recipes of Tamil and Telugu with a skosh of North Indian too thrown into the mix. There's a lot of innovation and experimentation in what's being served which helps in distinguishing it from the rest of the pack.

It's located in the Kilpauk Garden road in a big 3 storey complex segregated into a Non AC enclosure, AC enclave and also a roof top dining hall. The ambiance isn't something to rave about but is neat, clean and concise and gives a homely and traditional feel about it. It's a veg only restaurant and is surely a plus point for the green lovers to have a stand alone restaurant serving a varied expansive spread other than the usual well associated names .

We were on an invite were served a truckload of items that almost put us on the verge of detonating. It was a delight having to taste their signature stuff put forth especially for us. We had different combination of soups ranging from Sweet Corn, Horse Gram and Drumstick. The Horse Gram with a tinge of spice was a good foil and so was the Drumstick soup which was riveting. The panneer tikka in the form of Malai and cheese were good enough with especially the panneer pieces being succulent and easy on the mouth. We also had a googly in the form of a mock fries which were brownish and made of moong dal apart from the traditional fare of the same. And one cannot forget the Mushroom fry and Kothu Parotha which again were great starter material. And in between we also had Keera vadai which was really crispy and had a lovely taste to it and Vazhapoo vadai which also followed suit. Behold there was also Rasa Vadai and Kozhukattai to try out. There was just too much to the platter and I must say the majority of the stuff passed the muster.

The main course portion was not to be left behind as we were served a plethora of items on this front too. On the North Indian side, we got a shot at a bunch of Indian breads with a Panneer Tikka masala, panneer butter masala and Dal Tadka for company. The gravies were decent enough notwithstanding a slight overdose on the oil content. The Dal however was a show stealer having a nice sweet twang to it thanks to the presence of cashew nuts. On the dosa side, tried the Kara Masala dosa and a ragi based one. Even on Idli's we had variety with smearing hot ghee podi idli's and the rotund soft Thatta Idly. Pongal also came into the equation and to round off this section we were given puri's not just the traditional one but also in the form of a ragi, palak and tomato flavored ones. It was indeed a spectacular array on offer and must say, most of the stuff passed the taste test with flying colors.

We were just too stuffed after gorging all of the above and for desserts we went a little easy with just a couple of Ice creams and a mint cooler. The fig honey was decent enough and the Coffee crunch had a lovely coffee essence to it. The mint cooler was just about right and put the curtains down on a very satisfactory meal.

The service was immaculate with the management being extremely courteous and receptive to feedback. They were also more than willing to listen and take in suggestions. Pricing is hard to comment as we were on an invite but seems to be fair and competitive. Parking is not an issue as they are located in their own complex with sufficient space available for 2 wheeler's and 4 wheeler's.

Overall, it was an extremely pleasing experience to dine here. The hospitality extended made it all the more welcoming. Haritam seems a great addition to the Kilpauk area's growing restaurant market and is also a great viable option for vegetarians looking for a refreshing change over in the form of a South Indian twist.

Maplai - the taste of Down south!

Maplai has been on my radar for sometime now and finally headed there on a weekday dinner to satisfy my appetite.

Good first signs with valet parking being available and it looked vibrant at least from the outside with colored lights glowing in a pattern.

It feels a small place and seems like they haven't spaced out the tables very well. Its polarised into different spacing with a couple of tables in each of the divided space. In a way its good because you feel away from a crowd and feels a place safe to have a peaceful meal. On the other hand it looks like they can accommodate very few people at a time and they will be hard pressed if people come in big numbers.

Enough of jabbering, coming to the numero part - the food. The menu seems to be quite interesting with quite a few innovative options. It's not a place for the vegetarian but if you like your eggs you are saved quite a bit. They have various variants of this oval shaped delicacy.

For starters , we ordered for a Chettinadu Bashed Potato which was brown in color and smeared with a fine powdery mix and spread across with karuga pilai and mayonnaise to accommodate. It was crunchy , delicious and perfect foil for starter material. Great start I should say.The other starter was Muttai Kalki which was smudged and soggily floating around and felt like having a caramel custard sans the taste. It was quite diiferent and found it palatable though nothing special about this one.

For main course ordered Egg Appam and Paneer Nilgiri. The Aapam's were nicely done up with the bullseye right in the center and well cooked. The paneer gravy was done up with mint and was tea green in colour. The curry was fair enough with the paneer in judicious quantity being deep fried and soft and chunky.

And ended the dinner sojourn with a thirst quencher in the form of a Bovonto Icecream Soda. Seemed a speciality dish of theirs , it was nothing but Bovonto mixed with Vanilla ice cream giving a flavorful feel and felt it apt after having this kind of a meal.

The real winner however about this place is the pricing. When every other restaurant charges the roof nowadays , you would be surprised to find quite a number of items at double digit rates for a place with a neat and clean enough ambiance such as this. It was pretty much a surprise I must admit.

If you love poultry or even if you are just an eggetarian , it's certainly a decent place to hog some good food and it just doesn't pinch your pocket much. Maaplai is surely worth trying !.