Eating in Chennai - non spicy!

Trini

Pepper and spicy foods are a real problem for me so I would like to make a list of restaurants that sell / serve non spicy foods.

Also, does anyone know of any restaurants that serve non-spicy local dishes?



Trini

capt_mahajan

There is a resteraunt on the ground floor of the Park Sheraton on Chamiers road, I think its called the Deccan Pavillion... serves not spicy local food.. but you will have to tell them you want no spices. They cater to foreign and other visitors, so should not be a problem.

Idlis anywhere, without the sambar, will be non spicy.

Nick-H

Tangerine, in Murrays Gate Road, Teynampet, is a good one for non-spicy food. It is reasonably priced, too; I'd guess it's a lot cheaper than the five-star joints! Give it a try.

Idly is 100% bland. Great for tummy upsets! Often the sambar will not particularly hot, but the chutneys seved with it may be. Start with just a little sambar, and work your way up!

Pongal is not chilly-hot, but may contain whole pepper-corns: sometimes I have to sort through with a fork and remove at least some to bring it to eatable strength.

Masala Dosa or Poori Masala --- the masala is a potato mix, and this is usually not hot. Plain dosa, of course, is not hot. Will be served with sambar, but you can take just a little until you get used to it.

Uthapam --- a kind of a fried pancake thing, with onion or tomato, is usually not hot, but comes with the same accompaniments.

These are "tiffin items" so you will have to check if they are available if you go at main-meal times.

Dishes like Paneer Butter Masala can be made for you with little or no chilly if you ask, but are usually mild anyway.

For me, getting to like Southern Indian food was a challenge, never mind the chilly! Yes, I can get by now, although my stomach loved its recent visit to UK.

During that visit I had a meal at a temple in London which I could not eat at all! Even the curd rice was full of chilly! This is Sri-Lankan Tamil taste, and Chennai food is generally much milder.

The Tamil for this, by the way, is kaarom --- but, even when asked for none in fluent tamil (her native language) by my wife in one place recently, they served us a meal that brought tears to her eyes!

Good luck. How's the shopping?

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Trini

Thanks Capt and Nick. I will start making a list. Looking forward to more replies. I like the food but my stomach does not like the pepper! Hopefully with time my stomach will learn to tolerate it. I feel that I will miss out on a big slice of life here otherwise.

I got all the prices for the shopping. Cummimbhoys and Rathnas were great. Now waiting for approval on the expenditure. In the meanwhile, we are surviving with one pot, some forks and spoons, 2 veg knives, 2 plastic bowls, a few plates!

I need to learn to get about on the Auto Rickshaws - do they do door to door? Is it possible to call one of them on a mobile? I have found out that from where I am to Alwarpet is Rs 50. I know that I need to know the prices of the trips otherwise I will be ripped off, but do you have any other advice you could give me?

butterball

If there any branches of The Indian Coffee House in Chennai (are there?), then you should find a range of 'breakfast' type snacks.. Scrambled/poached/boiled eggs, toast etc.. Plus some other options which may vary locally..

Kormas are mild.. And I'm sure Chennai must have a number of good Chinese noodle options! Dhals are usually mild (ask) with breads/plain rice..

Not very familiar with 'Continental' options in Madras

Good luck !

Nick-H

If you find a 'tame' auto driver and get his number, then he will come and collect you if he is free.

The best hint to offer is to get to know the place, so you know how far the trip is. Then only you may not be overcharged.

This is one thing that even native-born chennaites find tough!

mirjamd

Advice so far sounds great, about the idli's, dosa's and utthapams. If you are at a place where only tiffin is available and you want to stay away from the sambars and chutneys, you can ask for some sugar to go with the dosa's. That's what people at home also do at times (at least my boyfriend does..). Another trick is to ask for some curd and mix it with the sambar, it reduces the spicyness.

There are also good continental restaurants in Chennai. Good Italian food (cooked by Italians) is available at Bella Chiao in Nungambakkam, on top of the building next to Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers, next to Gemini flyover. There is also a Bella Chiao in Thiruvanmiyur, near the beach.

Another option is Sparkeys in Chetpet, which is run by an American and has American, Mexican and Italian food.

Amethyst in Gopalapuram has great continental food for a reasonable price. And they have a lovely garden where you can sit outside.

The big five star hotels also have good restaurants. I like 'Cappuccino' in Park Sheraton.

Good luck with adjusting to the spiciness!!

crvlvr

Ofcourse, if you go to any 5 star hotel, they will make the food according to your/western palate.

Nick-H

They will make the food according to their chef's palate!

It is to be hoped that the result is pleasing to ours

galahad

Gujarati menus tend to be mellow.
So get into a North Indian restaurant and ask for a Gujarati menu.

For sure-shot non-spiciness,try Jain menus.
They are not going to have pepper,ginger,garlic or any sort of spice in them.

Try Orchid Veg Restaurant,Woods Rd,Royapetah.

Mansukh(TNagar) and Gangotree(Egmore) should also be fine.Just ask specifically for a Jain menu.

If u are looking for a quick eat option,
...get a pack of Maggi,boil it in water and eat.Do not use the garnishing pack that u will find inside it.

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Nick-H

I love those noodles for a quick, filling meal!

And Mrs N makes me a half-strength sauce to go with them

Trini

Thank you - I will make a note of the restaurants.

SAHM

Try Lydie's on ECR, south of the tollgate. It's a long ways out but the cook is a Belgium woman and her food is incredibly good, and not spicy. Another non-spicy option is Cedars, which serves Lebanese food. There is also a Korean restaurant, two Japanese ones that I am aware of, and a Chinese one that is good. Of course these serve dishes that might be "spicy" to your stomach also, just not Indian spicy.
If you go to any 4- or 5-star hotel and request the food with "no masala" then they will accomodate you. When we first moved here I told people that my stomach was like a baby's stomach and needed no spices, and that seemed to work. Be sure to say "no masala (spice)" and don't just say "a little spice", because to foreigners, a little spice can be a lot!

safari vala

order iddli with curd[dahi iddli]
dahi vada
plain egg dosa
chappati and raita

Trini

SAHM

Thanks for that.

Where is Cedars? I love Lebanese food. I have found an Italian restaurant (Caio Bella) that serves non spicy food. Also, where are the Chinese and Japanese ones?