The charm of hot idlis has spread and it is surely making waves all around the country. How about in Chennai? There are numerous idli shops in the city, not counting the ‘kaiyendhi’ bhavans that dot the city roads.
Till a few years ago, the fame of idlis remained within south India. The charm of hot idlis has spread and it is surely making waves all around the country. How about in Chennai? There are numerous idli shops in the city, not counting the ‘kaiyendhi’ bhavans that dot the city roads.
However, Manoharan, of Murugan Idli Shop felt there was still room for innovation. Within one year of starting a small outlet in T. Nagar, he is in the process of adding his fourth branch in the city. “My parents started the Murugan Idli Shop on the streets of Madurai 35 years ago,” says Manoharan, the present owner of Murugan. “After my catering graduation in London, I came back and wanted to modernise our shop too. After watching the success of KFC and McDonalds, I wanted to replicate the same for our shop too,” adds Manoharan.
“Branching out in Madurai itself proved success for us and we were quite happy to serve within Madurai,” Manoharan says. Many VIPs including the Late Kamaraj had visited the shop during his father’s time to taste the idlis. “Soon, we stepped into Railway catering service. That was the place where I could experiment. I proved that our shop at Madurai Railway station was one of the cleanest around,” says a beaming Manoharan.
Moving away from just sambar and podi, Manoharan brought in different kinds of chutneys. “That shot us to fame,” he continues. Well, not truly. “After much discussion in the family, we decided to come to Chennai, and looking back, that decision has made us the national name we are now,” says Manoharan.
The first shop was started a year ago at G. N. Chetty Road. Talking about his speciality, Manoharan says he uses a special variety of rice to make soft Idlis. “The best part of the idlis is actually the side dishes that accompany them. We serve four types of chutneys and sambar. But our podi and oil comes at extra cost,” informs Manoharan.
Though being called an Idli shop, Murugan Idli shop offers other food items too. “We have all the dosa variations apart from Pongals. You can’t find a better chakkara pongal anywhere here,” he says. Soon, the smell of hot idlis lured many Chennaiites to T. Nagar and the crowd made Manoharan to start another branch at North Usman Road. As it turned out, the second branch was not enough either. Soon, Triplicane joined his list of branches. The latest one to be added to their chain is the Besant Nagar branch that is going to be opened during the Thai month to satiate the attract the people of Adyar. Murugan Idli Shop is definitely a unique eatery.
