From one outlet in Madurai to a chain of restaurants in Chennai, S. Manoharan has taken the ubiquitous idli places. Priyadarshini Paitandy gets his recipe for success

When S. Manoharan tried his hand at making idlis for the first time, little did he know that this unassuming South Indian speciality would make him famous. Now, 20 years later not just idlis but every other dish on his restaurant’s menu is a hot seller. No points for guessing. Yes, it’s the Murugan Idli Shop.

“Forty-five years ago my parents started the Murugan Coffee Nilayam in Madurai. It was a small-scale affair and the place served only coffee and snacks. And, then my mother started making idlis which became very popular,” says Manoharan.