Indians are passionate about food. Indians who have moved away from their homeland to other lands, are always very emotional about their food. In a diverse Country like India, moving away from homeland could simply mean, shifting from South India to North India or from East India to West India. This limited relocation can also make them very emotional about food from their place! May sound strange for globe trotters but thats how Indians are, passionate about food. I also had my share of relocation recently. I shifted from the financial capital of India to the political capital of India. From city that never sleeps, Mumbai to Dilwalon ki Matawali Delhi. And those who have gone through this can sympathize with me absolutely.
In a city like Delhi which has dominance of certain food culture, starting a hotel dedicated to Malayali or Kerala cuisine requires guts! And few young boys have shown these guts. I went to Mahabelly restaurant near DLF and City Walk Mall in Saket in 2015 for the first time. It sounded like an enthusiastic endeavour of young boys. Those were the times when start ups were booming in our Country. I again went to it recently and am really impressed by the unique blend Mahabelly offers. Not just in terms of cuisine served here but also the ambiance of the place, the courteous staff and relentless efforts of its young and bright owners.
If you go on special days like Onam , you get a feast on traditional plankton leaf. You indeed need Mahabelly to relish varieties of vegetables, salads,chutneys, pickles,curries , ghee laden rice served in this feast. What I find interesting is, when these varieties are being served, staff tells you their original names. you hear them and also try to remember them, but you would soon forget them as the awesome taste of food takes charge of you. Imagine, if you have to ask for a second helping of a particular item!lolz! you would simply struggle for exact name of the item, but staff here is expert and they would serve you exactly what you want. The kind of courteousness you experience here is otherwise rare in this city. ( I am sure people who belong to this city would not agree with me but my types would agree with me).
The site of colourful vegetables, pickles,salads served on fresh plankton leaves is appetizing enough. In this meal, you are served a kind of brown rice which is cooked soft enough for a comfortable eating. But if you are not from Southern India, you may not be comfortable with this rice. In that case, you can order a customized rice which is commonly served in other restaurants. But my take on this is bit different, If you are in a hotel dedicated to a particular cuisine, might as well enjoy it completely. When in Roman do as Romans do, when in Mahabelly, eat as Malayalis. What impresses me about this place is not just food but the ambiance. This place is a combination of traditional and contemporary stuff. So you find a large picture of kathakali dancer on the walls but the illumination of the place is contemporary.
I am not Malayali. I go to Mahabelly, as a foodie, as a die hard fan of South Indian cuisine. Mahabelly has other veteran competitors in the National Capital when it comes to serving South Indian food but Mahabelly has niche of Malayali/Kerala cuisine. And at the end of the day, like any other business, India has large enough market to accommodate all players. Enjoy your share of Kerala Cuisine.
I am not Malayali. I go to Mahabelly, as a foodie, as a die hard fan of South Indian cuisine. Mahabelly has other veteran competitors in the National Capital when it comes to serving South Indian food but Mahabelly has niche of Malayali/Kerala cuisine. And at the end of the day, like any other business, India has large enough market to accommodate all players. Enjoy your share of Kerala Cuisine.
