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As the only ones there on a week night,we found the ambience soothing,with temple bells swinging above ours heads and the smell of marigolds wafting in the air. As we waited for the menu to come,it was time for a reality check. “Sorry no menu. We are serving only thalis this month,” smiled the waiter,even as we hurtled names at him about the possible options available in the thalis. What about the Andhra fish fry,the Fish Pulusu,the Prawn Drumstick Mango Curry,the Prawn Pepper Masala,the Andhra Crab Masala,the Chicken Joint Masala,the Chicken Chettinad,the Mutton Kurma and the Vizag Egg curry? What about Mutton Curry with Appam,the Chicken Kurma with Idiappam — all that an Andhra cuisine specialty non-vegetarian restaurant promises? “There is a problem with the chef,you can only get chicken and mutton dishes in a non-vegetarian thali,” he persisted unperturbed.

After the initial windfall,our non-vegetarian thalis appeared with curd and dessert (milky seviyan) and then the waiters served us pachadis (chutneys) — a beetroot one,a red allam or ginger chutney,beerakaya thokku or torai pachadi,and mango avakaya pickle.

The next round included small mounds of brown and lemon rice,gunpowder sprinkled on them,accompanied by a dollop of ghee. An aubergine curry (Vonkai pulusu) and pumpkin moru curry (pumpkin-curd curry) were served up on the side. The pappu (dal),sambhar and rasam were served in tiny bowls,orbiting our thali.

The sambhar and the pappu were strictly average and cold. The hit was the moru curry and the pachadis that packed a ,and sour punch. The mutton and chicken servings came,like the rest of the food,in a spoonful at a time. The chicken chettinad and the mutton curry were spicy as they should be,though the meat was tough.

The waiters fussed and checked on refills every few minutes,making sure our plates never went empty. By the end of the meal we were happy with the pungent twang that a good Andhra meal leaves in your mouth. But then for Rs 399 for a vegetarian thali and Rs 599 for a non-vegetarian thali,the menu could do so much better with the introductions of some other samplers,like a fried fish dish,for instance. Poppadom,has its heart in the right place,and the food tastes authentic enough,but it will need more options to keep us going there again.