Hidden stories: How a humble eatery serving up South Indian food became a Pune landmark

Moorthy could fill himself up on idli, vada or a cup of coffee, which tasted just like home food, for 50 paise each, or a dosa for Re 1. Also available were pongal, uthappa and thalis of rice, vegetable, dal and dessert. Until he got married eight years later, Moorthy was a regular.

The non-greasy, non-spicy fare that once drew Moorthy now attracts a new generation, and customers are from all over the country and of different ages and professions. Three or four times a week, a group of three resident doctors from Tarachand Hospital comes for a breakfast of masala dosa before they head to their OPDs. They are from Solapur and other parts of Maharashtra and live in a PG in Rasta Peth. “The taste and hygiene here are good,” says one. “We are regular customers so the staff knows what we want,” says another. “The restaurant has maintained its quality all these years,” says the third.

The first thing that V C Ganesh, secretary of the Society, would like a newcomer to the restaurant to know is that “this is one of the oldest restaurants serving typically home-style South Indian food in the city”. The restaurant was started in 1933 to help people from South India with accommodation — there are dormitories above the restaurant —and food.

The restaurant was started in 1933. Express Photo By Pavan Khengre,09.05.23,Pune.

A board at the restaurant dates to the early days when it was a ‘Grade B’ restaurant that had “free permission to all communities” to enter. This was the time when a large number of young men used to come to Pune from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to work in government offices.

Rasta Peth became a hub for professionals from the south, giving the area its moniker ‘Little Madras’. “One could walk around in mundus and the air hummed with South Indian accents. The South Indian Mess was a prominent landmark, watching over the communities and providing food and shelter. Now, as private sector jobs have increased and families want privacy and bigger flats, South Indians have shifted out of Rasta Peth to other areas of Pune,” says Moorthy, who is in his seventies and is the vice-chairman of the Society.

The mess has survived despite breaking the rules of the modern hospitality industry. It defiantly lacks ostentation. The steps leading to the second floor are narrow and the walls are covered in white tile. There are strict timings: Breakfast is from 7 am to 11 am, followed by lunch from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and snacks from 6.15 pm to 9 pm.

The restaurant’s focus is solely on the quality of food, disregarding the frills of the commercial hotel industry. Express Photo By Pavan Khengre,09.05.23,Pune.

Every day, around 200 people visit the mess. On Sundays, however, it is 200 only in the mornings and there is, sometimes, a 30-minute wait for a table— but people come from all over Pune with their families and queue up outside for their turn. Old regulars talk about S S Vasan and V S Lakhsminarayana, who were the pillars of the Society for years and mentors to the current office bearers. “When my son hears that I am visiting the restaurant, he tells me to pack some vada. He says they are tastier than what other outlets have,” says Moorthy.

The dining space is a humble room adorned with plastic chairs, sun mica-topped tables, and counters displaying steel plates, gleaming kettles, and containers of chutney, pickles, and sambar. The restaurant’s focus is solely on the quality of food, disregarding the frills of the commercial hotel industry.

Ramesh Iyer, the head cook and manager, embodies an old-school humility that he imbibed while growing up in Karaikudi, Chettinad, in Tamil Nadu. After coming to Pune 25 years ago, he established a successful catering business called Shri Annapurna for South Indian weddings and events in Pune. He decided to give back to society by working at the mess. “I like feeding people. I feel that my forefathers, who were also into catering, are sending their blessings to me as I am cooking for so many people at the mess,” he says.

The mess does not offer delivery services through platforms like Zomato and Swiggy as the demand for food at the canteen keeps them occupied. Express Photo By Pavan Khengre,09.05.23,Pune.

While Ramesh has learned some Marathi, his partner Sanjay, who arrived in Pune two decades ago, is fluent in the language. They have been running the restaurant for about four years, keeping the menu unchanged as it continues to attract a large number of customers. The mess does not offer delivery services through platforms like Zomato and Swiggy as the demand for food at the canteen keeps them occupied.

Ramesh explains that the taste of South Indian food differs across its five states, even for common dishes like sambar, dosa, or vegetable preparations. Each state has its own unique flavours, such as the greater use of coconut in Kerala, spiciness in Andhra cuisine, and the incorporation of jaggery in Karnataka dishes. “In Tamil Nadu, we use everything in proportion,” he says.

On the third Sunday of each month, the mess offers a feast reminiscent of a wedding, comprising 13 to 14 food items. The feast includes kootu, avial made with seven vegetables, masala vada, pachidi and payasam, among others. Some customers specifically come for the feast thali.

“Our ethos is still to look after people who come here to eat,” says Ganesh.