No fuss, only food

If you want to go out for home-style food, head to Maiya's. Their South Indian thalis, brimming with delights, are remarkably inexpensive yet supremely satisfying. The menu promises to cover more territory, from chaats to North Indian khana, when they move from BTM II Stage to Jayanagar IV Block by the end of the month

For months, I'd seen people, faces shining in anticipation, lining up outside the two-storeyed restaurant called Maiya's in BTM Layout II Stage, and wondered how an idli-dosa-coffee place could earn such ardent worship.

At 1 pm on a weekday when I made my way to the restaurant, the lobby was buzzing with activity the manager went about directing groups of people to tables, uniformed servers, wearing shower caps, ferried giant-size platters full of crisp puris from the kitchen, and stainless steel thalis, brimming with home-style delights, were set in front of smiling patrons.

The atmosphere at Maiya's is certainly not sedate as orders are hollered across the room. There's hardly any elbowroom between the tables, which means you will hear every belch and every burp from your satiated neighbour's table. But everyone seems quite at home with the friendly pandemonium. Clearly, they're here for the food, not the mood.

If you're here for lunch or dinner, you won't spend hours agonizing over what to order. You have just 2 choices: mini meal or special meal. The special meal comes with soup, juice, fruit salad and a sweet dish but the staples (puris, rice, sambhar, rasam, vegetable dry curry) remain the same as that offered for the mini meal. The servings are unlimited and the service is efficient.

The perfectly plump, flaky and non-greasy puris, served with coconutty kurma, had us in raptures. But the rice bhath for the day (bland vangi bhath) didn't have even a hint of character. Redemption arrived in the form of a fiery, flavourful rasam and steamed rice, topped with lashes of ghee. The raitha of crisp diced onions and cucumber in creamy curd had us holding up our katoris for refills. The repast, which ends with paan, costs Rs 50 (all inclusive) a thali.

In contrast, the 'tiffin' menu (7-11.30 am; 3.30-7.30 pm) covers a lot of territory dosas, idlis, khara bhath, vadas, samosas, which can be washed down with steaming, aromatic filter coffee in silver tumblers, even if the mercury outside is climbing to dangerous levels.

Maiya's, currently located in BTM Layout II Stage (Ph: 2668460), will be moving to Jayanagar IV Block, opposite the Ganesha Temple, on April 29. At their new address, they will also offer ice creams, chaats, sandwiches, North Indian khana and buffets.

Wallet factor: Rs 50 for mini meal; Rs 100 for special thali; snacks range between Rs 20-60; coffee Rs 15.

(What's On reviewed Maiya's anonymously and paid for the meal)

The World Gourmet Summit
As Singapore gears up for the World Gourmet Summit 2009, Kuoni Holidays offers culinary tour packages for foodies this summer from April 19 to May 2. Guests of the famous Naumi Hotel will be treated to a complimentary dinner at the Rang Mahal Restaurant, featuring Michelin star chef Atul Kochhar's signature dishes when they book a 3day/2night stay. Round trip airport transfers are also included. For Kuoni Holidays offices in India you can log onto https://www.kuoni.in

The World Gourmet Summit (WGS) will witness a constellation of six Michelin starred chefs, Atul Kochhar, the first Indian Michelin-star chef will be a part of this epicurean festival. Wine enthusiasts too, can look forward to the Great Italian Chianti Wine Fair, presented by five premium wineries who along with their vintners, will present at least four decades of their best vintages during the WGS wine-tasting sessions.