Yuck! Yes, that's the word you may hear when a guy, who has been enjoying the REAL version of the Idlis for months in the birthplace region (south India) of idlis, would eat at a self-proclaimed South Indian food servicing multinational chain originated from Gujarat - a land of sweet food and people!
You might have read the previous three parts of this series which describes yummy Idlis and the finger licking chutneys served in the restaurants of Chennai. I recently had a chance to visit my native place and the very next morning I was in search of Idlis. After staying in Chennai for months and starting my each day with hot, soft, white and fulfilling Idlis accompanied with chutneys and aromatic sambhar, not having Idlis in the morning was like waking up in the morning and having a feeling like you're missing an organ.
So, my search led me to Sankalp. I had high hopes as I have tried their food in their Iselin, NJ, USA branch and actually liked it. I should admit that the dishes I ordered at Sankalp@NJ was mostly North Indian ones. Many in Vadodara told me that at Sankalp, I would find good South Indian dishes. I ordered a plate of each - Steamed Hot Idlis, Idlittles (mini Idlis) and onion rava dosa.
Steamed hot Idlis - made with coarse rava and rice rendering the Idlis grainy, tasteless. When an idli has an outer layer hard and crispy with suspiciously hot inner region (as if a stale one was heated in microwave) of the idli that makes it un-eatable!
Idlittles - they were equally bad as they just made it using the same batter as the above one.
White chutney was edible but a little sweet for my palate. No one makes sweet chutneys in south India! Red chutney had uncooked red chilli powder and raw garlic. Green chutney was made with artificial colors. Sambhar was hot but felt like just another tasteless, red colored liquid.
The goods - very clean. Serves water in silver glasses.
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