Last weekend we had gone out for a bout of shopping, and stopped at a small road side hotel for a quick lunch. The plan was to grab a few South Indian snacks like idlis, dosas, vadas etc and make a lunch out of it. We were both hungry and so was the baby, so we figured a couple of dishes each would do the trick. The place we picked was part of a larger chain that is supposedly popular down in South India. A small outlet, with self service, and seating for about 15 people. Well maybe it was the time of day (around 12:30pm) that we picked, but they had run out of idlis. They didn't have masala dosas either, so I settled for a plain dosa. Mrs. B decided to go with a plain uttapam, and we decided to supplement with a plate of lemon rice. Lets just say that we have had better when it comes to South Indian fare. The taste was authentic, but not necessarily top notch. It was the cost that took us by surprise. Each of the 3 dishes cost Rs25, for a total lunch bill of Rs75. For the level of service and ambiance, which wasn't spectacular given that we were in a roadside outlet, and the taste which wasn't something to reminisce about, we thought the food was very overpriced. Needless to say we will not be eating there again. There was a time when South Indian snacks were considered to be the cheap fast food of India. I guess at Rs75 for 3 dishes, the inexpensive status is being challenged.
Nice post...
ReplyDeleteWell, if you talk about my city Ahmedabad than here the cost of south Indian food is too high. 1 Plain dosa will cost you Rs.125 and the total cost of this entire meal given in your post will come not less than Rs.500.
Well, we picked South Indian food as an example here, since it has always been considered cheap, inexpensive, but relatively healthy fast food. I guess in Ahmedabad, there should be equivalent fast food (probably Gujarati cuisine) that is still relatively inexpensive and quickly accessible.
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