On Valentine’s Day this year and being a Sunday, it was time for a day out. Day out to us as a family means a lunch or dinner to a place of popular choice. This day being celebration of all sorts, we were too thoughtful to venture into malls or places we are sure to find crowded. After lot of speculation, we decided to try out the one awaiting our consent for long – Prem’s Graama Bhojanam at Adyar. It is a vegetarian restaurant known to serve traditional village food using millets.

We found it a bit difficult to locate the place; the board was faded and dull among the high flying vibrant signs of GRT and other business. Next to GRT was a clear instruction and so we found the board leading to a pathway into a one story building leading to the restaurant in the first floor.

 Not the kind that gives you a kick on seeing neither the kind that gives you a grand invitation, Graama Bhojanam is a house converted to a restaurant, happily retained in its old fervor. It was buzzing with activity, and people waiting. We just sat and looked around and captured these on the billing desk.

Thankfully, we did not wait for long and was taken to a table with simple wooden chairs but yes comfortable to eat. Understanding our craving for water, we had a jug kind of implement for water, liked it the moment I saw it. Water was heavenly and could not resist filling us with water, glass after glass and then realized we have not taken a picture of it. So here is the picture with water just enough to prove it is.

A typical meals kind of restaurant in the afternoon, meals was the most prominent sale. We went for meals; one with chakki fresh chappathi and another with small sized Kali (Vendhayam, Kambu and Ragi) – Ragi had run out and so we had 2 kambu instead of one. Our meals had thinai pongal sweet, thinai sambar Rice, kuthirai vaali rasam rice, saamai curd rice, varagu coconut rice and bottle gourd vegetable curry and the amazing lemon leaves thuvayal (chutney).

Our daughter who is not for the village kind of stuff was totally against our decision to go with Graama Bhojanam that day was unwilling to try out the meals. After a long thought, she decided to go for Chakki fresh chapatti and she got two of it. Saag was awesome going by the taste we had and yes one more plate was ordered by her. Slowly her hands extended to our food and also specific orders for curd rice and sweet found its way into her plate.

We completed the order with Sukku Kapi (a concoction of herbs and brown sugar), a great way to finish the meal with the hot panagam taste lingering in our throat.

We also had a demo of how the water we so much loved, was made. The water is inspired by the water given in Perumal Temple. Take about 20 liters of water, add crushed Pachchai karpuram (Raw camphor) a small pinch, add a small bunch of washed Tulasi (Holy Basil) leaves , 1 teaspoon of krambu( cloves) and Yelakkai (cardamom) powder and few leaves of Vilvam (Bilva) and leave the water to stand for 30 minutes.

Meals cost us Rs.120/- and other items are optimally priced and do not pinch our wallet. We could finish our meals at less than Rs.530 for 3 for us. Real Good!

One small suggestion though! We would love the bearers to wait for us to close the order before handing over the bill or preferably confirm with us if we are done before preparing the bill.

Location :

Adyar › 19, Sardar Patel Road, Next To GRT, Adyar, Chennai 600020

Call  044 30853709