Buddies brought me to MTR Vegetarian when I said I wanted to learn more about South Indian cuisine. MTR is a great place to start on my South Indian journey. Grateful for buddies who always support my learning journey ๐ Thank you!
MTR spans two shop lots and was full house during lunch, with people waiting in line outside for tables (on a Friday).
In case you wonder, this MTR ๐ isn't from Hong Kong but from Bangalore and was established in 1924 (a century old!). MTR is short for Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (yes, got "s"). My new buddy hails from Bangalore ๐๐บ
MTR has a huge picture menu, so ordering is easy. Mostly south Indian dishes and all vegetarian. Four of us, we ordered as much as we could eat.
Total bill came to $55, drinks, service and taxes included. We had a lot of food and we love everything.
Masala dosa (thosai).
Lifting the folded pancake to show you the mashed potato masala inside.
The soft dosa made with rice and black lentil flour (urad dal) was well browned and slightly crisp outside. Overall thicker than any thosai I had before. The mashed potato masala was nicely gently spiced. Eating with the accompanying chutney and sambar gave it more than enough flavour ๐
Onion uttapam.
First time I am having this staple south Indian dish. It's a mildly sweet savoury fermented rice and urad dal pancake topped with chopped onion and chopped aromatics. The outside was lightly crisped while the inside was moist and slightly spongy soft chewy. Perfect with the usual complements of chutney and sambar.
The staple idly.
Made with fermented rice and black lentil flour, it's a spongy puffy, sweet subtly sourish steamed rice cake eaten with ghee and spiced chutney and sambar.
Delicious, comfort dish.
Special pongal.
I read about the iconic dish before trying it. I was delighted by how flavourful the spices and aromatics made the simple rice and mung bean gruel.
Love this spicy "south Indian porridge". One of favourite things today ๐
Rava idly.
Spongy cake with rava (semolina wheat) flour, bits of vegetables, aromatics, nuts and spices added.
More flavour than plain sweet rice flour idly. Preference is subjective, though personally I like the humble rice version more.
Sambar vada.
Looked like a dounut sitting almost submerged in a small bowl of curry.
The vada was made with mixed dal (pulses) and cooked by deep frying. Tender and good at absorbing the flavours of the mildly spicy sambar it was soaking in.
Definitely a great start to my South Indian cuisine journey. The dishes taste great and the prices are affordable. The service was earnest, pleasant and efficient too.
Written by Tony Boey on 29 Jul 2023
๐ Opinions in this blog are all my own as no restaurant or stall paid money to be featured
MTR in Bangalore, India now on my bucket list!
Promotional video but useful for seeing what are some the menu items at MTR Singapore
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