Amritsari pindi chole and kulcha | photo credit: s. Shiva Saravanan
Live Counter Crisp, Yet Soft Amritsari Rolls Kulcha served with yummy pindi chole Prepared with different spices. a short distance away, hot buttered toast loaf Ready to eat with a spicy, tangy paneer Bhajiis also soul-satisfying rice and beansAnd HotTea Looking forward to a taste of toast and cookies. It’s time for celebration at That’s Y Food in RS Puram as the restaurant completes 20 years in the city.
“Coimbatore is home,” says co-founder Ranjana Singhal, as she sits down to recount her journey over plates of crispy corn cracker and Herbed Grilled Chicken. “We started in 2002 as a standalone restaurant serving North West Frontier cuisine, which we continue to do with a few additions,” she says. At That’s Y, many things remain the same: from the staff who come from all over India, to their senior assistant in the kitchen, whom Ranjana calls ‘Akka’, to the cheerful, minimalist interiors. “It has been a journey with a lot of ups and downs, but it has been a great learning experience,” she says.
Ranjana Singhal | photo credit: s. Shiva Saravanan
Over the years, the restaurant has played host to poets and singers at musical evenings and poetry sessions, kitty parties, not to mention food festivals like the Awadhi Utsav, in which Lucknow’s chefs prepare a variety of kebabs. “People come to us for Dal MakhniKebabs, butter chicken, and desserts, which are always on the menu. The classic mud soufflé has enjoyed steady patronage since day one. So get potato dynamites, well done mushroom and chilli kebabs. In the initial days, some of our customers asked for curd rice sukku Coffee to be served,” she laughs.
Their famous mud soufflé, a chocolate dessert with a molten, gooey center and a cake-like outlier served with ice cream on top, has a huge fan following in town. For dessert, Ranjana has introduced 11 variants ranging from Rum and Raisins, Roasted Coffee, Hazelnut Cream, Cheese Cake and Molasses, available in takeaway boxes.
Mud Souffle Takeaway Box | photo credit: s. Shiva Saravanan
Starting a single-cuisine restaurant can be difficult, but Ranjana says it all comes down to good food and consistency. She also enrolled for management courses at ISB in Hyderabad, while expanding her operations, eventually opening two other restaurants, On The Go which offers Continental and Indian, and Cafe Totaram. “We have to constantly upskill ourselves. Now I have a social media team that takes care of Instagram reels and posts,” she says. Her biggest learning, over two decades? “We have to respect the local sensibilities, staying relevant to the local people has been our strength. And, with that comes the trust factor. From seating to eating, the smile you share with each other, everything Some count as part of the experience. I have made friends for life here.”
That’s Y Food, 24/49, TV Swamy (East), RS Puram, RS Puram, till 4th December from noon to 10 pm. Call 0422436 5117/9786025992. Mud souffle takeaway will also be available on the go at the Race Course and at Cafe Totaram.