Junior Kuppanna, which has been serving Kongu region cuisine since 1983, has launched its 24-hour drive-in restaurant in the heart of Chennai, complete with a drive-in option.
Serving cuisine from the Kongu region, Junior Kuppanna has since 1983 launched his 24-hour restaurant in the heart of Chennai, complete with a drive-in option.
At 11.45 a.m., most restaurants usually close up shop and start sanitizing kitchens, but it’s a different scenario at the newly launched Junior Kuppanna at Urban Square, a newly built retailing space under the Kathipara flyover in Alandur. Is. Here at this late hour, the owner K Murthy and his wife Vidya Murthy are in the kitchen, checking every batch of idli, dosa and parotte and supervising their team as it comes with menu cards and food to the kitchen and The middle of the dining area closes together.
Junior Kuppanna KK. The owner of the idol. , Photo Credit: Velankanni Raj
The place is so busy that it takes us 30 minutes to sit down. We are given a special midnight menu (12 a.m. to 5 p.m.). “We Are Known For Ourselves” seragga samba Biryani, but we have deliberately modified the midnight menu. We will certainly serve freshly made hot Kuppanna biryani round the clock in addition to the items mentioned on the menu,” said Kuppanna’s son Murthy, who had made a transition from accountant to restaurateur in 1960 with the Kuppannan Hotel in Erode. , 60 years earlier. Kuppanna’s wife K Rukmini, a passionate cook, played a key role in his venture. “It was her recipe and masala that turned out to be the crowd puller. Since then, the women of our household have played a vital role in ensuring quality and taste are not compromised,” says Murthy.
A view of Junior Kuppanna 24 Hour Drive-in at Urban Square below Kathipara Flyover. Photo Credit: Velankanni Raj
Kuppanna Heritage
In 1960, the Tamil Nadu government named the street where the first restaurant stands as Kuppanna Street in Erode.
In 1983, Kuppanna brought her son Murthy into the business and opened a separate restaurant for her son, which his mother named Junior Kuppanna.
Junior Kuppana has a factory in Erode where spices and spices are made. It is completely run by the women in the family and employs only women.
Murthy developed the Pallipalayam chicken recipe from a local rooster fight tradition in Erode, where the winner gets to cook his opponent’s rooster on the spot, using minimal ingredients and absolutely no oil.
we ordered coin parota (compact size layered flaky flatbread), vechu Parota (thin, multi-layered large flatbread) and Chicken Chettinad Gravy. And then we turn our attention to Salem Mutta Dosa – Dosa batter is spread in a thick pancake, an egg is cracked and gently spread over it, sprinkled with salt and cooked on a tava (griddle). “It is our special item and from the days of my father, it was made to be no bigger than seven inches in circumference. Only then will you get the flavor and spongy consistency. we have good too Mutta Dosa, where the batter is thin and big spread,” explains Murthy.
indoor dining area | Photo Credit: Velankanni Raj
Though Murthy and his team were initially apprehensive about starting a new branch, that too in the form of a 24-hour restaurant, a look at the location convinced them to move on. Balachander, director, Junior Kuppanna, says, “It can be reached from all areas in 25 minutes, has excellent lighting and a well-made outdoor space, which is the most favorable.”
Idiyappam and Attukal found in Junior Kuppanna. photo credit: special arrangement
The surrounding IT park is the target diners for visitors to and from the airport and those returning after pub nights and movies. “We have 60 seating capacity in the dining area, and we also have guests who prefer to eat in the car. For them, we serve outside food on high stools. For large groups or private parties, we also have a special lawn area,” says Balachander.
Diners enjoying late dinner at Outdoor Dining at the 24-hour drive-in at Junior Kuppanna | Photo Credit: Velankanni Raj
We are tempted to make Hot Mutton Biryani but we overcame the temptation and ordered the newly introduced Midnight kuska Instead with egg curry. “I developed it mild flavored” kuska Especially as a purely vegetarian dish for the night menu, as having heavy meals may not be preferred at this time,” says Murthy. The dish, white in color with minimal spices, and exudes the aroma of ghee and the flavors of ginger-garlic and clove – we ended up ordering another. For attukal (lamb) fans, they serve midnight found atukal With Idiyappam (string hopper), served from midnight to 7 am.
With staff working three shifts, the restaurant has five different menus: breakfast menu from 8 am to 11 pm, lunch menu from 11 am to 4 pm, menu from 4 pm to 7 pm , Dinner Menu and Midnight Menu. The restaurant is mostly bustling. “When the Woodlands Drive-in was working, Chennaiites were used to the drive-in concept. Now they seem happy to revisit that concept again. Also, we realized that group of friends and families like to go out for late dinner and that is why we have extended the working hours till 1 am at our four other outlets in the city,” says Balachander .
24 Hour Drive-in at Junior Kuppanna | photo credit: velankanni raj
With floodlights, traffic on the flyover above, and cheerful families dining with kids, we hardly realize it when it is 1 a.m. “The public seems excited at the prospect of fresh food early in the morning and we let them down. Won’t do it,” says Murthy.
Junior Kuppanna 24-Hour Drive-in Restaurant is located in Uptown Urban Square (beneath the Kathipara Flyover). Call on 7540077749. Log on to www.kuppanna.com to order online
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