Get ready for some flavourful bingeing at Tenali. On one hand, Delhi is too familiar with the flavours from Hyderabad and on the other, there is a world yet to be discovered. Tenali gives you a leeway into the cuisine, the head Chef being Telugu himself. They source a lot of their ingredients directly from the local cities. However, they have toned down the spice levels to make the food suitable to the market. The place is neat, with warm accents, and patrons who have been visiting ever since they opened.
Food at tenali
Mutton Fry – chunky pieces slathered with a super hot mix of spices. The semi-dry meaty appetizer is a fair comparison with Mutton ghee roast, the spicier cousin from Kerala. We paired this with Laccha Parantha.
Non-vegetarian Thali – Chicken and Mutton curry of the day, flavoured rice, vegetable of the day, sambar, rasam, curd, chutney, papad, pooris, and a bucket full of steamed rice. Gongura or Roselle leaves are a common ingredient in South Indian cooking for their strong flavours. The leaves lend a sour and slightly smooth texture to the Gongura Mutton curry. Next in the thali, the Allam Kodi or Ginger chicken. The succulent pieces of on-bone chicken in a curry with heavy accents of ginger. However, what stole my heart in an instant was the vegetarian side of the thali. The vegetable of the day, bhindi fry was irresistible. As a certified fussy eater, I only eat fried or baked bhindi. And the fried bhindi with pooris was such a gratifying bite.
The constant condiments of the meal – sambhar, rasam, papadum and rice, all complimented the dishes perfectly. Although, I liked the rasam more than the sambhar, which was more watery than what we are used to. Desi ghee, gunpowder and rice make for an ideal meal. Take a look –
Highly recommend a glass of buttermilk to go along with your meal if like me, your spice tolerant levels are low.
Read all about Hyderabadi adventures here.
Where? Tenali, Green Park Extn Market
Cuisine – Andhrite
Price for two – INR 800 approx