Searching for a pocket-friendly place to eat that serves Kerala cuisine? Well, put an end to your search and head to Samridhi - a staff canteen at Kerala House located in the heart of Delhi. Started in the year 2013, this canteen is extremely popular with the Keralites residing in Delhi as most of the cooking is done in authentic spices from the south. Diners can use back gate to reach the canteen hassle free. Vehicles are not allowed in the premises, so you may park your vehicles outside where they will be under the watchful eyes of the security personnel. An important point to keep in mind is that this place is a state-house canteen and not a restaurant, it's a small functional place with seating capacity of over 30 people.
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You can enjoy an afternoon meal as well as a hearty dinner in this canteen. It opens up for lunch at 12.30 pm every day and closes at about 3 pm. While for dinner, they open again around 7pm and stay open till 9pm. On weekends, make sure you reach before time as the waiting time can sometimes get really long. About 200-250 people have lunch at Samridhi on an ordinary day; hence, they tend to run out of dishes usually after two hours. So if you want to have the privilege of choosing anything from the menu, make sure that you reach timely. They have a limited menu, making it easier to zero in the order. The canteen follows a token system, where you order alongside. After ordering and paying for food, one needs to show their token before entering the canteen. Once seated inside, the staff will serve you food within five minutes guaranteed.
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The safest bet is to order veg meal along with a side dish of your choice. The veg meal or thali usually has red matta rice with one dry and one gravy preparation; both change every day. Sambar, rasam, and pickle and papad are complimentary. You can ask for as many servings as you want. While options for vegetarians are very few, there is a good deal of options to choose from for non-veg lovers. Biryani and chicken roast are very famous among the food lovers here. You can also try fish fry, in which Mackerel variety is served garnished with crispy onions. You can also try the delicious hot Malabari parotta here at dinner.
The food is hygienic and the staff is warm, welcoming and courteous, and is forever eager to serve you refills with lukewarm cumin water, which is apparently considered very good for digestion after a heavy and hearty meal.
The food is filled with lovely flavour of coconut, chillies and curry leaves, making you want to visit this place again. So if you are in Delhi and a fan of Kerala cuisine, do give this place a try!
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