A reel showing an American tourist trying a variety of South Indian dishes at a restaurant in Chennai has gone viral on Instagram and received a lot of interest from foodies. It features a popular American vlogger known as Daily Max. As part of his foodie adventures in Chennai, he visited an establishment known as Madurai Kumar Mess. A "mess" in South India refers to a food joint that generally serves simple, homely, and affordable meals, often with a fixed menu focusing on traditional recipes. In the viral video, we also get to see his brief, candid interactions with servers, who help him with suggestions and instructions.
The clip begins with Max seated at the table with a banana leaf in front of him. A waiter pours a little water on the leaf and tells him to clean it a second time (he specifies that it has already been cleaned earlier). Max spreads the water carefully on the surface of the leaf before the waiter wipes it down again with a tissue. The vlogger politely thanks him and then begins his meal.
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He starts with a classic combo of parotta and curry. His expression shows just how much he loves the taste. He also relishes mutton kola with an impressive crunchy texture. A server stops by and suggests that Max try their signature Crab Omelette. He is also served a separate chicken gravy. Another member of the restaurant staff drops by to tell him how to savour it with the parotta. "I love how passionate India is about their food. They're going to make sure you eat it the right way," the vlogger says to the camera.
Max sniffs the crab omelette and falls in love with its aroma. Another curry is served with this delicacy, and the staff show him how he should pair it. The vlogger dips the egg treat into the gravy and is blown away by it. He calls it a "superstar" and recommends it to everyone who is visiting this place for the first time. He also tastes the restaurant's mutton egg roast, which he calls "very good." At the end of the meal, he thanks the servers and candidly declares he's very full when they try to suggest another dish. When the bill arrives, he finds the food to have great value for money (his total bill amount was Rs 1,115). Watch the complete viral video below:
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In the comments, several users found the look of the meal quite appetising. A few hinted at appreciating that a foreigner was tasting underrepresented South Indian dishes. Read some of the reactions below:
"That's amazing."
"Bro, you are making me hungry."
"A little bit of rice or briyani will complete this, but nonetheless, it's great food."
"2025 and still telling unseasoned people how they should be eating. I love it."
"Most people up North don't know this cuisine exists. Glad you're getting to try it."
It's not just videos of foreigners tasting niche Indian delicacies that go viral, but also posts about them trying to cook specific dishes. For instance, a reel showing a Polish woman attempting to make traditional Kerala-style appam took social media by storm some time ago. Click here to read the full viral story.