On Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 8:09 PM, Sumant Srivathsan <[email protected]> wrote: > > Fair enough. But you're a tiny minority in the local context, and therefore > not a worthwhile investment for most high-ticket establishments. It would > cost them too much to provide stuff that their competition already offers at > a fraction of the cost. So it's more beneficial for them to cast a wider > net.
Down south, i'd assume a Saravana Bhavan and Darshini is what you mean by "competition that offers it at a fraction of the cost". Well, I didn't find a jackfruit halwa or elai adai payasam (granted they both originate from kerala) on their menus. I learnt how to make "puttu" from a Srilankan lady but have never seen that on any restaurant menu in Chennai. The dishes i listed are not to be taken in the same vein as say a pongal or idli or dosa, especially because they require more time and effort to prepare and also in terms of difficulty level (the coconut milk curdling after you spend a few hours desiccating and slaving over adai pradaman is not fun). I dont know any restaurant that sells dhik/methi ladoo in Mumbai and the lady that makes them to order makes a neat profit from home. hmmpf... for the most part restaurants indulge in fusion cooking (chinese chilli idli is an assault on the palate) and restrict their menu to one or two big-ticket items. So its just the same old dhokla, dosa, idli, and other "standard" items that will sell fast, than a genuine presentation of traditional local dishes in a majority of Indian "indian" restaurants.. -- .
