Thattukada,literally means street side shop.We heard about the place first time from a dear friend who was a big fan of their 'meter chaya',which was their classic tea made the Kerala tea-shop style.They started their first outlet in Spencer Plaza and we frequented the place whenever we went to the mall.
They specialized in 'Thalaserry Biriyani',which is a typical Kerala Biryani made with small grained Jeera rice.Ajay was a big fan of their Chicken as well as Mutton Biryani and always ordered it.The portion was just right for one person,not too much or too less.Biryani came with a thick coconut chutney,onion raita and a papad.
I ordered their snack items-Parippu Vada-a spiced lentil vada which tastes best with their meter chaya.Pazham Pori,very immodestly I have to say that I make better pazham poris.What we got was pazham pori which was too oily and too chewy.I always asked for Ela Ada-steamed rice pancakes with coconut-jaggery filling,but it was always unavailable.
We checked out their Ascendas outlet too.Here the Biryani was just OK,according to Ajay.Since we went there for dinner,none of the snack items were available.I opted for Porotta with Veg Kurma and as expected,it was good.The porottas were flaky and crispy,just like how it should be.The kurma was tasty but nothing great.
The best[worst!] for the last.We had gone to watch Christian Brothers[review might come soon] and for dinner we checked out their outlet in Express Avenue.The staff were Tamilians,which was quite difficult because most of the items,we had to pinpoint and tell them.I ordered a Veg Combo which had Buttermilk-too watery and tasteless,Parippu vada,which was just about Ok comparitively,Coconut chutney and Pickle-good,Porotta-which had a faint essence smell,Veg Kurma--same taste,nothing great-nothing bad.I had a choice of rice,but only on the menu.They did not have ghee rice,so I was served Plain Biryani rice.Only saving grace was the payasam,which was warm and hence edible.
Here comes the twist,they did not have Thalassery Biryani which was such a dampener because they said that only while serving,after we had ordered and paid the bill!It was an anyones-guess-cuisine Biryani.Ajay was very hungry so had most of the Chicken Biryani he ordered though unwillingly.A friend who ordered Mutton biryani found pieces of Chicken in it other than one sole piece of Mutton.Egg Kothu Porotta had only eggs and onions and no porotta.
All in all a very bad experience.I would only recommend Spencer Plaza Thattukada if you ever plan to visit that place.Though not authoritatively because it has been ages since we went to Spencer.So there..enter at your own risk!