Hotel Sunny

Reaching Sunny means braving the dingy lanes near Tilak Nagar railway station, but locals flock here anyway, even though the place has barely grown since the 80s. One reason is their special chicken stew, which is a Sunday ritual for many. Their regular menu is extensive but a quick way to navigate it is to completely eliminate the Chinese, Mughlai and North Indian choices, even if you’re called in by the familiar. 

Instead, get the chicken chettinad to dive into a heady blend of spices, or the buff roast for a rich concoction brought alive by fried coconut bits and curry leaves. Both go well with a crisp parotta or a fluffy appam.

The seafood thali, with fish and prawn options, is a real party. Served with parotta/appam, matta rice, seafood curry, and a fry, it’s rounded off with pappadum and a payasam. The thali has two vegetable sides too – one Malayali, and the other usually a dal or rajma (possibly as a nod to the large number of non-Malayali patrons), sadly out of place. A more apt addition is the warm glass of cumin water they serve – accept it to help pace your appetite. If you would prefer not to brave the spice at all, try the mild coconutty fish moilee. It’s sublime when paired with an appam.

For the vegetarians: don’t shortchange yourself by ordering the paneer or mushroom version of the meat and seafood preparations. Instead, give a chance to the vegetarian kurma with parotta, iddiyappam (rice noodle) with spicy kadala (horsegram) curry, or the Kerala rice thali for a proper introduction to the equally varied vegetarian preparations of the region. 

The focus here is so sharply on food that the only attempt at ambience are two glass stained windows in the AC section. That may sound like a complaint, but what a joy it is to think about nothing but the food you’re eating.

Time Out tip: If you're driving to Sunny, park further away at the Eastern Express Highway to avoid traffic jams. The place is most crowded on Wednesdays and Sundays.