On a kulfi trail
What are the best places to have this decadent dessert in
the city?
From being an alien dessert around two decades ago, to a
sudden profusion of stalls... kulfis are the hot favourites in town. With the
temperatures almost always on the higher side of 30 degrees, they are a great
way to keep cool. A delicacy from the kitchens of the Mughals, these now come
in exotic and innovative flavours and combinations — from blueberry to
gulkhand.
Here’s our pick of five kulfi outlets in Chennai.
Kulfiwala This one is like the Kate Middleton of the kulfi world. It’s
prim and proper, minus the grime of the little kulfi kiosks, and smells
heavenly. Situated above the K.C. Das outlet on Moores Road, Kulfiwala features
a variety of flavours made by three generations of kulfi makers from Bombay.
There are 30 flavours and they keep adding new flavours every month.
“We started last month. I was never really happy with the
kulfis I tried here. They didn’t feel authentic. After I tried these in Bombay,
I just had to bring them here,” says Ahamed Jalal, the proprietor. They are
transported by rail... around 120 kg are delivered to the store every week. “We
easily sell about 200-250 kulfis a day,” he adds.
Meetha pan, malai, choco chip, seetaphal, roasted almond,
apricot and butterscotch are the most popular flavours. The current favourite
is the guava kulfi in a beautiful shade of baby pink with little chunks of the
fruit. And, it’s sprinkled with salt and chilli powder to give you the taste of
delicious guava chaat. Price: Rs. 75; Tel: 2821 2232; Timing: Noon to midnight Address: No. 20, Moores Rd, Thousand Lights West
Tewary’s Kulfi This brand has been around since 1979, much before the city
got its many kulfi outlets. “Back then, people knew of ice cream but not kulfi.
When we started, they were curious,” says R.K. Tewary, proprietor, and a former
cinematographer. He wanted to start his own business and thus began Tripti’s
Kitchen Rich (in Egmore), which served chaats and kulfis. Handling both the
restaurant and films was getting hard, so he gave up the restaurant. However,
the kulfis stayed, and he set up a store in Lake Area in 1982, where the little
outlet still stands.
While clients queue up outside with their share of this
dessert, Tewary says 80 per cent of the orders are takeaways. The kulfis are
made in-house; behind the store is a production unit that churns out generous
proportions in 23 flavours, every day. Malai and kesar are among the most
popular. The new inclusions in the menu are coffee and blueberry. The kulfis
here are creamy, but not cloyingly sweet. The coffee-flavoured one, with its
crunchy texture and the mild essence of the beverage, is like joy on a plate. Price: Rs. 50
Tel: 93840 55557; Timing: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Address: Corporation. Market Building, 4th Cross St,Lake Area, Nungambakkam
Bombay Kulfi Started in Coimbatore, the kulfi brand made its way to
Chennai in February this year, with a branch in Adyar. Thanks to the fast-growing
popularity, it soon set up its second outlet in Anna Nagar two months ago.
There’s not a single evening when the place isn’t packed with kulfi
enthusiasts. The store has stick kulfi, slice and matka kulfi in various
flavours. There’s blueberry, malai, pista badam, kesar, guava with chilli and
salt sprinkled on top, and even chocolate and coffee.
The outlet also has quirkily-named variants Rangeela and
Sholay, that seem to be winners with those frequenting the place. According to
Hitesh Khanna, franchise owner of the city’s outlets, the tender coconut
variant is most popular. “We’ve also introduced faloodas in the Anna Nagar
branch last week, and plans are afoot to launch them in Adyar too,” he says,
adding that Bombay Kulfi also stocks sugar-free variants. And while you’re at
it, do try the malai kulfi — a decadent delight. Finally, a place that gets its
malai kulfi right.
Price: Rs. 30 to 70; Tel: 77088 59752; Timing: 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Address: A C5, Ground Floor, Second Avenue, Anna Nagar
East
Dojo Kulfis Set up seven years ago by the husband-wife duo Lakshmi and
Jayachandran, Dojo is an extension of their love for the dessert. According to
Lakshmi, the couple would eagerly wait till 11 p.m. each night for the local
kulfi vendor to pass by to indulge their sweet tooth. “But, we noticed that
most of the kulfi in the city was sold on pushcarts. We decided to set up a
store where families could come and sit down and enjoy the dessert and also
place bulk orders,” says Lakshmi, adding that the majority of their sales is
from restaurants and party orders.
Dojo has a factory in Ennore (and also a store), where the
kulfis are made fresh and sent to Mylapore. While the store started off with
traditional flavours such as malai, pista badam and kesar, it has also
introduced flavours such as chocolate and strawberry over time. One of the highlights is the FIRADA (fig, raisin and dates)
kulfi, which is made from palm sugar and has a distinct flavour. “This one can
be enjoyed by diabetics without guilt,” says Lakshmi. Price: Rs. 25 to Rs. 60; Tel: 99620 22850; Timing: 10 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. Address: 42, Mundakanni Amman Koil St, Madhava perumalpuram, Mylapore
