Gopu Iyengars (MGI) Tiffin Centre

I stride towards the source (a small hole-in-the-wall eatery tucked in an obscure corner on the chaotic North Chitrai Street), and try guessing the dishes that are tantalising my senses — ‘ghee roast?’ ‘No, it’s godhumai (wheat) dosa.’ Squeezing into the barely 200 sq ft eatery where tables, chairs and people jostle for space, I manage to find a seat and not get elbowed by the man attempting to gorge on a jeera boli dripping with sugar syrup in a single go.

An elderly man in a dhoti walks across, places a plantain leaf on the table and reels off the menu that he seems to know by heart — vellaiyappam, kathrika bajji, godhumai dosa, adai aviyal, ghee roast. One is spoilt for choice; but I’ve already decided on my order. When in Madurai Gopu Iyengars (MGI) Tiffin Centre, it’s always the vellaiyappam first and the kathrika bajji next.

That’s how the ritual has been for nearly 100 years now. Popularly known as the ‘moola kadai’ (corner store, due to its location at the junction of two streets) or ‘kara chutney kadai’ (for its popular green chilli chutney), Gopu Iyengars rings a bell with anyone from the temple town.

To etch a name with only vegetarian fare in the land of ‘kothu parottas’ and ‘kari dosas’ is tough. But MGI has done it without much ado. Not only has it earned a name, but has also created a brand with the variety of signature dishes for nearly a century.

An age-old endeavour

When Gopalan Iyengar landed in Madurai as an 18-year-old in pursuit of greener pastures, he did not know much about the nuances of the food industry. Penniless, he was left on his own, and a benevolent man took him in as a waiter in his eatery near Meenakshi Temple.

Young Iyengar worked hard, ate and slept in the eatery. His 18 years of hard work paid off when the owner decided to sell the outlet and found a potential bidder in him. Relentless, Iyengar forged a formidable team with capable cooks. Day in and day out, he churned out new dishes and immediately struck a chord with the public.

Some of the signature dishes served at MGI include vellaiyappam, green chilli chutney, rava pongal, milk boli, jeera boli, brinjal bajji, Mysore masala dosa, Mumbai masala dosa, cheese dosa, Mysore-style filter coffee, Kancheepuram idli, set dosa, vada curry and puliyodarai. “It took the local crowd by surprise. The dishes were unique and everyone flocked to the joint for a taste. We have retained the original menu and the taste,” says Shubha Vijay, the granddaughter of the founder and joint proprietor of MGI chain of restaurants.

Inspired by reading the story of a rose milk vendor in Mylapore, Chennai, who was committed to run his small, but thriving family business against all odds, Vijay decided to take over the mantle from her father Srinivasan and expand the business in a big way.

Their iconic vellaiyappam and green chilli chutney continue to delight customers. The timings of the eatery are also distinct. It is open from 7 am to 11 am and again from 3 pm to 8 pm. “Since our outlet is very close to the temple, the timing is in sync with the temple’s opening and closing time. From morning walkers and tourists to temple staff and priests, everybody has a favourite dish at MGI. Earlier, we used to close by 6.30 pm, but now we have extended the time,” she says.

Of spices and sweets

The popular green chilli chutney is spicy and has many a customer scrambling for a glass of water. “Despite that, it enjoys a fan following. We have also introduced coconut chutney for those who don’t like the spice,” says Vijay.

Curry masala, artificial colours and flavours are a strict no at this eatery. For those with a sweet tooth, the menu features kesari, jeera boli, carrot halwa and bun halwa.

The adai (made of lentils and rice) and aviyal (a thick gravy of vegetables and coconut cooked in seasoned coconut oil and curry leaves) are also crowd favourites.

After taking over, Vijay has given the eatery a brand symbol and increased its online presence with its website, www.gopuiyengars.com. She has also opened a branch on Bypass Road in Madurai and introduced catering services. “We have made arrangements to launch our online business this year. We have stacked our snack menu with manoharam, adirasam, suryakala, Tirupathi-style laddoo, kai murukku, thattai, ribbon pakoda and more, all made with pure coconut oil or ghee. We have planned to launch door delivery across Madurai, Chennai and Bengaluru. Preservative-free pickles and ready-to-use instant rice mixes are also available.”

Among the celebrities who have dined here are former Chief Minister K Kamaraj, MK Stalin and musicians such as Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and Pithukuli Murugadas.