Simplicity Coimbatore , Valarmathi Mess in Coimbatore </a
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Many years ago ,a young boy watched his parents work long hours in their family restaurant dishing out choice delicacies from their cache of recipes. On occasion he would assist by chopping onions or help out behind the counter depending on which area of the eatery needed a helping hand. He also remembers being acutely aware of the circumstances which led his parents to starting this venture.
He may not be chopping onions today but continues to be completely involved in the day to day running of this family run dining establishment called Valarmathi Mess. Rajan Jayaraman is the 2nd generation owner ,who manages one of the most successful restaurants in Coimbatore.
Started in 1986 with 5 tables,the mess was named after his older sister Valarmathi. His parents Jayaraman and Radhamani catered to a small crowd of diners who were mostly college students from the nearby law college and Government Arts college or small time traders looking for hot,wholesome meals. Back then the restaurant operated for breakfast,lunch and dinner. This primarily non-vegetarian restaurant focused on typical recipes from the gounder kitchens of Kongunadu. Hailing from the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community, the recipes contained a mix of traditional ingredients from the region which were used to make the spice blend or masala pastes.
Even today it is Rajan’s mother who continues to supervise the cooking and while the number of dishes in the menu have increased over the years, the base flavours all revolve around the recipes inherited from his parents.
Picture credits : Simplicity Coimbatore
I first met Mr.Rajan about 5 years ago when there was word doing the rounds about this Mess which served delicious fare with authentic Tamil Nadu flavours. There I was with camera in tow standing in his kitchen and he hadn’t really an idea of what sort of ‘blogging’ I was going to do, so there was a bit of resistance. Since then his establishment has grown to include an air conditioned section and additional staff.
In the past year ,especially, the food has maintained an excellent level of consistency in terms of taste and quality. This has to do with Rajan standardising the recipes to be cooked in small batches so as to ensure that it is exactly how the customers like it.
While the restaurant initially started off with serving a basic chicken and mutton varuval,today they have several items to offer under poultry , meat and sea food. The picchu potta kozhi,pallipalayam mutton , nalli fry are all recent additions which have become popular.There are a small number of vegetarian gravy sides to eat with the chappathi or parota.The meals at lunch time with the kootu and poriyal sides are also crowd pleasers.
I must mention here that this ‘hole in the wall’ establishment is not a favourite just with my friends and family but has also caught the attention of chefs and food experts from other parts of the country as well. If they happen to visit Coimbatore, they have been known to insist on having at least one meal at Valarmathi Mess. Kaveri Ponnapa of ‘The Coorg Table’ has visited with her family and had long discussions with Rajan about Kongu food.
Picture credits : Simplicity Coimbatore
The iconic dishes which are firm favourites at Valarmathi Mess are the kothu parota, nethli fry , brain egg fry, gola urandai ,veechu parota ,ghee roast and mutton biriyani. While these are ordered more frequently, there’s a whole lot more available on the menu.
Rajan says that quality and hygiene in cooking the food are the two things he will not compromise on. When customers place their trust in his establishment and eat the food cooked there, he considers it a great responsibility to ensure that they have a good dining experience. He says he does not tolerate mistakes from his staff members when it comes to executing their duties. An un-written code of ethics and principles is what ultimately drives his work.
Since taking over the business in 2004,the kitchen continues to see the same faces and seasoned hands ,at work.He constantly motivates his cooks and helpers to give their 100 percent daily.He believes that hard work deserves not just rewards but also respect and it goes both ways. At the end of the day it is a team effort and the people who work at Valarmathi Mess are taken care of in every way possible.
Valarmathi Mess now caters to people from all income levels and social strata. With a lot of people coming to Rajan with ideas of expansion etc, his focus lies in not just running a successful eatery but also spending time with his young sons and wife Meena Rajan who is a constant source of support. She is an educationalist who works with Mango education.
Rajan also talks of being completely in the know of all aspects of his business.If ever there is a man power shortage he can easily pitch in and fill that slot. Though he does have a dedicated team he feels that it’s vital to stay in touch with the basics of his trade. He wants his restaurant to become “legendary” and will give his best to earn that tag.
The food here is absolutely delicious. It does not leave the diner feeling uncomfortable or uneasy in any way. It is unpretentious,country cooking with no frills. Large banana leaves and steel ware is used for plating and serving .There is very little use of plastic unless someone asks for bottled water or a take away box. Cotton bags are given free of charge for large orders.
Picture credits : Simplicity Coimbatore
All of the purchases for the Mess are directly under his control and supervision. Rajan is aware of the many choices when it comes to picking ingredients. He is on the lookout for a consistent supply of free range chicken and eggs and is in talks with like minded poultry breeders. We also chatted about the fishing seasons and supporting fishermen by utilising what they can catch for the day rather than stressing only one particular type of fish.
Unnatural depletion of marine life and changes to the environment must be kept in mind while running a successful food enterprise.It is heartening to know that Rajan Jayaraman is committed to adopting as many long term positive modifications as he possibly can.
Non-vegetarianism is a part of the human diet. To be more conscientious about it is a definite step in the right direction. The regulars to Valarmathi Mess in the past had running accounts which they would settle at the end of the month.That may not be the modus operandi anymore but the list of regulars does seem to be growing longer every day.
If nothing else, the long lines queuing up outside,hungry yet patient, says a lot !
Picture credits : Simplicity Coimbatore
INFO
Valarmathi Mess
207 A Race course
(Next to Cosmopolitan Club)
Coimbatore-641018.
Phone #- 4271190
Meal for 2- Rs.850/- approximately
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