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Though I spent just a couple of years in Bengaluru, I loved the Doses there. (For a Kannadiga it’s Dose and not Dosa) Back in the day, there weren’t a lot of eateries that served good Doses. I used to relish the humble dose at Adiga’s near my place. However, the likes of MTR, Vidyarthi Bhavan, CTR, and Brahmin’s were present, but Instagram wasn’t.
Ever since I left Bengaluru 10 years ago, I’ve heard of places I didn’t when I stayed there. One of them is Rameshwaram Cafe. Though I made multiple visits to Bengaluru, I didn’t get a chance to eat at Rameshwaram. However, last month when I was there for KubeDay India, I took some time off to have breakfast at Rameshwaram Cafe.
More recently, Rameshwaram Cafe has opened in Hyderabad as well. And you might have already seen the sea of people at Rameshwaram Cafe in Hyderabad.
Since I’ve eaten at the Bengaluru outlet and also saw a lot of videos about Rameshwaram Cafe Hyderabad, the question is whether to Ghee or not to Ghee. Is Rameshwaram really tasty or it’s just a Ghee-laden affair? Read on for my thoughts.
My Rameshwaram Cafe Experience
Rameshwaram Cafe was opened just around the COVID-19 period in 2021 and since then, it has grown quite a bit in Bengaluru. The cafe today has multiple outlets in Bengaluru, Indiranagar being the one that’s most popular, even on the internet. All the outlets of the cafe have a consistent look and ambience – that resembles that of a temple.
Since I was staying in the Brookfield area, I visited this one. Just like its other counterpart, this too is quite spacious. But due to the crowd, it looks quite small. And I was here for breakfast which is the peak time here. I saw people from all walks of life coming in – fitness freaks coming in to replenish the lost calories and the two corporate slaves on my table bitching about their manager! They had a very small seating area and a lot of standing tables. There were people sitting outside as well. In short, it was extremely crowded.
Food At Rameshwaram Cafe
Luckily they had self-checkout counters so I placed my order there, quickly paid for it and submitted the tokens. For dose, they give an electronic beeper that beeps when your order is ready – just shows how many orders they receive for dose alone! I wanted to order all of it, however, since I was alone, decided against it. Ordered only a Masala dose, Ghee Podi Idli and Filter Coffee.
Considering the crowd, I felt that the service was relatively fast. I had my Ghee Podi arrive quickly while the dose took its time.
The Idli looked yummy, it had a generous amount of podi on it along with a generous dose of ghee. Unlike the regular idli, this was a thatte idli, which is slightly bigger in size. I won’t deny it, but I liked the taste. I guess it was the amount of podi obviously the the ghee. Talking about the dose, it was a typical Kannadiga dose, crispy and fluffy. Thanks to the ghee, it was shining when I got it. Crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. The palya (masala) also was flavourful.
And lastly, the filter coffee was AMAZING! (It was also Rs 70) Told the person to make it a little strong, and it was spot on. Perfect Bengaluru Kaapi served super hot.
To Ghee Or Not to Ghee
Talking about the taste, all of it tasted pretty good. And I felt that it was the ghee that was doing the magic. The base flavours were overshadowed by ghee which was in excess. I had seen the person literally squeeze a packet of ghee over a plate of idlis. While it might look good for Instagram, it could have been toned down for sure. I’ve had Ghee Podi Idli here at Panchakattu which is still among the ones that I like in Hyderabad.
Apart from this, I felt items to be priced higher than what I had at places like CTR, MTR and the like. Even at Rameshwaram Cafe Hyderabad, the prices are quite high and cost close to Rs 200 for the dose. I haven’t yet been to Rameshwaram Cafe Hyderabad mainly due to the crowd and its distance from where I stay.
If you still ask me for a good Dosa place in Hyderabad, I’d recommend Panchakattu and Taaza Kitchen.
Should you visit Rameshwaram Cafe?
Rameshwaram Cafe in Hyderabad ran a “Free food” campaign for a few days before launch which saw almost a stampeded situation as the entire city was here. There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of ghee in their items, however, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit the cafe. I’d definitely go here for the filter coffee and occasionally for the idli and dose.
Having said that, do keep in mind that this place is expensive. So a meal for one could easily be in the range of Rs 300-500.
If you’ve already been here, what do you have to say, to ghee or not to ghee? Let me know in the comments below, tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj, DM @Atulmaharaj on Instagram or Get In Touch.
