I think on 21st morning, just hours before the Corona curfew, I took the car out to buy supplies for my home, our journey took us past Velacherry, actually we went deep into Chennai, then while returning we first checked for Briyani at Samco Velacherry, it was closed, and driving down the 100 feet road, we checked out Milan which was closed too, and finally we found Bismi Briyani (Velacherry) to be open.

I ordered a briyani parcel, because at that time the orders from the government was none should eat in hotel. Actually I like parceled food. With a parcel I can eat @ the comfort of my home rather than some strange place called hotel, I can watch what ever I want on T.V and have it, I can even lie down and have it. It would be rather great if I had five to seven beautiful girls feeding me while I played my favorite games (I mean computer games), but economy is down now :( I envy the Romans.

Any way while driving above the railway bridge in Velacherry, I was told that Junior Kuppana hotel had closed. Thank God it did. When I was running Trumatics, me, my partner Umashankar and another friend Vimal went there. We ordered full Briyani, I think mutton and was served a quarter, my partner told the waiter that we ordered full briyani, and the waiter pointed out to the quarter briyani and said that was the full here. WHAAAAATTTT!! We were shocked! I swear even if 7 plated of that full went in, I would have still place for 3 more. And I think this one costed more than Rs 200/-. These servings of gold and diamonds are designed for girls who are on a diet or something.

People warned us of not going there but we went, possibly Vimal was a favorite of Umashankar, and it was Vimal’s recommendation. I remember ordering some side dishes too, but I forgot what they were. All I remember was having a lengthy conversation with Vimal on that day, before we returned to office.

When ever we went out with Uma, he paid the bill. His hospitality and respect for friends excelled. But still what was utter costly, it was. I never felt good about eating there.

Now its closed, I feel its closed for good. I just feel a plunderer had just died. What ever be the reason for the high cost, I am happy that they are gone. I want Chennai to have cheap, clean and tasty food that serves the masses.

Coming to the Bismi briyani I got as parcel, first I had to tell about this Bismi briyani. First time I went to this hotel I was with my mom and uncle, and they made us wait, before we finished our food and came out it was nearly or possibly more than 2 hours. The wait was frustrating. That was long time back. Now, thanks to Corona the hotel was empty and our parcel was served in minutes. We took it and headed back home.

The briyani was okay, I think one half costs about Rs 130/-, that’s the kind of standard rate in Chennai, the rice was non aromatic. It was made in kind of Nizam style, kind of the Triplicane kind, but not as good as Triplicane. The brinjal curry was okay to good, an half came with an egg, though I am personally against serving egg eith briyani, that’s the norm here. I don’t remember eating onion raitha. The meat was hard. For a Rs 90/- briyani if the meat was hard, I would say okay, but this one is Rs 130/-. I should also review cheap briyani’s around Sithalapakkam. Who knows? Some might have quality and cheapness too. Any way let’s see.

Then what to say, that’s how the briyani was. Compared to Hotel Milan at Vijaynagar signal, Bismi is nothing.