Saravana Bhavan

We were on a road trip to East coast from MN. Authentic South Indian restaurants like these are rare in the Midwest. And they all invariably serve a brown color watery liquid masquerading as Madras Filter Coffee and they swear by their life that it is a freshly brewed Kaapi. So, when we decided on an East Coast trip, the very first thing on our list was not Niagra, not Times Square, but to have a proper Kaapi at HSB (Hotel Saravanbhavan). For starters, HSB is one of the biggest chains of restaurants in Chennai, India. The brand is more like an identify of the city. Although, HSB is losing its sheen at home, their restaurants in the US still have the same charm. We were here on the day of Christmas for Lunch time and they had South Indian Thali as well as the default South Indian breakfast items - Idli, Pongal, Dosai and Vadai. They were served in a traditional way on a Banana Leaf. Washed it all down with 2 Coffees (yes, they were so good that I ended up having 2) The Vibes this place was giving, the presentation of food and the amalgamation of aromas of Sambar and Kaapi immediately transported me back to my Chennai days, where having a Sambar Vadai and sipping a Kaapi in HSB was all the fuel you needed to kickstart the day in Tidel park (My office location).The restaurant was packed. But considering the crowd, the service was pretty fast. Pricing is high, but given the authenticity, taste and the quality, I do not mind this burning a hole in my pocket once a while. H We have been to the ones in Lexington Avenue and West Windsor. Although we didn't have any complaints over there, this is our favorite of the lot. Highly recommended if you are looking for some authentic South Indian Tamil style food.

This place is my must visit stop whenever i am traveling towards nyc from Virginia.. They make pretty great south indian food.. Heaven for vegetarians.. My fav is their mini ghee idli and vada dipped in sambhar and also ghee roast dosa.. Their filter coffee is also nice.. It feels great to get the authentic south indian food so far away from India...and would love if they can open a franchise in Virginia

The food is quite basic with not a lot of variety. I didn’t find the food very tasty as it Wasn’t heated through. Felt like it had been reheated and served. Contactless ordering by scanning a bar code and food was brought quickly enough. Servers all wearing masks and were very courteous. Sanitizers available upon entering. A decent meal .