Straight from the hearth

When Francis EL and wife Leela decided to start a food joint of their own, they knew that it had to be unique. They hit upon a name first, ‘Leela’s Kitchen’ because the joint inculcated all the experiments she had been trying out at home.

Twenty two years on, ‘Leela’s Kitchen’, located on 80ft Road in Kalyan Nagar, has become one of the most popular food joints in the northern part of the City. The couple admit that there is nothing as overwhelming as the smiles of those content with the food served to them. “Whichever dishes are on the menu were made by Leela at home. Every one of those is tried and tested. She also makes all the ‘masala’ on her own and does not add anything artificial,” says Francis.

The eatery has become a must visit for regulars even as it attracts new customers every day. The chicken specials here include chicken roast, chicken curry in Kerala style and chicken pepper. These dishes leave behind a tangy taste. The items are made only when an order is placed.

All the fish items are made in a special way. The ‘seer fish curry’ is made the traditional way complete with coconut milk. The ‘Karimeen fry’, ‘prawn chilly’, ‘killi meen’ etc are first marinated in salt, chilli powder and other ingredients that go into fish fry and then preserved for more than two hours before they are fried. “This ensures that all the ‘masala’ seeps into the fish. It is then deep fried,” informs Francis. The owners have extended their menu to include more dishes for vegetarians. Francis explains, “Our regulars include Kannadigas, Bengalis and Tamilians. Everybody has a different taste and we intend to cater to the taste buds of as many people as possible,” he says. He adds that the meals have every conceivable vegetable, two varieties of curries, ‘papad’, ‘kootu curry’ and something to munch on like chips or ‘upperi’.

The eatery opens for breakfast at 8.30 am and has ‘appam and stew’, ‘idiyappam’, ‘poori baji’, ‘masala dosa’, plain roast, and set dosa. They also have chicken, mutton and fish ‘biryani’. “What makes the taste unique is the mix. We make sure we don’t overdo the ‘masala’ and keep the mix very simple just to make sure the taste is not harsh,” he adds. The joint also has a decent dessert section.

The eatery is located on 80ft Road, near Specialist Hospital, Kalyan Nagar and is open between 8.30 am and 11 pm. For details, call 9916803920.