The Hobbit Goes South: Itadakimasu

 “I’m moving to Chennai.”

“What will you eat there?” “Ooooh, you better get used to idli dosa.” 

I was quite surprised to hear these standard statements. On a more general note, I quite like idli, dosa, vada, and uttapam. Not only are they overall healthy but different places have distinct preparation styles and flavours. Having lived in Hyderabad for close to three years, Chutney’s holds a special place in my heart. 

Back to the topic of this blog. After one month here, I love the food scene in Chennai and have decided to cover places of my interest for your interest (and also to dispel a looming myth)! I read a quote by J.R.R.Tolkien:

“I am in fact a Hobbit in all but size. I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unrefrigerated), but detest French cooking; I like, and even dare to wear in these dull days, ornamental waistcoats. I am fond of mushrooms (out of a field); have a very simple sense of humor (which even my appreciative critics find tiresome); I go to bed late and get up late (when possible). I do not travel much.”

I realised that if I modified it a little, I fit the criteria of a hobbit perfectly-

“I am in fact a Hobbit in all but including in size. I like gardens, trees, and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, andlike good plain food, but detest French cooking; I would like, and even dare to wear in these dull days, ornamental waistcoats. I am fond of mushrooms (out of a field); have a very simple sense of humor (which even my appreciative critics find tiresome); I go to bed late and get up late (when possible). I like to travel much.”

And so begins the journey of a Hobbit down South…

In the first of this series, I want to talk about an unassuming, yet absolutely delightful Japanese restaurant called Dahlia. People in Chennai need no introduction to it, but for people new to Chennai this may not show up on your ‘must eat places in Chennai’ list that often. 

A colleague of my father told me about this restaurant before I came to Chennai. I was instantly curious and so I read about it. Naoki Yamauchi, one of the owners of Dahlia, was a 10-year-old boy living in Osaka during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He worked in Kochi as an exporter of tuna and cuttlefish from India to Japan and had to travel to Japan via Chennai because there was no direct flight. Revathy Nagaswami, the co-owner, was a sociology student, Japanese interpreter and a vegetarian to this day. She had been trained in Tokyo and met Naoki at work as an interpreter. Naoki liked to cook and wanted to open a diner in Chennai recognizing the need with several Japanese engineers coming to Tamil Nadu for ancillary parts following the opening of the Maruti Suzuki plant. He became friends with Revathy’s father over common interest of cigarettes and coffee. It was Revathy’s father who suggested that they become partners and establish Dahlia and together started this establishment in 1993. When he passed away, Revathy took up the position as the partner in running the restaurant. When Naoki’s wife passed away in a car accident, he found peace in Buddha’s teachings. He lost his only son to the Tsunami in 2011. Naoki’s daughter lives in Japan. In 2023, Dahlia completed 30 years of serving true Japanese cuisine in Chennai, making it an iconic restaurant and part of the city’s heritage. 

Reaching Dahlia using Google maps and actually entering it are two different things, almost like reaching the Mines of Moria but not being able to enter it without the password. Don’t get me wrong, it is centrally located in Nungambakkam High Road but only ‘a friend may speak to enter.’ I have been there thrice and found the gate shown on the maps to be always closed. So, you need to walk past the Lord of the Drinks (I did not realise the pun here until I started writing) and reach a rather shady gate which leads you into what is possibly a complex of sorts. Once you enter you will see a glow sign with the red letters DAHLIA in both English and Japanese. You cross that to reach a turning and then go up a short flight of stairs to finally come to the restaurant. 

The working hours are from 12-2:30 pm and the 6:30-9:30 pm with the last order being taken at 9:00 pm. If you plan to go on a weekend, it may be best to reserve in advance. Of my three visits to this place, I could only eat twice because the first time I had no reservation! Ironically, there is a Korean food store just in front of it. Having been turned away by the Japanese, I shamelessly entered the Korean store and bought the ramen packets, happily satiating my K-hunger. 

Dahlia is a quaint restaurant. On entering, you find an old lady in sari at the billing counter. Above her station is a wall-mounted TV playing only Japanese channels. The seating is both at dining tables and also the more traditional arrangement where you sit cross-legged on cushions with low tables. We chose the latter but found that you can also hang down your legs and sit there if you choose to. What caught our attention was the décor- origami everywhere, traditional Japanese paintings and scrolls on the wall, shelves with Japanese books and two wall clocks- one running by India time and the other showing Japan’s time. The colourful origami balls and cranes that hang down from the ceiling were made by the staff for Naoki a few years ago when he fell ill. Each scroll tells a story and is changed by Revathy and Naoki with every season. You can still spot Revathy, flitting in and out of the kitchen and Naoki quietly sitting at one of the tables. You can appreciate the ambience till the food is served, then that will be the only thing holding your attention!

The lady, who attended to our table on both occasions, is sweet, caring, and willing to teach the best way to eat the food including using chopsticks for the uninitiated. Her suggestions have been impeccable and, personally, I would go by that even in future. The experience starts with her bringing you a wet tissue roll to refresh yourself. This is followed by a complementary and unlimited wheat tea, a cool and refreshing drink that has a subtle smokey flavour that is said to help with the digestion. 

The California Maki and the Tenjiku Maki were simply one of the best that I have had. The menu has a wide collection of sushi, maki and sashimi. The wasabi paste is freshly prepared here, and you can make out the marked difference in the taste and texture from the insta-worthy, fancy Asian places coming up in every city since the onslaught of K-dramas. I confess that I fall in that category too and have been to some of these places but that also makes me certain of the superiority of Dahlia over any of these other restaurants. Good, tasty, authentic food, and nothing else. 

For main course I had the pork Tonkatsu ramen bowl both the times because it is simply and mouth-wateringly good (pardon my choice of words but that is the only way to describe). The portions are large and if you have had starters, it may be prudent to order a one by two portion. 

The lady at the billing counter writes the bill in a neat yet firm handwriting, almost never seen in today’s age of computerized bills. The price is very reasonable for the quality of food. I will go back to this place again and again. It is a place I would not mind going alone to have a meal and feel the warmth of the ramen and the people working there. It is the perfect example of cultural collaboration, another rarity today. If you are in Chennai, find a little time and visit Dahlia, for a taste of Japan, where the only fancy thing is the excellent food. 

Until part 2, Sayonara 

Yours,

Hungry Hobbit