Nalla Thambi Mess

An amazing little hidden gem of a restaurant inside Aurobindo Street, very tough to find four wheeler parking. The breakfast starts at 07.00 and though we reached there at 09.00, some food items were vanished due to high demand. The place was very small but the service was very efficient. We ordered Thooku Satti Mutton Parotta, Mutton Kalakki, Parottas and Crab dry fry. The food was very tasty and sumptuous. A miss not food joint when you visit Pondicherry.

It was very nice. It was very neat. We had one fish lunch, chicken lunch one issue is the rice should cook more. If you're living in pondicherry if you are going to Pondicherry please plan if you have time because tables are less

Sometimes, you walk into a restaurant hungry... and leave with a memory. That's exactly what happened when I stepped into Nalla Thambi Mess on a buzzing Saturday afternoon around 1:30 PM. The place was alive with the aroma of spices and the hum of happy diners. We were asked to wait for 10 minutes, and honestly, with the warmth and gentleness of the staff, it felt like no wait at all. By the time we sat down, hunger had taken over. I went for Fish Meals, while my partner ordered their signature Chicken Kari Soru -- and this, my friends, is where the magic began. The Kari Soru arrived in a beautifully rustic sand plate, steam curling into the air like a promise. Hot rice, lovingly mixed with authentic Kongu-style chicken gravy, topped with onions gently roasted in oil... the fragrance alone could win awards. The chicken was all boneless -- tender, juicy, and soaking in flavor, cooked so perfectly it almost melted in the mouth. Every bite stayed warm till the end, thanks to the sand plate's village-style touch. The sides -- cabbage poriyal, crisp appalam, and a complimentary omelet -- added a homely comfort that wrapped around you like nostalgia. My Fish Meals were simple and satisfying, but the real star was the Chettinad-style chicken gravy I ordered alongside -- fiery, bold, and exactly the punch my plate needed. And just when I thought I was done, they brought a chilled glass of buttermilk and a sweet little cup of dhal payasam -- the kind of ending that makes you sigh in happiness. If you want to experience a true South Indian flavor blast, this place is a must. It won't fail you -- in fact, it might just make you fall in love with Kongu cuisine. I'm already counting the days until I can go back for that Chicken Kari Soru again.

This is my second visit to nalla thambi mess (NTM). 1ST time I visited with my friend sounthariyan and we had mutton dosa , chicken thooku satti porata, mutton brain , mutton nalli. All are good . And today 01/6/2025. Sunday So waiting time was there , we waited almost 45mins to get a seat. Few Nonveg breakfast options in pondicherry . Again repeating same dishes .

Well I guess we made the biggest mistake of choosing this place for our lunch @ Puducherry. We ordered mutton meals and pepper chicken. The food served was cold. Can you imagine some one in South India serving you cold rice for lunch. All the dishes were cold. The taste was absolutely bland mutton fry and the curry were bland beyond belief. The mutton was very very hard to chew and the meat refused to leave the bones. The chicken was also very stringy and non chewable. So folks think twice before going to this place.