Pichamai Mess in Nungambakkam serves unlimited vegetarian and non vegetarian meals

Pichamai Mess offers traditional Chettinad meals with unlimited portions in a homely setting, showcasing V. Pichammal's recipes.

Pichamai Mess, located on Khader Nawaz Khan Road, is the latest addition to Chennai’s thriving mess scene. This eatery aims to offer satisfying meals with unlimited portions, served in a homely yet inviting atmosphere.

Who is Pichamai? Co-founder Yudish Arun explains, “It is my uncle’s grandmother, V. Pichammal. She is 96 years old. All the dishes served here are her recipes. She made sure to quality-check every dish before we finalised to launch this mess.”

The mess’s dark blue walls feature an illustration of Pichammal, while simple wooden chairs and long tables fill the space. Natural light streams in through the glass panels, creating a bright and welcoming environment.

Meals are served on banana leaves, placed like blank canvases ready to be painted with flavours. “We serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. It is a set menu for both lunch and dinner. For lunch, it’s traditional Chettinad meals, and for dinner, we have options like dosa, parotta, curries, and more,” Yudish explains.

The vegetarian meal at Pichamai Mess stands out with its variety, matching the appeal of the non-vegetarian options. For instance, to complement the crunchy Nethili fry, there’s a “karakara moru moru vendakkai,” a crispy batter-fried ladies finger dish. To rival the classic mutton chukka, there’s a mushroom chukka made with fennel, shallots, and dried red chilli. Each meal includes three sides and three curries.

“Here we serve Karaikudi vellai biryani. It’s not filled with too many spices. It’s light, with the flavour of meat standing out,” shares Yudish.

Other side dishes include a peppery boiled egg, prawn thokku, and a Chettinad chicken dish, while vegetarian options feature a kootu, cinnamon-spiced kovakkai stir fry, and paruppu vadais. For gravies, there’s chicken, mutton, and fish curries alongside vathal kuzhambu, sambar, and rasam. “We are soon going to serve suvaroti (spleen) and eeral (liver) as specials,” Yudish adds.