Mavalli Tiffin Rooms - MTR

These pictures below were taken by me during an special interview with Hemamalini Maiya - Chairman of the Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR), during my stint with Bangalore Mirror in 2007-2008. The Interview was being done by an old colleague who had earlier worked with me during my stint with the Times of India - Bangalore edition from 1986 to 1993. So during the process of the interview I asked this charming lady who now runs the family run business if it was possible to shoot pictures of the place she obliged but quickly added that expect for the kitchen you shoot anywhere you want to. Since i had little time to shoot these images, I asked Maiya to sit in one of the rooms along with her customers in the backdrop so that I could get a good picture. After that I went about picturing the images which I needed for the paper the next morning.

Hemamalini Maiya - Chairman of the Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR)

The Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) that dishes up staple South Indian breakfast (tiffin) to thousands of people every day. MTR has literally millions of fans like me, just for the taste and cleanliness that the second best is not even close to it.
Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, is a 'pure' vegetarian cuisine, which has been the pride of Bangalore and more so for the southerners for over 83 years now. Situated on Lalbagh Road, and very close to the Lalbagh gardens, the doors of this small vegetarian restaurant always opens for serpentine queues of joggers, walkers and the regulars waiting for their breakfast of mouth watering delicious Idli's, Dosas, Uppittu and Kesari Baath and hot piping coffee.

A view from one room to another room (left), as a group enjoys privacy during their group lunch (right).

Housed in a small old building MTR does not have the ambiance and décor that today's restaurant have to attract customers. MTR, in fact does not need to attract customers as managing their customers have been a big task for the staff. People wait for a couple of hours on a typical Saturday or Sunday just to get a table although the restaurant has three floors to serve. The ground floor is primarily for those "On the Go" customers who would want to get a quick bite or just coffee and tea. The first floor is where you register and wait for your turn for them to call you when the table is ready. The dining area is mainly for families & ladies where the interiors, the lights and fixtures, fading black & white photographs donning the walls remind one of the pre independence era. The service and treatment rendered is commendable by the waiters, who typically wear a shirt and a dhoti folded in half. Even more commendable is that they do not accept a TIP.

The Uppama plate which is a specialty at the MTR (left), and the Poori - Sag which is another treat for breakfast and evening tiffin (right).

Starting as a small Brahmin's Café, MTR has always been one of the city's hottest eating spots. It has a reputation for savory food and high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. The greatest quality of MTR is their uncompromising Quality over the years. When price controls were imposed during the Emergency in 1975 MTR had to down their shutters not wanting to compromise on the quality over the price. MTR preferred to lose business rather than compromise on quality. This quality is maintained even today. In 1951, MTR was one of the first Indian restaurants to introduce steam sterilization, enhancing its reputation for cleanliness. MTR which has been a household name in Bangalore for over 80 years now has several products ranging from a variety of vegetarian snack foods and chips, soups, frozen foods, ready-to-eat meals, spices powders, pickles, vermicelli, and over 30 varieties of ice cream and ice cream cones.

The special Rava Iddly, with the mint leaf chuttni (left), and the delicious flat Jamun with the rass (right).

While a food junkie like me would endure anything for a breakfast at MTR, not to be missed is the five-course vegetarian meal at Rs.75.00. Starting with a glass of grape juice in a small silver "tumbler", they serve Dosas, chappathis, Curries, Bisibele Baath, Rice, Sweets like Obbattu with ghee on it and a lot more that keeps coming one after the other. One of the sweets available at MTR is the Chandrahara, which has no parallel. The Thali is served on a Silver Plate, which is continuously replenished by the waiters. MTR is probably the only place where the waiters literally force you to eat the food.

The combo picture showing the Poori, Jamun, Uppama, Rava Iddli which is a all famous tiffin at the Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (left).

MTR Foods Ltd., which is one of India's leading purveyors of packaged foods also exports canned foods, Ready to Eat Foods and spices to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and other Asian countries. The latest addition to the MTR Group is the "Namma MTR" chain of Retail stores opened in Bangalore and Dubai showcasing their range of products and also offers variety of fast foods.

The MTR's Special Plain and Masala Dosa with the mint chuttni (left) and the full meal plate with all the different variety of vegetable preparations (right).

The Rava Idli, which is one of the favourite breakfast dishes of south India, was invented by MTR. The discovery channel featured MTR on their show when they did a special on Indian food specialties. MTR received the Rotary Award for its quality and hygiene and was also recognized as the best South Indian Tiffin restaurant.