Saravana Bhavan — Restaurant in Kerala

During my recent visit to Saravanabhavan Restaurant at the Municipal Market Complex, near Civil Station Ramapuram Road, Pala, I was left thoroughly disappointed with the meal I experienced. I had heard of this place being a popular choice for South Indian fare, but sadly, my experience was far from satisfactory.

Starting with the ghee roast, it was underwhelming and lacked the rich, flavorful punch I was expecting. Though the texture of the dosa was crispy, the ghee which should have been the star of the dish, barely made its presence felt. It felt like the ghee was either not used generously or wasn't fresh enough, leading to a bland and greasy taste that was a far cry from the heavenly ghee roast I had hoped for.

Accompanying the ghee roast were sides, which only added to the disappointment. The sambar was tasteless, lacking any depth of flavor. It seemed watered down and had no spice or tang that would make it enjoyable. The veg curry was equally unremarkable—bland, overcooked, and poorly seasoned. But the absolute worst was the coconut chutney. It was nothing more than a watery paste with no significant flavor of coconut. It barely complemented the ghee roast and was a complete waste.

When it came to the coffee, my hopes were again dashed. South Indian coffee is usually rich and aromatic, but this cup was weak, with a flat taste and no discernible depth. It felt as though it was poorly brewed, and certainly not the kind of coffee you'd expect from a place known for its regional specialties.

What compounded the entire negative experience was the service. The staff member who served me appeared disinterested and unprofessional. There was no warmth or hospitality in his demeanor. He seemed in a rush and barely made an effort to be courteous. The overall attitude of the service was dismissive, which left me with an even worse impression of the restaurant.

Verdict:

Given all these factors, I am unable to recommend Saravanabhavan Restaurant. The food, especially the ghee roast, sides, and coffee, was far below expectations, and the unprofessional service made the entire experience worse. For those seeking a great South Indian meal, there are certainly better options...

The worst Saravana Bhavan I have ever visited. These guys are simply exploiting the brand name. I have ordered 1 Ghee Rost and 1 Masala Dosa. Ghee Rost got delivered really quick but for Masala Dosa, I had to wait more than 30mins and both Dosa was partially cooked. The guy who too our order was doing some other stuff. Many people who ordered Masala Dosa after me, got it and we were simply waiting. When I ordered Coffee, they delivered Tea, that too cold one. Very pathetic and disappointing service and customer handling.

When I was complaining about the same to the cashier guys, few other persons were also complaining. One person was complaining about Porotta was not properly cooked, another one was complaining about Chapathi was not well cooked. Few guys who ordered something as takeaway left the hotel without collecting it because of the delay.

The hotel management have advertised throughout the road saying 24hrs restaurant, and everyone will skip other good quality restaurants by seeing the brand name Saravana Bhavan.

There is no option to rate as 0 star, so I am giving 1star for this...

Authentic South Indian Cuisine at Saravana Bhavan.

I recently visited Saravana Bhavan and was impressed by their delicious vegetarian food. I ordered the paratha and was blown away by the crispy exterior and soft, flaky layers. The chutney and curries were the perfect accompaniments, adding a burst of flavor to each bite.

I also tried their dosa meal, which included a crispy and thin dosa served with flavorful potato masala and sambar. The dosa was perfectly cooked, and the combination of spices in the masala and sambar was spot-on.

The restaurant had a welcoming atmosphere and the staff were friendly and attentive. They were happy to recommend dishes and answer any questions I had about the menu. The portion sizes were generous, and the prices were reasonable for the quality of the food.

Overall, I highly recommend Saravana Bhavan to anyone looking for delicious South Indian vegetarian food. The flavors and textures of the paratha and dosa meal were amazing, and the staff were helpful and accommodating. I can't wait to go back and try more of...