Partha Sarathy Vilas — Restaurant in Trichy Corporation Limits

Parthasarathi Vilas! It sits right at the outer wall of the famed Tiruvanaikoil Temple in Trichy. The eatery opens early at 5am and have been serving ardent early-morning temple goers for decades. We suddenly plan to visit this place one early morning. It has been close to a decade from my previous visit. What used to be a dingy, smoke covered place had now been cleaned and renovated a little. The waiters were courteous and suggested to have the rava pongal first.

When I had the first morsel of rava pongal, I was shocked to realise that taste hasn't gone down a single bit. It was velvety smooth with the right hints of pepper. Next bite was onto the Sambar Vada. This is not your average Vada dunked into a bowl of sambhar just when you had ordered. This one had been swimming in the sambhar right from it's birth close to an hour. It literally melts into your mouth and tasted divine.

The most famous item of Parthasarathi Vilas is the Ghee roast though. We were heart-broken when the waiter said that the dosa won't be available till 7:30am in the morning. We did what any self-respecting foodie would do. We roamed around a bit along the Tiruvanaikoil Temple and came back exactly at 7:30 with a sheepish grin in our faces. The hotel was jam-packed this time and we had to wait a few turns. Finally got our seats and ordered the ghee roasts.

Since there was a huge order queue for the dosa due to the crowd, we we're offered an option to have poori as starters till then. We politely agreed to that proposal and started munching. After the long wait, the dosa arrived with much fan fare and it was worth the wait. The dosa was roasted to golden brown with generous amounts of ghee dripping from it and tasted heavenly.

I wouldn't go as far as saying this as the best I had tasted. There are a number of places in Chennai which are at par to this place. But making an early morning trip to a heritage hotel which maintaims it's quality over decades still makes it for an interesting...

SRI PARTHA SARATHY VILAS

The taste of Legendary items in Legendary places never go down …. One such item and place is Sri Partha Sarathy Vilas in Thiruvanaikovil ..( my neighborhood area in the Town )

Today as I had to skip the Lunch , straight went to this place …. This restaurant functions in the Heritage House …. as far as my memory goes ( from 1997) , this restaurant is functioning at this same heritage house near Akilandeswari Temple … ( any info on the history on this place welcome )

Today Straight away asked for Nei Roast ( Padhama) ……Softened Ghee Roast ….. It came with in few minutes ….

I am damn sure , the taste , Ghee flavor , the typical legendary taste of this stuff never gone down … Definitely I felt great ….

Then asked for the Murugal Nei Roast … ( Crispy Ghee Roast ) … It had more Ghee flavor and taste indeed … more tastier than the first one ….

They Offer coconut Chutney , Mint Chutney and sambhar …. Almost they are unlimited .. both chutneys are placed in mini buckets over the table … as usual I loved the Coconut Chutney ….. But they dont offer Ketti chutney for the dosai …

You know , in between these two Dosa , asked for the Medhu Vadai … They call it Ulundhu Vadai ….. It was Just Okeyish ….

So Parthasarathy Vilas means Nei Roast ….. and Nei Roast means Parthasarathy Vilas …..

Finished the show with Filter Coffee …

Rs 40 for One Ghee Roast Rs 10 for one vadai Rs 15 for one Coffee

Total Damages Rs 105 …

Oh .. whatta feel ….

The timings of this place is very unique …. I heard once upon a time , it used to start at 4 AM …. But now Officially it starts at 5 in the morning ….. As I heard , it caters for people who are leaving for work at early hours …. It closes at 11 AM .. No lunch Business ….Reopens in the evening again for a session …nice to see they are renovating this place …

Location … This is close to Thiruvanaikovil...

If Seinfeld had an episode set in Mylapore, Parthasarathy Vilas would be the star. No soup here—but if you want idly, vadai, or ghee roast, you’ll get them. Just don’t expect pleasantries. This place serves food with a side of intimidation.

🍽️ The Food: Worth Every Bruised Ego

• Idly: Soft as temple clouds, steaming with purity. • Vadai: Golden, crisp, and unapologetically addictive. • Ghee Roast: A dosa so fragrant and crispy, it could convert a non-believer.

The flavors are divine. The sambar and chutney are generous—if you don’t ask for them. Ask, and you’ll get a look that says, “You dare?”

😤 The Service: “Why did you even come here?”

The waiters are not here to serve—they’re here to survive the crowd. Their attitude? Somewhere between drill sergeant and annoyed uncle. Smile at them, and they’ll frown. Ask a question, and they’ll bark. It’s not personal—it’s tradition.

🪑 The Seating: Darwinian Dining

We arrived at 9:30 AM. No reservations. No waiting list. Just pure survival instinct. The only way to get a table? Stand next to one like a predator and pounce when the previous diners leave. But if you stand too close, you’re blocking the waiters—and they will yell.

Kids in the crowd were so terrified, they clung to their parents like Hanuman to the Himalayas. One wrong move, and you’re the villain of the breakfast drama.

🧘‍♂️ Verdict: Come Hungry, Leave Humbled

Parthasarathy Vilas is not just a restaurant—it’s a cultural experience. The food is unforgettable. The service is unforgiving. And the atmosphere? A mix of temple-town frenzy and sitcom absurdity.

Would I go again? Yes. But next time, I’ll bring a decoy to stand near tables and absorb...