Simply South - Indian Vegetarian Restaurant — Restaurant in Warrenville

Edit 8/23: Went back again to see if there were any changes. They did added timings to their thali which was good because we were disappointed last time when we didn't get the thali. They had qr codes now for writing reviews but still no qr codes for menu. We ordered the special idiappam which was decent but the idiappam felt it was cold and was kept outside for a while. Had falooda which was out of the world. Amazing!!! One odd thing was that even though it was not a rush hour the service was quite slow. The servers also were eager to take your plates even before you finish or had just finsh. We felt a bit rushed up. Tried out Simply South in Warrenville after seeing a few posts on Instagram. Being South Indian myself, I was both curious and a little skeptical. Especially since it’s located right next to a couple of solid south indian joints that already set the bar pretty high. But I have to say, this place is out here trying to raise the game.

We went on a Sunday night and the parking lot was full, which is always a good sign. Thankfully, they have a reservation system which the other in the area lack. We had prebooked and were seated right away. The place itself is vibrant and beautifully done up with a big logo, pops of traditional South Indian art, and a welcoming vibe.

Now to the menu. It’s a massive ply card with tons of items, some of which were new even to us as South Indians. A lady came to take our order and explained the dishes with so much detail and clarity. She was amazing and really made us feel comfortable exploring the menu.

We ordered their house specials: Benne Dosa, Nellore Thatte Idli, Vada Sambar, and of course, Filter Coffee (a must at any legit South Indian place). The presentation was classy with gold-toned plates and authentic-looking utensils. They start you off with a chutney platter, which honestly stole the show. Each chutney had a unique flavor and felt freshly made.

The thatte idli was a spicy twist and a total hit. Something new and exciting. The benne dosa was crisp, buttery and easily one of the best I’ve had. My wife, a big fan of South Indian food, gave it top marks too. The vada came a little late, but the server acknowledged it and apologized, which is rare in Indian restaurants. Big kudos for that. And yes, it was worth the wait. Hot, fresh, and on point.

One downside was that we had come specifically for their thali, only to find out it’s lunch-only. Would’ve loved if they had that mentioned clearly on their menu . A small bummer. We were still hungry, so we added the Onion Chilli Pullattu. It was okay, had decent flavor but nothing memorable. For dessert, we tried the Gulab Jamun Ice Cream. Creative, but average. Would’ve loved to see a South Indian sweet on there like payasam or elaneer payasam.

A few observations for the management:

The menu is too long and bulky. Consider a QR code version so people can explore it on their phones.

The small tables can’t handle a full spread. Two dosas and chutneys already fill it up.

Maybe remove the jugs of water from tables and just have servers refill glasses. Makes for a cleaner dining space.

Different uniforms (black or white shirts) for servers and order-takers would help identify roles quickly.

Most importantly, the sambar served with dishes needs a level-up. It lacked depth and didn’t have that signature authentic flavor. Sambar is a make-or-break element at South Indian places.

All in all, Simply South is a great new spot with loads of potential. The ambiance, service, and a majority of the food are excellent. With a few tweaks, they’ll not just match but truly challenge their neighbors. Highly recommend for authentic South Indian flavors with a modern, polished touch. Will definitely be back to try the thali at...

One-line Review: Mixed Experience with Flavorful Highlights!

Taste: 3/5 Quantity: 3.5/5 Quality: 3/5 Value for Money: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Hygiene: 5/5 Overall: 3/5

➡️ First Impression:

My first visit to Simply South in Warrenville, IL, with friends was filled with high expectations due to its reputation for pure Indian vegetarian cuisine. However, the experience was a mixed bag, with some dishes shining and others falling short.

➡️ What We Ordered:

We ordered a variety of items including Guntur Ghee Kaaram Thatte Idly, Davangere Benne Masala Dosa, Neyyi Kaaram 2-in-1 Dosa, Onion Chili Uthappam, Mysore Bonda, Poori Aloo Bhaji, Gongura Paneer Biryani, Ulavacharu Biryani, Original Falooda, and Butterscotch Falooda, along with water.

➡️ Taste & Quality:

Guntur Ghee Kaaram Thatte Idly: These idlies were a hit—soft, fluffy, and had a nice little spicy kick from the ghee kaaram. The chutneys on the side really made them sing!

• Davangere Benne Masala Dosa and Neyyi Kaaram 2-in-1 Dosa: The Masala Dosa was pretty good—crisp and had a decent potato filling, though I wished the buttery taste popped more. The 2-in-1 Dosa? Eh, it was okay—felt like the flavors didn’t quite come together.

• Onion Chili Uthappam: This one was just alright. The base was soft, but the onions and chilies weren’t evenly spread, so some bites were bland.

• Mysore Bonda: These were tasty with a crispy outside and a spiced interior, but man, they were tiny! Felt like I needed more to feel full.

• Poori Aloo Bhaji: The poori had a nice flavor, but it was a bit tough to chew. The Aloo Bhaji, though? Delicious—spicy potatoes that saved the dish for me.

• Ulavacharu Biryani: I was pumped for this one with its horse gram broth vibe, expecting a tangy, earthy punch. Instead, it was kinda bland, with mushy rice and a faint ulavacharu taste. It was edible, but I’ve had better.

• Gongura Paneer Biryani: This was a letdown too. The sorrel leaves should’ve given it a sour-spicy zing, but it was more like plain rice with a hint of gongura. The paneer was hard as a rock, which was a bummer since we asked for it spicy and got the opposite.

• Original Falooda: This one didn’t do it for me—the rose syrup, vermicelli, and milk just didn’t blend right, and the texture felt off.

• Butterscotch Falooda: Thank goodness for this! It was creamy, sweet, and had a nutty kick that made us smile—definitely the star of the desserts.

• Chutneys (Allam, Kobbari, Tomato) and Sambar: Oh, the chutneys were insane—ginger, coconut, and tomato ones were bursting with flavor and paired perfectly with everything. The sambar had a nice tangy-spicy kick too, which we loved.

➡️ Portion vs Price:

The portions were decent but not exceptional given the inconsistent quality and long wait times.

➡️ Service & Environment:

The ambience was nice with a great environment, and hygiene was well-maintained. The lady who took our order was very nice, and the front desk lady’s constant smiles were a welcoming touch. However, the slow service, especially with the biryanis, was a downside.

➡️ Final Thoughts:

Simply South offers a great atmosphere and some tasty highlights like the chutneys and Butterscotch Falooda, with friendly staff adding to the experience. However, the slow service, underwhelming biryanis, and inconsistent dish quality left us disappointed. It’s a place with potential, but it didn’t fully meet our expectations.

Recommendations for Improvement: • Speed up biryani preparation to improve service time. • Enhance ghee flavor and ensure paneer is tender.

If you’re in Warrenville and craving Indian vegetarian food, Simply South has its moments, but temper your expectations—especially...

Finally the much awaited "Simply South" opened their doors in Chicagoland!

I visited them twice in less than a week and I would definitely recommend calling them ahead and making an advance reservation of your table and also ensure to be there on time. We did pre-book our table both times and there was absolutely no wait time as the tables were ready by the time we arrived - Kudos team for that and I hope you continue to maintain that as I understand the challenges in the process.

Overall, the service was good and the staff were extremely courteous though we did notice some minor/teething issues which is completely understandable given the fact that you are still in the Beta / soft launch phase and I must also add that the service had improved within the 5 days between my first and second visit.

Coming to the food, in our two visits, we have tried 2 in 1 Thatte Idly, Davanagere (*not Davangere) Benne Masala Dose, Ghee Karam Pullattu, Sambar Vada, Baby Corn Manchurian, Gongura Paneer Biriyani, Goli Soda, Gulab Jamun Delight and Filter Coffee.

All the items were well done, quite authentic and tasted good.

Maybe you can reduce the quantity of Aloo Masala a bit for Davanagere Benne Masala Dose - just to avoid wastage and it also gives us a chance to taste the 6 varieties of chutneys! Also, to make it more authentic, I would recommend you to rename it as Bengaluru Masala Dose or Karnataka Masala Dose as Davanagere Benne Masala Dose including the potato masala looks quite different in reality when prepared by someone from/in Davanagere in Karnataka. You can check it out on YouTube for some reference.

Secondly, I'm not sure if you can rethink the portion size for Idly/Vada - maybe make it two/plate instead of three and adjust the price accordingly?

The brass coated tableware looks good, you can probably have smaller plates/cups/bowls instead of the common large plate which is provided whenever the customer asks for an extra plate/bowl - just so that it doesn't crowd the table.

The ambience, especially the art work looks amazing (happy to know that it was done by one of our friends!) and glad to see that sinks for handwashing have been provided outside of the restrooms!

The only other feedback I have is to probably ensure that your staff are trained to have maximum knowledge about all the items in the menu which I know is huge and will take some time as I could see that they didn't sound confident about some of the items - again, it is totally understandable that they can be overwhelmed and that you are still in the soft launch phase. Also, please ensure that they make it a practice to review the order with the customer after making a note of all the items just to ensure that they got them right.

I would like to wish you all the very best and I hope that you would soon have another outlet in the North Suburbs of Chicago (*not Schaumburg, a little further up north would be better!)

Being a South Indian vegetarian myself, this will definitely be my go to places and I would love to try out all the offerings on your...