Winners is a small, South Indian cafeteria behind the Movenpick Hotel in Oud Metha. I would have said it’s clean but I’ve witnessed first-hand the filthy, stinky rag the waiters wipe the tables with – yuk, yuk, and triple yuk! Thankfully my old-age OCD compels me to carry Dettol wet wipes on me at all times, so I was able to wipe the table clean after the waiter left; much, I must add, to the amusement of the other customers who seemed oblivious to the foul, sour smell of the rag.
I was at Winners to have breakfast. I ordered a masala dosa to start followed by a portion of idli-vada. I’ll be honest, after the rag issue, I was expecting the worst but the medium sized dosa I was served was actually really good; crispy and not too oily. The potato masala was delicious. So was the sambar. In comparison with the mainstream franchises, I found it better than Bombay Chowpatty and Bikanervala’s but not Saravanaa Bhavan.
The idli-vada combo was plonked on my shared table promptly after I finished my dosa. They looked like they had been pulled straight out of the kitchen’s rejects box; the vada looking oblong, and the idli lumpy. Neither was anywhere as good as the dosa.
Winners serves excellent karak / masala chai. There’s a separate window for tea, aptly named “tea stop”, should you not want to enter the restaurant.
I’ve read reviews of service being an issue. On the single occasion I visited Winners, service was friendly and accommodating. Like other similar cafeterias you have to share your table when it fills up but I find that part of the fun of places like this.
So irrespective of the stinky rag issue, I’m going to give Winners a thumbs up; the masala dosa and karak chai make it well worth a visit.
Waste NOT. Want NOT.
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