Madurai Konar is a colourful little South Indian restaurant on the fringe of Karama. Located beside the Ustad Hotel (behind the Emarat petrol station and LuLu’s), its interior is neat, modern-ish and very, very yellow. I gave my car in to the Al Karama Service Station adjacent to the petrol station for a 27 Dirham car wash and came in for my routine Friday morning South Indian breakfast.
Interior 
Street view 
Interior
I have exactly the same thing at every South Indian restaurant, Idli-Vada dip and a Masala Dosa. Why? So I have a reference to compare one against another. And also because I have a weakness for all three. My idli-vada dip arrived in a posh looking thali tray with (surprise, surprise) a spoon and fork as opposed to two spoons. Both were superb; the idli, light and fluffy and the vada, crunchy on the outside and spongy on the inside with little bits of whole spice and ginger which I love. The sambar is one of the best in the business and the chutneys were very good too. My dosa was bigger than the one I recently had at Venus and equally good (that includes the delicious potato masala). Pièce de résistance was their excellent, must have filter coffee – oof, oof, oof!
Inside my dosa 
Chutney 
Filter Coffee 
Idli-Vada Dip 
Masala Dosa
Throughout my breakfast feast I was looked after by a kind natured young waiter whose positivity and ear-to-ear smile were infectious (see picture). I could not have asked for a better way to start my weekend – thank you Smiley.
Smiley, my amazing waiter 
Deliveries
One is spoilt for choice of South Indian in Karama. If and when you are fed up of heavyweights like Sangeetha and Venus and Saravanaa Bhavan and Shri Krishna Bhavan and…(the list is long), spare a thought for this little yellow gem. Trust me, it’s well worth a visit. And if you’re driving you might want to consider dropping your car off at the Al Karama Service Station for one of the best value for money car washes in town.
Hey! Now read this –
Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from,
each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his
companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts
no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism.
What you have read was NOT influenced in any way by the venue. Join me on
Instagram @ravenousxerxes
or email
me on xerxes@dellara.com.