Mylapore city’s new bachelors’ paradise, thanks to its flourishing mess culture

CHENNAI: As one of Chennai’s oldest neighbourhoods, Mylapore continues to uphold its traditional and cultural heritage even in the modern era. Its streets are filled with the fragrant aroma of temple prasadhams, while iconic spots like Jannal Kadai and Kaalathi Rosemilk have stood the test of time, remaining beloved by people of all ages.

In addition to these iconic spots, Mylapore has seen a rise in the number of messes, both longstanding and newly established ones, as many owners choose the locality to launch their businesses. Considered the pioneer of the mess culture in Mylapore, Mami Mess was established in 1959. K Siva, the current proprietor, shares, “My paati started the mess on our porch to make ends meet, and it has since evolved significantly. Mylapore has always been a vibrant area, and the affordable prices of home-cooked meals in messes appeal to customers. With relatively low operating costs, this has encouraged more people to enter this industry.”

Earlier known as Rayar’s Cafe and now Rayar’s Mess, the diner is famous for its pongal dish. This place is more than eight decades old. Speaking to us on the not-so-quiet narrow lanes of Kutchery Road where the mess is located, Manoj, a fourth-generation restauranteur says, “Our customers have been with us for generations. Their trust in our quality and service is what has sustained us for so long. Mylapore continues to represent the tradition and culture of Chennai, which is why people choose this locality to establish new messes.” The 31-year-old manages the family business alongside his father and uncle.

Discussing the evolving customer behaviour, Manoj explains, “Today, customers expect a pleasant ambience and often lack patience! To accommodate their fast-paced lifestyles, we now offer food on plates to those who prefer to eat standing. While we have retained a loyal customer base over the years, the increasing number of dining options means some individuals change their preferences more readily.” Rayar’s Mess was recently honoured with the Spirit Of Mylapore Award.

The Mylapore Trio - Amarnath, Surendranth and Aparna - takes us on a nostalgic ride as they share the transition of mess culture from their childhood to the present time. “There were many restaurants like Udupi Hotel, Saravana Bhavan, Shanthi Vihar and Buhari. But the concept of a mess was absent in Mylapore at that time. However, the mess culture was popular in Triplicane, which has been called the bachelor’s paradise since the British era. This idea comes into the picture when people stay alone and require home-cooked food regularly. But Mylapore comprised of families. So, the mess culture was associated with Triplicane,” shares Amarnath.

On the other hand, Surendranath says that there was a conservative thought back then and people were not encouraged to go to restaurants, rather they used to cook at home even during family functions. “Today, it has changed drastically and people rarely cook at home because of work pressure and changing lifestyles. It was during the 1970s to 1980s that the mess culture started to bloom in Mylapore,” adds Amarnath.

Surendranth feels that commercialisation played a major role in the shift of people’s thoughts. He says, “Back then, residents were orthodox in Mylapore. People used to make appalams at home. But, when a few commercial outlets entered the scene, people adapted to that for convenience. This applies to mess culture as well. Non-veg restaurants were not prominent here, but now you can find many such outlets.”

“Small food joints started coming up as the crowd visiting temples increased in Mylapore. A few of them are trying to revive traditional dishes which is commendable. Apart from this, they also sell packed homemade pickles and paruppu podis as a side business,” reveals Aparna.

The Cultural Ambassadors of Mylapore believe that many youngsters prefer the neighbourhood now because the culture has changed. They also think that the COVID lockdown has changed things and people understand that mess business is profitable. “Providing quality, even to a smaller number of customers, can encourage loyalty,” asserts Amarnath, who believes that Mylapore has emerged as the new bachelors’ paradise. Surendranath expects that the mess business will continue to bloom. However, Siva feels that this might reach the saturation point anytime. “Earning customers’ goodwill, service and taste will help to sustain in the field in the long run,” Siva remarks.

To match the changing times, Manoj has tweaked Rayar’s Mess’s menu and also extended the timing. “It is important to grow with the customers to match their demands. This helps in starting a new mess or sustaining the business,” he concludes.