Charukesi Ramadurai I began living in Malaysia more than four years ago, but there are still days when homesickness hits so hard that there is nothing else to do but head to the Little India neighbourhood of Kuala Lumpur for a crisp, hot masala dosa at MTR. And I leave the restaurant each time feeling like I’ve had a small but satisfying taste of home. Short for Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, MTR is a Bengaluru venue that marked its 100th anniversary this year.
It is as popular today as it was when the Maiya brothers first opened it in 1924 as a hole-in-the-wall eatery serving up soft idlis and fragrant filter kapi (coffee) in a sleepy residential neighbourhood. Over the years, MTR has become an obligatory pit stop for anyone visiting Bengaluru and always finds a place in lists of India’s most popular restaurants. MTR has not just survived, but thrived and expanded in its 100-year history.
From one “tiffin” (colloquial speak for snacks and small bites) restaurant in Bengaluru, to outposts across the city and around the state of Karnataka, plus in Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, London and Seattle, it has been a long journey for MTR. Managing partner Hemamalini Maiya says: “We just focus on our strengths – food quality and hygiene – so that we can deliver consistency. Whichever MTR they eat in, people can expect the same quality.
” Emphasising the nostalgia value of the brand, she adds: “The main restaurant at Lalbagh Road remains exactly how it was, say, 60-70 years a.