Muthu’s Chettinad Mess is a popular little Indian eatery is located on Acheen Street, facing Armenian Park (closer to the intersection with Carnarvon Street, than Beach Street at the other end). Known among local Tamil-Indians (who formed their main clientele) simply as “santhu kadai” (meaning ‘alley shop’), it was one of the pit-stops featured in Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” episode on Penang. There is no signboard outside or any where of its name - just look out for its yellow walls and pink door- and window-frames on 143 Acheen Street.
Muthu’s only opens for lunch, from 11am to about 2.30pm, Monday to Saturday. It only serves the traditional Indian banana leaf curry rice meal.
Just sit down and one of the waiters will come round to lay a banana leaf on the table in front of you. It’s not a placemat - it functions as your plate. One of the waiters will come by and ladle two types of curried vegetables and a chutney onto your banana leaf, followed by a heapful of steamed white rice. A trio of curry gravies (chicken, crab and dhal) in metallic gravy-holders wil be placed in front of you. Help yourself to the gravies - the gravy-holders are shared between different tables, so after you’ve ladled your choice onto your rice, the waiter(s) may take the vessels away. This constitutes the basic banana leaf rice set meal and costs only MYR7 (US$1.80).
The waiter(s) will then come around with trays of “add-on” side-dishes which you might want to try: crab masala (the eatery’s signature dish), curried fish, curried tripe, mutton curry, a very spicy chicken Varuval, egg omelette, and various spiced vegetables.
Start off with the typical South Indian aperitif: rasam, a sourish-spicy “soup” served in tiny little metal mugs here:
Some of the best side-dishes which we tried were:
- Crab masala - small flower crabs, cooked in an extremely spicy, oniony dry curry. Many of the eatery’s customers came here just for this dish:
- Crisp-fried, spiced fish. These are tiny local fish not more than 4 inches long - similar to the ladyfish I saw in Southern India. These were marinated in chilis and spices, given a dusting of flour before being shallow-fried till crisp.
- Fried, spiced bittergourd and cauliflower.
- Onion-and-green-chili omelette - the chilis were de-seeded, so this was probably the only non-spicy item we had from the side-dish options in their repertoire for the day.
Muthu’s do not serve any other drinks or beverages besides bottled plain drinking water, or a diluted salted yoghurt drink with spices.
Their curries were ultra-spicy (to my palate) but very popular among the mainly Tamil-Indian clientele. My lunch bill - for two persons, including the yoghurt drinks, amounted to MYR45 (US$11.40).
Come early - before 12 noon - if you want to snare a seat. There is also a long communal table on one side of the dining room. We were there at 11.45am and the eatery was quiet and empty. Half an hour later, the lunch crowd came pouring in.
Acheen Street, and neighbouring Armenian Street, are pretty, picturesque little streets within the historic quarter of old George Town - worth exploring before or after one drops in for a meal here.
Address
Muthu’s Chettinad Mess (“Santhu Kadai” or “alley shop”)
143 Lebuh Acheh (Acheen Street), 10200 Penang
Tel: +6 012-431 5317
Operating hours: 10.45am-4.30pm, daily
