Literally a Hidden Gem!!!
“TONIF” literally means Taste of North Indian Food. Not many Mysoreans are aware of this joint which should be, without fail, in the go-to list of every foodie. Sure it has mainly attracted the Infoscions, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving this place a try.
Ambience: It has a “dhabaesque” feel to it. With a very basic table-chair setting, a small hand wash area and lots of promotional/event posters stuck on the side, TONIF is definitely not savvy on its ambience. Also the place has not accommodated washrooms. But the place is neat and tidy. So we can conclude that it’s a slightly polished version of a dhaba which doesn’t disappoint based on the prices of the dishes.
Food: This place serves only vegetarian food. The menu definitely lacks in the section of starters which contains a few variants of Papad and a Masala Peanut though I would have enjoyed some tikkas or chaap.
But the main course sure serves a number of different types of parathas,sabji and daal- and that’s what we are here for!
The absolute winner in this place has to be their breads. They have a section of paratha and another of kulcha. The parathas are generously stuffed with whatever stuffing you opt for, topped liberally with butter and finally garnished with coriander. You also get to choose the taste you prefer for your stuffing,whether it is achari,lehsuni,chilli…you get the idea.
Now the kulchas here are really fluffy and you will love the softness as you tear some pieces and gobble up on them.
The sabjis are served in a handi and I mostly opt for a paneer side dish. Even though you find a varied number of items on the menu, you find the underlying taste of the gravy to be almost same. But what is different here is the huge chunks of paneer which just breaks without much effort and melts in your mouth. I rarely find this quality of paneer in most of the veg joints in Mysore.
You will definitely find your meal to be incomplete here without some daal over here which are served in small baltis. Why I say incomplete? ‘Coz it’s THAT good! I personally find the dal makhni to be absolutely delicious and one of the best in town. It has a rich, creamy taste and a huge dollop of makhan on top. Even a “not-a-daal” type of person will start to get a hang of it.
The rice section can be given a miss, the taste is average and you wouldn’t be missing out on anything much, except the fact that you could have had another paratha instead of the rice!
So my list of must try’s are:
- Paneer Paratha Lehsuni
- Masala Kulcha
- Daal Makhani
Service: There is quite a limited staff that gets the job done. But during the peak hours, the service does tend to drop. However, you can rely on the recommendations if you ask them.
Verdict:
Taste: 4/5
VFM: 5/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
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