Coffee Houses In Madurai!

Shanthirani · Aug 29, 2007

Dear Varalotti,

I am a relatively new member and joined this site this month.

I have been browsing this site almost every day since the day I joined and have participated in a couple of posts/threads on songs. I wanted to get involved in other discussions as well and your description about coffee reminds me of the good old days I spent in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">India</st1lace></st1:country-region>.... at Thanjavur, where I went to School, Tiruchi where I went to University and Chennai, where I lived for few years and coffee had been an integral part of my life in all these cities.

Your description about <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Madurai</st1lace></st1:city> coffee also makes my mouth water. Coffee is something I have always cherished and could drink it anytime of the day, even on a very hot midday. My husband makes really good filter coffee, however, coffee doesn't agree with me for some reasons and I have switched to tea recently. All our friends who visit us love to have coffee at our place.

Yes, as you mentioned, Starbucks, and other famous coffee houses like Tim Hortons, Second Cup....none is anywhere near home made filter coffee.

My brother-in-law lives in <st1:city w:st="on">Madurai</st1:city> with his family and we have visited <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Madurai</st1lace></st1:city> a few times. Next time we talk to him, we will surely mention about Visalam Coffee.

Regards, Shanthi

varalotti said: ↑

Most Gracious ILites,
My first and foremost thanks are due to Induslady for starting a subforum for "namma ooru" Madurai and for Moderator Chitra for channelling my request to the Organisers.
I dont want to crowd this forum also with my posts. But want to start the first post more out of love for this mofussil town which exudes a lot of charm.
I was surprised to read in the latest Vikatan(or Kumudam, I forgot) that when a Chennaiite was in Germany and asked some Germans about Tamilnadu, they immediately remembered Madurai, its temple and all. The poor Chennaiite had to explain that Chennai was a bigger town and is about 450 kms from Madurai.

One of my passions (apart from my profession and writing) is coffee. I will do anything to have a strong, good, aromatic coffee. My search for a good coffee is as fervent as my search for good books and good friends.
And such a search took me to some of the best coffee joints of Madurai. Let's have a little bit of history while sipping Madurais best coffee.

Now I am not for any kind of readymade coffee. Bru/Nescafe or for that matter any other brand, I say a firm no. In fact my body is so much against instant coffee that even that smell makes me puke. Yes, believe me, with a whiff, I can find out if the coffee is instant or not. To put it short I have an instant dislike for the instants.

The first coffee to become popular in Madurai is the College House Degree Coffee. College House is a large hotel at the Town Hall Road. At the end of the Road is Victoria Edward Hall which was in those days the only hall in Madurai. Hence the road is called Town Hall Road.

And you know why the hotel was called College House? Because some decades back the property belonged to Madura College (a hundred year plus old educational institution like American College, another hundred year plus old college, where yours truly did his P.U and B.Com). The property was used as a hostel for Madura College. Subsequently the college acquired properties elsewhere and sold this to some one. In honour of the college the person who bought it (Mr.V.K.K. Chettiar family) named it The College House.

The Coffee Master in College house was very popular. His "degree coffee" was much sought after. In those days rich people would drive in their Hillmans and Fords to have coffee at the College House. It was clearly an addiction and people who tasted it always came back to it.
There was even a rumour that the Coffee master used to apply some narcoctic paste in the coffee filter and hence the addiction. But it remained a rumour.
The rumour did not affect the fame of College House coffee.

Much later the Coffee Master left College House and started his own venture. Rajendra Coffe Bar which after shifting a couple of places moved to Mandayan Asari lane, off Town Hall Road. The cofee in that shop even today has that flavour and aroma. They have a very limited menu in Rajendra Coffee Bar - idli, dosas, vellaiappam etc.

When you talk about coffee in Madurai you need to particularly mention Visalam Coffee. This became so popular that the man started outlets in a number of places in the city. People thronged to these places. A board "Visalam Coffee" was enough to attract crowd. The promoters then sold some of the shops and got a high price for the goodwill they had created. That was the first time a coffee shop in Madurai sold its "knowhow" and "good will"
But I personally feel the persons who bought the name and the shop did not live up to the reputation of the original promoters though they do make good sales.
Now original Visalam Coffee is available only in Goripalayam opposite to American College (you will now remember why American College is so famous; if not go to the beginning of this post and start reading the post again slowly ha ha ha).
My mother and my wife make really very good coffee. But once in a while I do make a trip to Visalam. Normally I go there on a Saturday afternoon.
I would rank theirs as the best I have so far tasted. I had been to Singapore. I had taste 20 $ coffee in Starbucks, Coffee Beans and Tea Leaves! But nothing to beat Visalam.
Their integrity is what I love more than their coffee. When you go there around 745 PM they would have exhausted the "first-round" decoction. They will have a lot of "second-time" decoction. Any coffee vendor would serve coffee and make some quick money. But Visalam has a policy not to serve any second quality drink.
The taste is also consistent.
I can tell at the first sip, whether the milk is old, the decoction old, the milk is diluted or there is a problem with the filter. In Visalam the quality has been consistently the same all along.
Now many good hotels like Meenakshi Bhavan, Murugan Idli and star hotels like Pandyan, Sangam and Taj serve good filter coffee.
But if you ask me there is nothing like standing right on the street sipping Visalam coffee gazing at the passers by in the busy Goripalayam thoroughfare.

So next time you visit Madurai make it a point to sip that popular brew.
Regards,
Varalotti
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whiterainbow · Nov 28, 2007

I still remember the coffee, tea of all sort of areas and "Kalkandu Paal" (Hard Sugar Milk) which I tasted when I stayed in South Gate area (I didn't remember the lane name). But as of now you can taste Cappuccino, Latte and other flavours of international coffee and tea in Madurai (Cafe Coffee day, Aryabhawan).

paanzaa · Nov 11, 2008

A few shops away on the West Chithirai street from Nagapattinam Nei Mittai kadai is Gopu Iyengar's hotel.It is in the corner of North and West chithirai st junction. Kaara Chutney and vellaiappam are famous, with a shot of coffee. Anybody tasting this kaara chutney is bound to have the ear drums pounding..schhhhh.

Rajendra' s near Sacs on townhall road, is famous for it's adai..Sankuvala opp.nallis on jadamuni koil street, is wholesome dal,roti and sabji stuff..Mango juice-any time of the year is pure relish..Anybody has tried Chadrakala,jigarthnda and puttu? What about the the Kothu parotta?

nirmala1709 · Nov 12, 2008

Dear Paanza

My mouth is watering after reading your post about Madurai specialities. Actually when I visited India last year I was supposed to visit Madurai. But I could not do so due to lack of time. My mother was born in Madurai and some day I want to visit this famous city Madurai and taste all the tasty food there.
Anyhow south Indian food particularly Tamil Nadu is the best.

Regards
Nirmala

delmon54 · Jun 28, 2009

Re: There r one more special thing that is available in madurai

Hello Friends

Apart from the coffee and jigarthanda, u can get special Scented supari and Dried fruit mixture, sweet seeval roasted in ghee with cashew nuts from Chamundi shop near central cinema hall in west tower st. madurai . u can get all types of dry fruits and Haldiram sweets and snacks here.
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paanzaa · Oct 25, 2009

Anybody knows about the Gowri coffee lovers?

prabcas · Apr 15, 2010

Dear All,

Well all Know the coffee shop i do know.
Visaalam, College Hose Coffe etc..
Some more shops are also there......
1.Gowri Annexe SS COLONY North Gate.
2.Gowri Ganga, Near College House.
3.Meenakshi Coffee Bar., Vadakku avani Moola Street and East Veli Street.
4.Kamadhenu coffee Bar near Central Theatre.
5.PTR Coffee., All over madurai has some branches.
6.Malligai Sweets. Gokhale Road.

But The Visaalam Beqats the all. Visaalam at
1.Goripalayam, 2.tallakulam,
3.Mela perumal Maistry street opp to Canara bank
4.Simmakkkal etc.,

I love coffee.....I addicted to the above shops.my last coffe i tasted 1/2 hour before at visaalam....the taste reamins in my tongue yet.WOW..

iyerviji · Apr 15, 2010

Dear Sridhar

Just happened to see this thread today. I am also addicted to coffee that too filter coffee. I dont like instant coffee. I have come to Madurai twenty years back and after that I have not got a chance to go there.

If I get a chance I will definitely have Visalam Coffee and also come to your house to have coffee as your mother and Indhu make good coffee. Olden times some people used to grind the coffee seeds and make coffee which used to taste so nice. Some people make coffee with fresh milk and fresh decotion and heat it in warm water and not directly on the gas. They like to have coffee like that.

viji

kanaka Raghavan · Apr 15, 2010

Just now went thru this thread.Thoroughly enjoyed reading the posts.I also love filter coffee.Everyone in my house takes tea.So I have a small filter only for myself.Closest to our Indian coffee powder ,which I get here is a brand of Brazilian coffee powder.I really like it.But everytime I visit rests,in Chennai,first in my order has been always a hot cup of filter coffee.Years back I have visited Madurai and I remember having food in a mess called Shriram.It was excellent.After reading this post,I have decided to add Madurai in my must visit place during my vacation this time.

vlakshmi123 · Jan 2, 2017

Vandhana said: ↑

ANother Coffee lover

Reading about the degree coffee just brought back memories. Though i am not from madurai, i have had my share of degree coffees in kumbakonam. And oh i had a sad time when i first came here and just hated the instant coffees. now by trial and error, i have my own proprietory blend that comes quite close to the filter coffee back home. ( yes i do make traditional filter coffee. no coffee maker for me. i have a pitalai filter since i heard that ,that is the one that gives the best flavor!!)

Vandhana
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Hello Mam: I recently relocated to the US. And I miss my filter coffee. Can you please tell us the way you make filter coffee here in the US. It will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Lakshmi