5 South Indian Dishes You & Your Squad Can Binge On For As Low As Rs 15 @ Desert Island

South Indian cuisine lovers, give us a high five because we have some good news for you. We found a place that’s light on your pocket, yet serves tasty authentic South Indian delicacies in North Campus. It isn’t the fanciest of places but serves the purpose completely so, don’t judge the place by its location or exteriors. About a year old, Desert Island in Malka Ganj is run by 2-3 young guys from Kerala and serves authentic grub of Kerala at affordable prices. Though the interiors are very basic and simple, you’ll like how they have a live kitchen. So, let’s dig into whatever we tried and what all you need to check out!

1. Sulaimani Tea

Authentic Malabari cuisine is incomplete without a piping hot cup of Sulaimani chai. For those who don't know, this drink is very famous in Kerala and is basically a cup of chai without milk with strong flavours of lemon and cinnamon. Served alongside the main cuisine, this drink is warm in nature and helps you digest all the heavy food you just ate. Desert Island serves an amazing cup of this iconic drink and we recommend you to give it a try when you're at this place because you won’t easily find it anywhere else in Delhi!

Price | Rs 15

2. Mint Lime

Served in a mug filled to the brim, this drink will quench your thirst and then some more. A little strong on the mint flavour and pretty sweet in taste, this one gives you a minty sugar rush to complement the savoury flavours on the menu. Even though it was not the right amount of cold and a tad bit too sweet, you can definitely give it a try if you want something cool and sweet to go with your meal. But if you're not a fan of mint, you can try their Fresh Lime or go for the old fashioned soft drinks instead!

Price | Rs 30

3. Tawa Dosa

This one is different from all the other dosas (supposed to be dosais) that you’ve probably had before because of its texture. It’s relatively smaller in size but don’t worry, it comes as a serving of three Tawa Dosas, so eat all you can. You’re bound to like the taste if you enjoy authentic South Indian food. We even give a thumbs up to the accompaniments that came with it. The sambhar was well made and the chutney made from coconut, onion, tomato and chilly complimented the dosas well!

Price | Rs 60

4. Onion Tomato Uttapam

This one has to be our favourite from the lot as it was simply delicious. Uttapam is almost like comfort food if made well and this one was defo one of the best we’ve had. We went for the Onion Tomato variant but you can even give their other uttapams a shot as well. We thoroughly enjoyed this hot and crispy dish and how with every bite, we wanted to have more. The flavours were spot on, so no complaints there. We highly recommend the uttapams if you want your fill of flavoursome food!

Price | Rs 80

5. Malabar Chicken Biryani

This dish is prolly the most famous and ordered dish here at Desert Island. It’s a favourite amongst all the DU students who come from Kerala and miss authentic food. This isn’t your average biryani as it’s served with special Malabar chicken curry along with vegetable raita and a tangy pickle. To finish off this complete meal, they even give a crispy puri of sorts along with it. We won’t completely vouch for the taste but you should try it for yourself and decide if you like it or not. It certainly makes up for a filling yet budget-friendly meal. In case you aren’t keen on eating chicken, you can even try their fish and mutton variants. 

Price | Rs 120   

So, what we’re saying is that though it might not be perfect, it’s a great place to check out if you are hungry but don’t wanna spend big bucks. Don’t forget to ask a friend to tag along as they have enough seating for about 16-18 people. You can also get their food delivered to your place if you’d like by the way. P.S. - Give them a call if you can’t find the place right away, they’ll help you locate it. Now, will you go and check it out already?

Where | Desert Island - Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Marg, Block A, Malka Ganj
Timings | 12 Noon - 10:30 PM
Call Them | +91 9971 932 829