Madura Sunnyvale

(By Naveen)
Address:
Madura
1635 Hollenbeck Ave
Sunnyvale, CA 94087

Other Bay Area Indian Restaurants
madura sunnyvale

Madura Sunnyvale: Orgasm for the Palate

Continuing our restaurant pilgrimage in the Bay Area, the next coveted shrine we set foot into was Madura, another South Indian Vegetarian restaurant.

We had visited a few other restaurants between Bhimas and Madura but the nature of Indian food is such that unlike Indian movies your never get tired of it.

We were as fresh as on day one and ready to take on Madura’s tempting fare.

Facilities & Ambiance

Madura isn’t exactly an interior designer’s delight but such is the case with most Indian Restaurants in the Bay Area and elsewhere.

What is more important is the basics and those were flawless – Good parking, neat tables and chairs, fair spacing, clean silverware and clean rest rooms.

The Food

We scurried through Madura’s menu which had the all too familiar South Indian Vegetarian items and ordered a combination of the usual suspects and whatever could be called unique.

Vadas

As our food started landing on our table, first off we could sense the freshness in the aroma of the warm Rasam Vada and the taste of Sambar Vada.

Both items were so delicious that they vanished in a matter of seconds.

madura sunnyvale rasam vada - Image © BayMasala.com
Rasam Vada

In both cases, the Vada was plump and well soaked and quickly melted in the mouth hitting all the right spots and evoking a delirious response.

The semi-thick and tangy Sambar was rich in Drumsticks, Onion and Dal (Lentils).

The thin and easy Rasam was aromatic and spicy.

madura sunnyvale sambar vada - Image © BayMasala.com
Sambar Vada

The deadly duo was generously seasoned with melted ghee making them sinuously savory.

Idlys

Next, we moved on to Mini-Idly and Sambar Idly.

Both dishes were captivating in appearance and gratifying in taste.

madura sunnyvale mini idly - Image © BayMasala.com
Mini Idly

The soft n spongy Idlys were a delight to bite and the addition of melted Ghee on the Sambar Idly knocked up the satisfaction level by a notch or two.

madura sunnyvale sambar idly - Image © BayMasala.com
Sambar Idly

Coconut Chutney was evenly grinded, spiced and adequate but didn’t excite us as much as the aromatic and luscious Sambar.

Dosas

The crusty Mysore Plain Dosa was simply a delirious joy to bite.

It was finely roasted with a judicious spicy spread inside.

madura sunnyvale mysore plain dosa - Image © BayMasala.com
Mysore Plain Dosa

The combination of the Dosa with Chutneys and Sambar was simply orgasmic.

The green (Coriander – Chilli) chutney didn’t impress us as it had neither a unique flavor nor a distinctive taste.

However, red chutney was lip-smackingly delightful with great spice level and the right degree of sourness.

madura sunnyvale cilantro dosa - Image © BayMasala.com
Cilantro Dosa

In contrast to the Mysore Dosa, the Cilantro Dosa was soft and moist with the water from the Cilantro paste applied inside and the paste itself was a little raw.

This Dosa also tasted ok but it didn’t make us drool over it.

Kothu Parotta

The next item turned out to be a Tamil Nadu special called Kothu Parotta.

An item which is basically a Parotta but shredded into small bites as it is being cooked.

madura sunnyvale kothu parotta - Image © BayMasala.com
Kothu Parotta

Boy, wasn’t that a delight!

The pieces were soft, evenly cooked and warm.

With the sprinkling of Onions and a yummy Kuruma on the side, this dish was a true show stopper.

The Kuruma was fantastic with a tempting flavor and an even more alluring taste.

Madura Special Meals

Last but not the least was the Madura Special Meals which is served with either Chapathi or Pooris.

madura sunnyvale special meals - Image © BayMasala.com
Special Meals

The Chapathi were frustratingly hard and thick but the Pooris were spongy and unoily.

Apart from Sambar, Rasam and Kuruma that were fantastic, the meals also included Kaara Kuzhambu and Vaaazhaikkai Poriyal, which were delicious.

The curd had a homely taste.

The Biriyani was undercooked junk and the rest of the stuff was so so.

Drinks

Among the beverages, Coffee, or Kapi as we Tamils like to call it, and Badam Milk were the best picks.

Badam Milk was smooth and thick and Coffee had the familiar aromatic magic of filter coffee.

madura sunnyvale coffee - Image © BayMasala.com
Coffee

Tea and Buttermilk were good.

Madura Sunnyvale Food Ratings

madura sunnyvale rating - Image © BayMasala.com
Food Rating Chart

Great Service

Madura’s service rocked!

Seating, Ordering, Serving and Billing were prompt.

Water was refilled frequently and the courteous waiter gave us extra Sambar without being asked. How often does that happen in a Desi restaurant?

Madura Recommendation

Madura was easily the pick of all the South Indian restaurants we visited during our trip to the Bay Area.

With fine service, good facilities and fantastic food, Madura is on top of our list if and when we visit Bay Area again.

A lunch @ Madura is strongly recommended! - © BayMasala.com

Other Bay Area Indian Restaurants

Chaat Bhavan
Madura
Saravanaa Bhavan
Tirupathi Bhimas
Biryani Joints
Indian Buffets
Veg. Restaurants
Sunnyvale
San Jose
Santa Clara
Mountain View
Cupertino
Campbell
Los Gatos
Milpitas
Fremont
Newark
Union City
Berkeley
San Francisco
Sausalito
San Mateo
San Carlos
Redwood City
Palo Alto
Hayward
Oakland
Livermore