NO LONGER AYCE - Anjappar Chettinad - Scarborough (South Indian)

Update: 2021-Aug-20 - There is no more buffet/AYCE at this location post-lockdown, and it is unknown if and when it will ever return. I am therefore removing it from the active list, and will follow up periodically and restore it should it return to AYCE status.

Anjappar Chettinad is located at 3090 Eglinton Ave. E. in Scarborough, east of Bellamy. Weekday lunch and weekend breakfast is served; dinner buffet is only available at the Brampton location. I went for weekday lunch. Anjappar Chettinad has a nice darker interior with plenty of lunch customers. It was almost full.

Mutton bone soup was good though understated compared to the same offering from Tandoori Flame. South Indian Rasam was deliciously spiced and enjoyable though almost only broth without lentils etc. I liked the fresh cilantro leaves. Onion pakoda (aka pakora) was tasty though unfortunately dried out. Chicken wings were delicious, like Indian style Buffalo and not overly hot. Aloo "bendy" (aka aloo bhindi) was excellent, with a nice mild flavour and spicing that really brought out the flavour of the potatoes. Chettinad chicken masala was excellent and fantastically spiced, with plenty of star anise. Mutton chukka masala was well spiced although mutton is not my favourite.

There are five types of dosas also included which are available from the waiter. I tried the masala dosa... it was very good with available coconut chutney.

Egg biryani was quite good with milder flavour but well spiced including whole cardamom, which tells me always that effort is being made to make the dish as good as possible, as this is a very expensive spice. Matar paneer was delicious with more flavour than probably any other instance I have ever had, most are mild in comparison. Parotta was delicious, with a nice Aroma, this dish is like a somewhat heavier and oilier naan bread as it is cooked with ghee.

Coleslaw was plain with only spicing and no dressing but was still good and very fresh. Green salad was good; the nearby dressing I expected would be some form of raita, but it was Ranch instead.

Vegetable kurma had a wonderful exotic flavour that I could not identify, the closest I can think of is that it was like mandarin orange. Sambar, another south Indian vegetable dish, was also wonderfully spiced and delicious. Special Chettinad Kuzhambu had a powerfully tart flavor of citrus which overshadowed everything else, but I guess that is how it is supposed to be done.

For dessert, chocolate ice cream was fantastic, not too bitter and very flavorful. Vanilla ice cream was good and fresh. Mint chocolate chip ice cream was delicious and nicely minty. Strawberry ice cream was delicious full of flavour and fresh. Mango ice cream was full of the wonderful mango flavours that distinguishes the best ice cream. And they had my favourite flavour, coconut, which was fantastic. Wheat payasam is like sweet cardamom Cream of Wheat dessert and was delicious. Rasmalai is like a mild cheesecake in sweet rosewater sauce and was similarly delicious. Weekday lunch is $14.99, and this was an excellent price for a very enjoyable and unique lunch. I would be happy to return with Mishy sometime.

Rating: 8.5-9/10