Thattu

One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. They get extra points for adding modern twists to southern Indian classics. The food is excellent quality and totally worth the price. Reservations are recorded and arrive a bit early to find parking. The Kadala Curry with Appam is delicious. I liked all their appetizers as well. Ordering is easy with the QR code. Definitely a must-go if you are in Chicago.

Thattu is easily one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. The food is vibrant, soulful, and incredibly fresh — you can taste the care in every dish. The Theeyal Salad deserves a special shout-out. It’s genuinely one of a kind: the deep, roasted coconut-tamarind flavors of theeyal paired with crisp, bright greens in a way that feels both inventive and comforting. I’ve never had a salad like this anywhere. But choosing a favorite dish is impossible because the kappa bonda was just as outstanding — warm, delicate, perfectly seasoned, and the kind of thing you instantly crave again. It’s a very close tie between the bonda and the salad! Another detail I loved: everything is made fresh in-house, down to the beet ketchup, which was so good it deserves its own fan club. And to top it all off, the chef was so kind — she surprised us with her masala biscuits on the house !!! Such a thoughtful gesture that made the experience feel even more special. Warm service, thoughtful food, and a menu full of surprises. Thattu is a gem — can’t wait to come back.

I finally made an online reservation at Thattu for dinner after hearing about it for so long, and surprisingly we were able to get a table for the same night. The restaurant is located on Fletcher Avenue and when we walked in we were seated pretty fast. I had imagined the place to be a little bigger, but even though it was small it felt cozy, comfortable, and nicely put together. The decor immediately stood out because of all the South Indian inspired artwork and touches that made the space feel warm and authentic. It reminded me of the kind of homely charm you find in Kerala style eateries, and it set a really nice tone for the evening. We started the meal with a set of appetizers that included kappa bonda, chilli paneer puffs, masala deviled eggs and kallumakaya. The masala deviled eggs were the highlight among the starters with a great balance of flavor and spice. The chilli paneer puffs and kappa bonda were both good and enjoyable. The kallumakaya, which are mussels, had a very strong seafood taste. My wife liked it more than I did because I am not a huge fan of that deep ocean flavor, so for me it was not as appealing. For drinks we went with the kokum sharbat and the ginger cooler. Both were non alcoholic but extremely refreshing. The kokum sharbat in particular was spectacular with a bright, tangy taste that immediately stood out. It felt like the perfect drink to go with the meal. We originally wanted to order the Malabar Bone In Goat Biryani but unfortunately it was already sold out by the time we ordered. So I ended up getting the Malabar Chicken Biryani and my wife ordered the Chemmeen and Kappa. Presentation wise the Chemmeen and Kappa looked beautiful and vibrant, but the combination did not work well for her taste. On the other hand the chicken biryani turned out to be the best biryani I have had in a very long time. The flavors were deep and rich and every grain of rice had absorbed the spices perfectly. It tasted like something you would get in a traditional Kerala home. For dessert we ordered the Forbidden Payasam and the Naadan Falooda. The falooda was truly amazing, one of the best I have had. It paired surprisingly well with the payasam and together they made for a great ending to the meal. Finally I have to mention the service because the staff was incredibly warm, friendly and knowledgeable. They explained the dishes in detail and even though we are from South India ourselves there were ingredients and combinations they talked about that we had not heard of. Their passion for the food really showed in how they talked about it. Overall Thattu turned out to be a really good experience with great food, great service and a homely, authentic vibe. I definitely plan to go back again, hopefully next time to try their sadhya if they have it available.