The adventure continues, exploring the local side of Pondicherry, unknown to most tourists.

I am still just done with breakfast at Murugan on day #1. I have 11 more days to go and approximately 30+ meals to eat. Put like this, oh my gosh!!!

My food chronicles are legendary and my friends often wonder how I eat so much. Honestly, I pick and choose, taste and consider. It’s more smorgasbord with dips into something I really like: I did return to Murugan to relish my own kaju uttapam. I have learned how to drink filter coffee using the little katori and teeny glass. I carry wet wipes and eat whenever and wherever I am told to. No questions asked!

Natasha Nair, her mother and sister- the Nair Ladies- are the most fun women I have met in ages. And their excellent taste buds means I eat really well too!!

This first day, they introduce me to (a once north eastern food) Bamboo Shoots, an unassuming little place off the main Auroville road. A long wait is necessary as the ammas cook your order from scratch. We are served their version of a pork thali, with a gravy pork and a dry roast, some dal, a rasam and sticky North eastern style rice. All delicious and sweat inducing. We eat in near silence as we are so hungry and everything smells so good.

I love the lemon jaggery coolers at Bamboo Shoot, somehow the palm jaggery elevates what is a regular nimbu pani.

One night I dine on sushi and sashimi, fresh and delicious at Sakura Sushi on Auroville Road. Really pocket friendly, German patron and Bengali sushi chef combine to make this little gem of a place a must visit. The fish is extremely fresh and I really, really enjoy the whole experience. The restaurant is on the first floor of a bright yellow building, the interiors are very cute with little decorations and drawings, colourful souvenirs, and cheery seating.

Il Cono is a local gelateria, on Auroville road, proudly owned by a Tamil family as seen from their fun decor. The gelato is really pretty good and I am reminded of my favourite Fata Morgana in Rome. I wish I could eat gelato, every single day. You could. You should. YOU MUST!

Pondybucks, in the centre of town, is a local joint for good coffee and pastry, and a large selection of sandwiches. I went there several times as it was where I met all the new local friends I was to make this trip. If you want to work, and coffee is your jam, this is where you go.

The biggies are of course, Amethyst cafe aka Coromandel, located in La maison Rose, in the centre of White Town. Colonial elegance with some superb food, cocktails, dessert and service make Coromandel unforgettable. The interiors are so french, and yet so modern. The garden area is lush and green against rose walls with white trim. I am charmed. Both my meals here are delicious and memorable.

A lot of what I eat is at local places like the Andhra mess and Debussy, a terrace bar and restaurant, some excellent shawarma at the local PVR food court, Coolcat for breakfast and some spectacular sea food by the beach. I am fascinated by the grungy stalls on the main road with men making parottas. Unfortunately, I am not sure my stomach can handle it.

Andhra Mess is a joy. It’s exactly what I want to eat: no nonsense, sensible vegetarian lunch served on a banana leaf. I do miss Kuala Lumpur with the extravagant banana leaf thalis and sides of freshly ordered sea food.

Andhra Mess doesn’t disappoint. We wait patiently and we sit at communal tables, and everyone is very serious about eating. For Rs. 120/- you get unlimited amounts of flavoured rice- could be lemon, tamarind, coconut, veggie- rice, rasam, sambar, vegetables with coconut, and dessert.

Old fashioned sodas with marble stoppers, I mean round glass marbles, never cease to delight me and I sip on some vaguely interesting flavours.

My favourite place is the garden cafe, deep inside of Auroville, Naturellement. The place is shady and cool, I feel like I am walking into a secret garden. Everyone of the staff is pleasant and smiling, a lady takes our order, while the vast kitchen seems like a community effort filled with eclectic food choices. I stock up on cookies and am sorry I cannot carry back their special range squashes, syrups and jams.

I love our lunch of tuna salad and mushroom ravioli, hibiscus juice and the cool, pleasant shade under the green canopy. Pondicherry can be awfully muggy. The greenery was my favourite, so wild and real and pretty. The lemon tray bake was tasty but could have been more tart. There are serious perks dining with a pro chef who knows and appreciates all types of food and I really didn’t eat a single bad meal my entire visit. I am indebted to my foodie friend and eating partner, Arnab Bose, and all his friends who willingly fed me too.

Bread and Chocolate, and sister store Maison and Co, chocolatiers, are hands down the most legendary in Auroville. I visit both several times, eating as much pain au chocolat, almond croissant, cookies and tartines ( my Sunshine tartine truly is sunny flavoured) as I can manage, whilst drowning in triple shot americanos which are strangely Subco Coffee. I weep that I cannot buy out Mason chocolates but make do with a slab of extremely fresh and delicious Dark chocolate sea salt. Beats a Lindt any day.

I’m sure there are many more meals and I know I was rolled all the way home, sated and replete. Heart full of food and good memories

PS. There is more. But enough ‘ate’ for now!!😝