I am so happy to see that there is now an Indian restaurant in International Drive that specializes in South Indian cuisine. South Indian cuisine differs than North Indian, as it has different types of dishes, and sometimes a bit spicier as well. I looked at their menu from their site, and was very surprised the prices were extremely reasonable. My dad and I did a pickup order. When we arrived to the restaurant, a hostess greeted us and showed us the menu. I ordered a chicken dinner special (about 11 dollars), which included chicken 65, kushka (spiced rice), chicken curry, parotta and raita. I also ordered the vegetarian dinner special (about 10 dollars) for my mom, which had cauliflower 65 and vegetable curry, and the others mentioned previously. Finally, we ordered the breakfast special (6.50), which had 1 idly, 1 vada, 1 dosa and Pongal served with 3 chutneys and Sambar. You can see that the total after taxes was under 30 dollars for a meal, which was a great value. We paid in advance, and sat down in a booth. Within about 15 to 30 minutes later, our hostess came with a bag that had our food.
When we got home, we emptied the bag and saw various containers with our food. It was packed quite nicely, and to prevent any leaks. I tried the cauliflower and chicken 65, chicken curry, and the kushka. Even though there was no sauce in the 65, the cauliflower and chicken were seasoned very well to have the authentic Indian flavor. The chicken curry went well with the kushka, both having a medium spice level. That brought great flavors and a little heat without being overbearing. Both of the chicken items had bones, which made the chicken more flavorful, but I did have to be careful I didn't accidentally eat the bones too. I also tried the dosa, vada, idly, and pongal for breakfast, though I didn't take a picture of those. The vada was fried nicely and was soft enough to enjoy. I enjoyed the spices added in the vada. The pongal reminded me of my mom's home cooking. Just comforting for breakfast. The idly was a bit hard than fluffy, but it was still enjoyable after adding some chutney. The dosa was flat and a bit crispy, but I still enjoyed it. I must say this was almost as good as my mom's food, and also the food at our temple. Even my mom and dad enjoyed their food too! Another thing I loved was that they didn't ask for the spiciness level and defaulted to the level that is normally given for the food. Thus, if you only are used to mild level food, then you may find the food here a bit hotter than expected.
The service was friendly, attentive, and helpful. The atmosphere almost looks like a hole in the wall for an Indian restaurant with very casual seating. There was a TV showing Indian music video or movie, and the music was Indian hits with another TV showing the name and artist of it. The restaurant is quite small with some tables for eating inside (and it is a full service restaurant), but I don't recall seeing any eating outdoors. Amma's Kitchen is located right next to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition attraction. Unfortunately, they have not updated the sign, so it is a bit hard to locate (as the previous restaurant looked to be an Italian pizza).
For 30 dollars of great quality food that fills you up, this place is a bargain, especially in the touristy I-Drive area. If you are open minded and can handle a bit of spiciness, then you definitely need to give this place a visit. This is the only South Indian restaurant I know in I-Drive area, especially with non vegetarian options. They also offer an all you can eat thali option (20 dollars for veg and 21 for non veg) during the weekends, and we will try that next time we visit. As it is next to the Titanic attraction, so I hope it doesn't hit an iceberg and get ship-wrecked. Hopefully the locals and tourists will give this restaurant a shot, and enjoy the South Indian cuisine!
Overall: A read more