By Reshmi AR
Walk into Kadhale, and you are instantly enveloped in the warmth of home. A cheerful 鈥淣amaskaram鈥 greets you at the door, the air carries a faint trace of ghee and filter coffee, and the ambience quietly evokes a sense of belonging. For Siddharth, co-founder of Kadhale, that homely feeling isn鈥檛 incidental鈥攊t鈥檚 the core philosophy behind the restaurant. The seeds for Kadhale were sown more than a decade ago, in the corridors of CBIT, Hyderabad, where Sidharth and his business partner studied engineering together. 鈥淏ack in college, we actually proposed to run our canteen,鈥 he recalls with a smile. 鈥淲e have wanted to do something in the food industry since 2013.鈥滾ife took the two friends down different paths鈥攃orporate jobs, overseas education, and even a few failed ventures. 鈥淎t one point, I was working with Capgemini and later with a tech company, managing school clients. My partner returned from the U.S. in 2017, and we began toying with ideas again.鈥 That led to their first food venture, Aromale, in 2019鈥攋ust months before the pandemic hit. While Aromale weathered the storm, Kadhale was quietly taking shape in their minds. 鈥淲e have been ideating on Kadhale since 2017. The concept matured slowly. We were clear about two things: it had to be vegetarian, and it had to reflect our love for South Indian cuisine.鈥漈he name Kadhale鈥攁 Tamil word for 鈥渓ove鈥 or 鈥渂eloved鈥濃攚as born out of their original idea, Aarambham, which didn鈥檛 materialise due to trademark issues. 鈥淏ut the idea of love remained central. South Indian food is full of warmth and simplicity鈥攊t only felt right to give it a name that reflected that sentiment.鈥 From the outset, the focus was clear: honest, nourishing, regional food. 鈥淪outh Indian cuisine is simple, nutritious and largely based on fermentation and steaming. Think idlis, dosas鈥攊t鈥檚 food you can eat daily. It鈥檚 for everyone.鈥滲ut while the foundation is humble, the execution is thoughtful and deliberate. The menu draws from across the southern states. 鈥淵ou will find dosas inspired by Tamil Nadu like our Chettinadu Ghee Masala Dosa, others from Rayalaseema, and even Karnataka influences. It鈥檚 regional, it鈥檚 rooted, and it鈥檚 done with love.鈥滾ove, in fact, spills over into every aspect of the experience鈥攆rom the food to the people serving it. 鈥淲e train our staff to treat every customer like a guest walking into our home. We are not just serving a meal; we are hosting someone. That鈥檚 the difference.鈥滶ven in the pricing, inclusivity is key. 鈥淲e wanted to make our food accessible. For the ambience, quality of ingredients, and attention to detail鈥攐ur pricing is on the affordable side. We didn鈥檛 want to alienate students or families.鈥漈he setting matches the food鈥攕imple, minimal, and quietly elegant. 鈥淲e have had people tell us the food feels like it鈥檚 straight from a home kitchen. That鈥檚 the best compliment.鈥滱s for customer favourites, there鈥檚 a clear list: Chettinadu Ghee Masala Dosa, Ghee Podi Idli and the ever-popular South Indian Thali, which is known to sell out quickly. 鈥淥ur panasakaya Biryani and the Veg Liver Fry are also gaining popularity. And don鈥檛 miss our Filter Coffee鈥攚e source it straight from a farmer in Chikmagalur. It鈥檚 farm-to-cup, and it鈥檚 something we are very proud of.鈥滽adhale doesn鈥檛 believe in static menus. The Thali changes daily, and new dishes are introduced periodically. 鈥淲e recently added Paneer Takatak and it鈥檚 already getting great feedback.鈥漈he team also celebrates Indian festivals with special offerings. 鈥淔or Ugadi, we served a full Thali on banana leaves. It鈥檚 our way of staying connected to tradition and giving people something special.鈥漇o what鈥檚 next? Expansion plans are in the works, but cautiously. 鈥淲e are looking at spaces, yes. But the idea is to retain the soul of what Kadhale is. It鈥檚 not just about opening more outlets鈥攊t鈥檚 about keeping that feeling of love intact.鈥滱nd love, after all, is what Kadhale is built on. From two friends with an old dream, to a Secunderabad favourite that serves warm, soulful South Indian meals鈥擪adhale is a reminder that food, at its best, is about connection, comfort, and care.