Like a blazing fried chicken, Thommy’s Toddy Shop rises from the ashes

Check out Thom Padanilam’s summer-centered, South Indian menu for the next Monday Night Foodball. [READER]( [Food & Drink]( The Colonel came out of retirement to make KFC at the Kedzie Inn. OK, Thom Padanilam does not have an honorific title from the Indian state of Kerala. Someday, probably, but for now he’s back in the game as the boss man of Thommy’s Toddy Shop, the pandemic-born [Malayali food]( pop-up and [podi peddler]( he ran from the carryout window at Superkhana International. Yes, he’s back, and he’s bringing his soon-to-be legendary curried buttermilk-brined Keralan fried chicken, lashed with red four-chili chutney, to the next Monday Night Foodball, the [Reader’s weekly chef pop-up]( in Irving Park. Padanilam has been out of sight over the last year, on a personal journey to sharpen his kitchen skills on the line at Kasama, the West Town Filipino bakery and fine dining restaurant that everybody says—between mouthfuls of longaniza and lumpia—is one of the best spots in the country. “I got my ass kicked for a year,” says Padanilam. “And I learned a lot and gained a lot of confidence as a cook.” Lately he’s been quietly helping Ben Lustbader and Sarah Mispagel open their forthcoming Loaf Lounge bakery, where he’ll have the time and space to reclaim his throne as the South Indian Condiment King of Chicago. But last month he burst back onto the scene at a [South Asian comedy showcase]( serving dishes inspired by each performer. And this Monday he’ll be perfuming the 4100 block of N. Kedzie with the garam masala-scented beef patties he learned to make from a celebrated patty authority—his mom—and serving them with [Maggi-spiked]( banana ketchup. He’s also layering Pizza Finestra focaccia with whipped labneh and the season’s first cherry tomatoes, bathed in a confit with chickpeas, and powered by podi, the intoxicating Malayali seasoning he built his name on. This one never made it into the Toddy Shop; it’s a rasam powder, the peppery, chilied, dal-based spice blend that fuels the ubiquitous tomato soup that accompanies every South Indian meal. And he’s harnessing the very peak of the season, adding grilled corn, peaches, carrots, and zucchini into a summer ishtu, a coconut- and yogurt-based veggie stew. To finish, he’s transformed payasam, the sweet, jiggly, warm pudding, into a cool, refreshing paleta, kissed with cardamon and mined with berries and nuts. And of course there’s a cocktail special: Jon Pokorny will be mixing up a sparkling Padanilam potion of mezcal, mango puree, and ginger pickle. But that fried chicken, though: Inspired by Atlanta chef Asha Gomez, it’s brined in buttermilk infused with curry leaves, ginger, and garlic; fried crispy; and lashed with chutney whipped with melted ghee into what he describes as a South Indian Buffalo Sauce. Pre-orders for this sumptuous South Indian feast are open right now, via the [Thommy’s Toddy Shop Tock site]( but if you can’t yet commit, Padanilam is making extra for walk-ins. It all starts at 5 PM at the Kedzie Inn, 4100 N. Kedzie, this Monday, August 1. Meanwhile, scroll down, gaze upon, and dream of the summer’s remaining Foodballs. Fall dates are coming soon. 8/8: [Indonesian home cooking]( with [Waroeng]( and friends 8/15: [Dylan Maysick]( of [Diaspora Dinners]( 8/22: [Vargo Brother Ferments]( 8/29: the triumphant return of [Funeral Potatoes]( 9/5: Labor Day break 9/12: [The Melanin Martha]( [returns]( 9/19: Global Asian barbecue with [Umamicue]( and friends [Sugar and snacks and everything nice]( What would you do with 22.4 pounds of treats? by [Leor Galil]( [Drink less, party more]( Local spirit-free drinks brands and community platforms are creating a booming sober curious movement in Chicago. by [Courtney Sprewer]( 2018 [Take a chill ride to northwest Indiana—and its two dozen breweries]( A 20-mile ride takes you to plenty of refreshment—and you can take the train back. by [Julia Thiel]( 💞 [Looking for a boo to share that summer cone with?]( 🍦Forget the apps. Place a FREE Reader matches ad and try your luck at finding love the 90s way 🗞️ [Issue of July 21 - August 3, 2022 Vol. 51, No.]( [The Food Issue]( [Download Issue]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2022 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the receive emails from Chicago Reader Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616