Now, gold appams at a Chennai restaurant

Edible gold has been around in different avatars all over the world – in liquor and desserts, either as powdered gold or gold flakes. And they have been a big hit mostly because of the luxury factor associated with gold. So, when a Chennai-based restaurant introduced a ‘gold aappam’, it set the minds wondering what exactly it will offer.

Ramesh, managing director of Nala’s Aappakadai, said that the idea behind it is very simple. “Edible gold has been used in so many food substances. Since aappams are our speciality, we thought why not introduce a gold aappam?”

According to the restaurant’s spokesperson, the aappam, priced at `499, is sprinkled with 100 mg of pure gold flakes and is in great demand now.

“We had more home delivery orders but we usually don’t do it. We had about 20 restaurant orders on the first day alone. And there are numerous phone calls inquiring about it as well,” he said. 

He added that the gold, bought from certified suppliers, will not affect the human body in its metallic form. And restaurant authorities insist that consumers are warned of the effects of eating too much gold aappam. “We warn the people ordering the aappam that there is supposed to be a gap of at least one week before the next aappam can be consumed,” the spokesperson said.

They also maintain that one can consume about 300 mg of edible gold without any harmful side effects. “Logically speaking, one person will not be consuming the entire aappam  as it’s priced high. It will usually be a group of people consuming one aappam and they  mostly end up eating just a few mouthfuls. And the 100mg automatically gets distributed among them,” a source said.

Whether it’s a group of people or a lone person at the dinner table, those who opt for glitter at the table seem to do so out of curiosity. Consumers who opt for the gold aappam say that it is sort of a status symbol as anything associated with the metal smacks of luxury.   

And going by the restaurant’s enthusiasm about the aappam, there just might be more sparkle in everyone’s dinner soon.