As the revelry continues for this year’s Madras Week, our efforts to celebrate the occasion by searching for some of the best culinary experiences around the city remain intact. This week, we came across a humble yet innovative celebration of Chennai’s flavours in the form of the Tharmar flavours of Madras.
Already underway at Pavilion, The Residency, this authentic celebration of the cuisine presented to us a large variety of dishes ranging from seafood to varieties of rice and desserts. We were informed by Executive Chef Ajith Kumar that the curation of the menu was done intricately and with immense research of dishes tasted at various locations across the city.
Please kari on
As we entered the restaurant, we first took note of the irresistible mix of aromas that engulfed the premises. The buffet spread saw each succeeding dish look more welcoming than the one before. We first added to our empty plate the Kari Choru, an enticing mutton rice variety, the mutton chunks of which were oh-so-soft and flavourful. The masala added to this dish was well-reflected upon tasting. This was paired incredibly well with the Attukal Paya a well-cooked mutton curry that added the much-needed puiqnacy to the rice, and Sankara Meen Kozhambu a scrumptious fish curry with a mouth-watering and aromatic gravy. We also looked around for a nice crunchy bajji-type dry side-dish, and we were not disappointed. The Marina Bajji complemented the arrangement on our plate really well.
Also Read: Madras Week: Taste the flavours of Madras at this exciting festival at The Westin
Kasimedu calling
The Kasimedu Nandu Masala deserves a special mention with the spices seeping well into the meat and the gravy was also enjoyable with the Choru. Next, we shifted our attention to the vegetarian varieties. Although there were many options of main course dishes, like the Cabbage Pattani Poriyal, Murungakkai Mocha Masala and Chow Chow Kootu among others, we restricted ourselves to some of the simple rice options. The Sambar Sadham was a pleasant option to choose after we experienced the non-vegetarian spread which scaled higher on the spice meter. We would also recommend the Tomato Rice Sevai which has a strong aroma and a homely taste.
We ended our meal with some traditional desserts that were on offer, including the Mandi Mutta Mitai, a well-packed and compact cake-like dish that melted in our mouths as we consumed it and the creamy and baked twist to carrot halwa called the carrot halwa gateau.
Also Read: Madras Week special: Savour nostalgia on a plate as Madras celebrates its 381st birthday
Our verdict
The Tharmar Flavours of Madras is the perfect occasion for Chennai to celebrate the diverse culinary identity present in the city. The list of options on offer is so vast and the menu for this celebration will change with each successive day of the week. We urge you to definitely head out and check out what’s on offer, as it might remind you of something familiar or may even take you by surprise with innovative options.
Meal for two: Rs. 3,470.
On till August 28