Food Festival: Colorful Flavors of Chettinad @ Dakshin, ITC Windsor, Bangalore

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Chettiar - a successful business community from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu are a social community that specializes in the preparation of food. High on spice and aromas, use of traditional spices to bring in the flavors and distinct colors to each preparation, famous for their meat preparations (comprising of mostly chicken, lamb and a variety of seafood) is my way of describing the cuisine that is gaining a lot of popularity. 

It is true - Food is an expression of flavors, colors, love, culture and more. One such dining experience I had a few days ago was at the ongoing food festival 'Colorful Flavors of Chettinad' being hosted by Dakshin - a quintessential South Indian restaurant at ITC Windsor, Bangalore. This festival, on till 31st July is a great way to experience the cuisine and its flavors. Though high on spice, Dakshin is known to cater to the diners palate and tune the levels of spice based on preference yet maintaining high emphasis on flavors and authenticity. 

We were guided to our table and as we took seat, I looked around to see most tables occupied with foreign nationals. As a tradition of Dakshin, women here are welcomed with Jasmine (Mallige / Mogra etc in different parts of the country) flowers. 

Menu:

A special a-la carte menu has been crafted specially for this food festival and includes the classics and signature dishes that represent the cuisine. Presenting quite an elaborate listing for a food festival; right from starters, mains and accompaniments to dessert, there is enough for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. I couldn't wait more to get started and when it did, I was clueless of where it would stop.

For those who relate to South Indian cuisine as not more that idli, vada, dosa, chutney and sambar; you've got to visit this restaurant to get a real feel of the diverse food that South India has to offer. To get a feel of the kind of experience you will have, continue to read on as I take you on a food journey through the region of Chettinad. 

What We Ate:

Our start was with assorted poppadoms, mini banana dosai and 4 different types of chutneys. Each chutney distinct in flavor and color. This a customary start to the food on every table at Dakshin and forms a good company as we wait for our food to arrive.

Chutneys (L to R): Tomato Pachdi, Coconut chutney, Mint chutney and Tomato & Peanut chutney

Settu Soup was the first to arrive - A lentil based broth made with tomatoes and cauliflower, this soup was rich in spices and got a lot of its flavor from the use of peppercorns. Nice and hot, this was indeed a good start to the chettinad cuisine.

For starters it was 'Kuzhi Paniyaram'; dumplings of rice and urad dal batter seasoned and tempered with mustard, onions and green chilies, cooked in paniyaram moulds and 'Sundiah' - lovely shredded lamb ball cooked in a blend of special spices, caged in banana stem fibers and deep fried. Both were excellent but my preference tilts towards the delicious 'Sundiah' for its subtle flavors and perfect tenderness. Accompany this with the fabulous tomato-chili chutney and it is a melange of flavor.

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Sundiah

Mains was an absolute feast - both in terms of flavor and spread. Starting clockwise from the bottom, on my plate was 'Malabar paratha', 'Chettinad Kozhi', 'Keerai Kadayal', 'Vella Poriyal', 'Attukal Kari', 'Meen Kozhambu', 'Chettinad Chops' and 'Kozhi Tharakkal' right in the center. Do you want to picture that? Okay.. Here you go - 

Dining on this table was an absolute feast to each of the senses. 'Attukal Kari'; a lamb curry was rich in both texture and flavor. The chettinad spices brought out a wonderful aroma and the boneless lamb chunks in this dish were tender and juicy. 'Meen Kozhambu' was a tangy fish curry and a perfect example of exquisite flavors and perfectly cooked fish. 

Meen Kozhambu

In vegetarian, between 'Keerai Kadayal' - tempered spinach curry and 'Kaikari Mandi' - a combination of vegetables in a gravy of tamarind, chilis, and garlic tempered with mustard and curry leaves, my pick will be the latter for its sweet and tangy flavor. This flavor was quite unique and beautifully showcased the diversity of flavor in Chettinad preparations.

Kaikari Mandi

There was more on the non-vegetarian front - 'Kozhi Tharakkal' a semi-dry chicken dish with tomato and ground cashew as the base. This was mild, subtle and delicious in flavor. 

The highlight in terms of spice for the evening came from the 'Chettinad Kozhi and chops'. Kozhi is chicken and chops - of course lamb chops. High on spice and flavor both these preparations were wonderful and went very well as both a side; all by itself or in mains with the Malabar paratha. 

We were served Malabar paratha and Appam to go with the mains. Malabar paratha was flaky and soft. Looks like Dakshin can never go wrong with this. I say this recalling a memory of lunch with the famous American Chef - Christopher Koetke who needed no time to fall in love with their paratha. Appam was nice too and made for a good pairing with the fish curry. 

There was rice as well but I was so stuffed for this evening that I had no space even for desserts. in fact a very rare scene - I had non-vegetarian food left in my plate. Yet, going by the feedback from the table, I did give it a try and glad I did. It was 'Aadikkumayam', an urad dal based sweet and 'Kavani Arisi', a pudding made sweetened wild rice and coconut. The former was really rich in consistency and quite sweet on the palate. For those who like mild sweetness, it is the 'Kavani Arisi' that will shine.

L: Aadikkumayam; R: Kavani Arisi

Verdict:

The menu for 'Colorful flavors of Chettinad' - a food festival is available till the end of this month. An average meal for two will cost around Rs. 3500 plus taxes and charges. This dining experience is definitely memorable for each dish served is so distinct from each other and really appeals to the taste buds. 

I must tell you, "ITC Windsor takes its food and hospitality very seriously and I can say this from the numerous visits I have made to this elegant hotel." For this food festival specifically, wild rice for instance has been imported all the way from Europe into the kitchen of Dakshin to make the 'Kavani Arisi' dessert.

L: Wild Rice; R: Kavani Arisi

Quick Tips:
Go experience the extravagance of Chettinad on a plate in a setting that is very welcoming and hospitality that will have you coming back for more. 


Address: Dakshin, ITC Windsor, 25 Windsor Square, Golf Course Road, Near Sankey Road, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 2226 9898

Kempegowda International Airport - An Experience, Bangalore

I have always loved the elegance of the Bangalore Airport - KIAL (Kempegowda International airport. The glass ceiling makes way for all natural light during the day while the nights are well lit, unlike various airports when the lighting just seems inconsistent.In numerous visits what has worked for me is the spaciousness, the lighting (both natural and generated) and the cleanliness.

This view only got renewed when I got the privilege of spending a day at the airport, exploring the new offerings that are now in place for a discerning traveler. For this specific day, the corporate office of KIAL organized for journalist passes which provided us with special access to the airport terminal. We did get through special lines meant for the airport crew and team but I must make a mention that, "At no point in time was the security compromised. We did go through the same elaborate security check process as would anyone at KIAL."

Post its inauguration in May 2008, the airport recently underwent an expansion to increase its capacity to support 18 million passengers per year. With this expansion, KIAL has not only achieved increase in capacity but has also given travelers numerous reasons to arrive in early to the airport and spend time experiencing a wide array of services that have now been introduced. 

For travelers with lots of time on hand:

On the international departure side of the airport, 'Bar 380' is the new and swanky bar. It offers the best of views of the one and only airport runway and the Bangalore landmark 'Nandi Hills'. The name 'Bar 380 Degrees' is an ode to the first A-380 which is expected to make its first landing at the Bangalore airport in the near future. Going by the theme, the menu presented is in the form of a passport with a lovely listing of international food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). I tried the 'BIAL French fries', 'Bruschetta', 'fish and chips' and a lovely 'fresh watermelon juice. My pick of the lot was the good old 'Fish and Chips' and the fresh watermelon juice. Pricing here definitely intrigues me as it busts the age old myth that, "Pricing at airports are really unreasonable and sky high."

Clockwise from the top: Menu for the day, Coaster and Passport style menu at Bar 380

Sampler Platter

Known to have one of the highest international traffic in the country, the airport has a fabulous duty free shop which boasts of a lovely collection of duty free goods like alcohol, perfumes and a lot more at prices better than US, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong airport; to name a few. If your question is - Did I get to buy liquor from the duty free shop? My answer is  - 'No, as a boarding pass is mandatory'. But, how I wish....

Unlike most airports, the emphasis here is on serving freshly prepared food and beverages to travelers. Keeping this in mind, in addition to 'Bar 380' KIAL has also introduced 3 other restaurants - 'Noodle Bar', '7 Tawas' and 'Malgudi Tiffin Center'. '7 Tawas' offers North Indian food like samosa chaat, kathi rolls and more while 'Noodle Bar' offer Chinese food where one gets to assemble their own noodles for instance. At both these restaurants, you get to see the food being prepared right in front of you. 

When can you grab a grub? Anytime of the day or night - It operates round the clock.

Masala Chaas @ 7 Tawas

Chicken Tikka Kathi Roll

Busy work schedules sometimes allow no time for a relaxed spa treatment in the regular course of life. So when at the airport with time available before your flight takes off, it might be a good idea to indulge in a relaxing spa treatment at the O2 spa.

O2 Spa

By this time, it felt like I wouldn't be able to eat anymore. But the signature offering at the airport - 'Malgudi Tiffin Center' (MTC) was yet to be visited. Located on the domestic side of the terminal, this restaurant has a feel of the refurbished house shown in RK Laxman's 'Malgudi days'. Specializing in the cuisine of South India's Coastline covering Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, this restaurant is a must visit for its sheer delicacies. 

The food arrived and I was all hungry again. A look at the thali and I knew 'It was a trap!' - 'A food trap'; a plate full of food that looked downright delicious. I got to try the 'Gongura Kodi (Chicken)', 'Mangalore Fish Curry' and 'Mutton Varutharacha Curry' with an assortment of accompaniments like 'Malabar Paratha, 'kallappam', 'iddiappam', 'sannas' and 'rice'. Suddenly, I couldn't stop eating for its sheer deliciousness. For dessert there was 'Palada Payasam' and the meal was finally rounded off with a glass full of 'cold badam milk'.

Non-Vegetarian Thali

Vegetarian Thali

MTC opens early at 5:30 AM for breakfast and operates all through till 10:30 PM serving and catering to travelers delicious courses of meals. A breakfast and any other meal at MTC will cost around Rs. 350 and Rs. 900  plus taxes for two, respectively. Totally worth the experience.

For travelers with not much time on hand:

The airport very thoughtfully has also set up express counters at both - international and domestic sections of the airport terminal. For continental stuff, there is 'Urban Food Market' which serves pastries, sandwiches, pizzas, burgers and more. It's an apt outlet for those who want something quick - to go.

For the Indian fare there is Malgudi Tiffin Express where you can 'Grab-N-Go' some south Indian delicacies like pakodas, bajjis, rice varieties, some tea or coffee; makes for a perfect accompaniment and an easy way to kill time on flight.

For the non-travelers:
Are you visiting the airport only because you love to drive down the best road in Bangalore? Yes, the very same newly opened stretch of road between Hebbal to the airport? Then there is a lot of grub for you as well - CCD, Cafe Noir, Hatti Kappi, subway and more. And guess what! For all of this stuff, you just need a parking space for your vehicle. No air ticket or no boarding pass required. Again, open round the clock. :)

Signing off:

Non-Travelers - Enjoy your drive and some grub available outside the airport complex.

Travelers - Bon Voyage! And, do include the airport experiences in your travel itinerary .

Address: Terminal 1 of Kempegowda International Airport

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Syrian Christian Festival @ Karavalli, Bangalore

After a fabulous meal at Karavalli during their Aqua Fest in November, I was more than looking forward to revisiting Karavalli. When they announced a new festival - Syrian-Christian Festival which is on till the 28th of Feb, this was it. Being Syrian-Christian festival and not aqua fest, the focus in non-vegetarian was rightly on various meats like chicken, lamb and sea food.To host the event, Karavalli had brought down a specialist chef of Syrian-Christian cuisine.

It started with the usual jaggery to cleanse our palate and followed by some hot rasam to sip on. Once done with it, we sampled a variety of starters like - Nandan Konju Ularthu which was tiger prawns dish, Kera Pepper Fry - a tuna fry, Kozhi Roast needs no introduction and Attirachy Varattiyathu - a lamb dish. Of all of these starters, I personally liked the lamb, chicken and prawns dish. 

Tiger Prawns

Kozhi Roast

Lamb starter

The vegetarians on the table had 'Oggaraneda Aritha Pundi' which were more like round mini idlis tossed in mustard seeds, cumin and coconut, a mushroom dish - which I din't try and a really nice 'Vazhapoo cutlet' which is nothing but banana and sweet potato cutlets.

Vazhapoo Cutlet

Oggaraneda Aritha Pundi

In the mains, it was 'Meen Moilee'; a fish preparation in coconut milk with spices', Koorka Chemmen Peralan'; a prawn curry based of again coconut milk, Chicken Varatharachathu and 2 more vegetarian mains. My pick of the best among these will definitely go to the prawn curry and chicken varatharachathu. All of this was best enjoyed in the company of 'Puttu', 'kallappam' and appam.

The mains - curries

Puttu

Desserts were mild on sweetness and 3 of the 4 were a steamed preparation. This definitely was not the most interesting course of our meal. If asked to recommend a dessert from the four which were a part of the festive menu, I sadly wouldn't be able to recommend any to you.

But if you ask me, for a dessert from their regular menu, I will without a second thought say, "Banana Caramel Ice Cream". Yes, this was something I wouldn't miss having in any of my visit to Karavalli.

In all, the experience was not an overwhelming one but if you wish to visit and try the Syrian-Christian food here is a summary of my pick from their festive menu - 

Kozhi Roast - A chicken dish (Starter)

Attirachy Varattiyathu - A lamb dish (Starter)

Koorka Chemmen Peralan - Prawn curry with appam and puttu

Address: Ground Floor, Gateway, Hotel No. 66, Residency Road, Bangalore

Phone Number: +91 80 6660 4545

Chutney's, Secunderabad

En route Hyderabad (technically Secunderabad) for a weekend, we sat chatting in the bus about what we planned to do on this weekend holiday. While we planned to visit Ramoji Film city, watch (again) ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ on IMAX screen, party and just have fun; we could not miss talking about the food we’d eat. Given we were visiting Hyderabad, biryani was the most sought after dish among us. Keeping this for lunch or dinner, we decided to head to Chutney’s a fine dine restaurant in the breakfast space.

Menu:

The menu comprised south Indian classics like idli, dosa and uttapam varieties, vada etc and Andra specialties like Guntur idli for breakfast. For lunch and dinner; the restaurant served the regular Indian and Indo-Chinese fare. 

What we ate:

Not certain if they take reservations, we landed up at Chutney’s only to realize that we’d have to wait a bit to be seated on a table. During this wait, we looked up the menu for options and were set to order on being seated. A couple of portions of Guntur idli, vada - sambar, pongal and masala dosa it was. And Sudoku begins…. Yes, as we waited for the food to arrive, most of us tried to solve the Sudoku puzzle on the table, while I sat trying my hand at photography.

Engrossed in Sudoku, we were delighted to receive the first arrival on our table; Chutneys - 4 different types of them. Starting with the top right and going clockwise is (1) regular coconut chutney (2) Peanut chutney (3) my personal favorite – Coconut milk chutney and (4) onion, red chilli and ginger - garlic chutney.

Soon to follow was portions of Guntur idli. This was steamed rice idli topped with loads of ghee and red Guntur powder. The accompaniments to this were piping hot sambar and the variety of chutneys served. The Guntur idlis were flavorful and tasted exceptionally good with the sweet coconut milk chutney, peanut chutney and sambar.

Pongal came along with onion raita. The flavor was subtle. Thought it tasted well with the raita, my recommended accompaniment for would be sambar.

While pongal was being downed, we were distracted with the arrival of vada dipped in a bowl of hot sambar. Without wasting any time; the bowl was cleared. While the vada was good, it was the sambar that drew our attention. The flavor is so addictive with the sweetness to hit the palate initially and then the spice.

We finished with masala dosa followed by hot coffee. The dosa was of a  golden brown consistency. It was very light and crisp.  The coffee was typical south Indian filter coffee; packed with flavor and best sipped when served hot.

Verdict:

The service we received; from the time we were asked to wait for a table to be readied right up to the time we paid the bill and left the restaurant was fabulous. The staff was attentive, polite, and friendly. They ensured that the food served and any refills of sambar requested was served hot. As for the food, with no second thoughts; I can say that Chutney’s has been consistent at serving great food and delighting its patrons.

Difficult to find parking on Sardar Patel road; we were happy to be received by the valet parking staff. 

A breakfast here at Chutney’s costs an average of Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 for two and is worth every rupee spent.

Quick Tips:

Go here for a relaxed breakfast and you are sure to have a great start to your day.

Do not miss trying the guntur Idli, the variety of chutney’s served here and not to forget the vada – sambar.

Address: 1-8-303/ 48/ 3 Main Road, S P Road, Secunderabad
Phone Number: 040 - 66908484