When in Chennai, eat as the Chennaiites do |
Posted: May 20, 2018 |
Chennai is a city full of surprises. It balances history and tradition with contemporary trends, and it has been able to embrace global lifestyle trends with aplomb. The city has undergone a sea change over the decades. Today, it qualifies to be known as a global city. But one thing has remained unchanged – in terms of its food, Chennaiites nurture a passion for their traditional recipes. Restaurants in Chennai are constantly redefining old classics. On your next trip to Chennai, do try these dishes: 1 Adai-avial. A couple of years ago, the dominant trend in Indian fine dining was to recreate classic street food and elevate it to fine dining standards. But this did not always lead to praiseworthy results – there is a fine line between genius and pretension in this case! But Spectra, known for sumptuous fine dining in Chennai, turns this notion on its head. This Chennai restaurant is located inside The Leela Palace Hotel Chennai, and it has a mean take on the adai and avial that is a staple Chennai street food. In fact, we could go as far as saying that it is the most authentic adai with avial (spiced vegetable stew) in all of the city. Head to Spectra’s live food counter to sample this dish[1]. 2 Kuzhi Paniyaram. Paniyaram is a soft dumpling made with about three different flours. You can even make them from fresh idli batter, and Kuzhi Paniyaram has two recipes – sweet and savoury. You can steam the savoury one while the sweet one is deep fried on a low flame for a hearty crunch. Go to the famous A2B, a restaurant in Chennai that serves the savoury Paniyaram with a coconut chutney, and the sweet one with sweet mango curry in the summer.[2] 3 Thalapakatti Biryani. Who says the best biryani is found only in Hyderabad? South from Hyderabad, specifically in fine dining restaurants in Chennai and even street food corners, you can find sumptuous biryani with luscious meat and carefully prepared veggies. Of particular interest to biryani lovers in Chennai is the Thalapakatti Biryani – it is cooked over a low flame for hours, and it incorporates a blend of fresh spices. Go to Dindigul Restaurant for the most flavourful Thalapakatti Biryani in Chennai[3]. 4 Thayir Vadai. Chennaiites love their food deep fried and crispy, and with spicy accompaniments. The Thayir Vadai recipe ticks these boxes – and the dish is so tasty, too. Thayir Vadai are crisp balls of batter fried to a golden hue and served with spiced curd or a hot chutney. It can be served in twos or in a whole plate to make a satisfying meal. The best Thayir Vadai are prepared at Saravana Bhavan, one of the most famous restaurants in Chennai[4]. 5 Pongal. Pongal is often eaten sweet, but even its savoury variant is quite lovely. Savoury Pongal is a breakfast staple served with sambar and spicy garlic chutney. Meanwhile, the sweet Pongal is prepared only during important religious occasions as an offering from God. Ratna Café serves the most authentic Pongal – but you may have to line up for it![5]. [1] https://www.theleela.com/en_us/hotels-in-chennai/the-leela-palace-hotel-chennai/dining/ [2] https://www.aabsweets.in/ [3] https://thalappakatti.com/ [4] http://www.saravanabhavan.com/restaurants.php?cn=India&cy=Chennai&rid=8 [5] https://www.zomato.com/chennai/ratna-cafe-triplicane
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