The Hindu Business Line : Karuvepillai martini, Chettinad salad!

For lovers of authentic Chettinad cuisine, there’s some fresh good news. The iconic 18-year-old Rain Tree restaurant at Taj Connemara in Chennai has undergone a complete makeover — with a new setting and new menu — and is now open for lunch too. However, what has not changed is the authentic Chettinad flavour, which is “not too spicy and not too oily”, says Chef Samir S. Mulaokar, Executive Chef, Taj Connemara.

“What you will now find is a lot of innovation in the dishes without compromising on the authenticity. The masalas are same, just the order of cooking them is different,” he says.

The cocktail menu is evidence enough of the novelty that the Chef had assured. The choices include interesting drinks such as Karuvepillai martini — a heady mix of vodka, lime sugar, curry leaves, shaken and stirred in a martini glass; thaengai ootru — a blend of tender coconut water with lime juice and dark rum among others.

As it was afternoon, one settled for a glass of Vasanta Nee r, a refreshing mix of tender coconut water, honey and lime.

The flagship dish is the ‘Taster’s menu’, which is highly recommended by the Chef. Like the name suggests, it is a gourmet selection of nearly 25 dishes served in small portions on three platters, each accompanied by a drink.

“The idea is that one can taste a variety of food and yet not overeat,” says Chef Mulaokar.

The experience begins with a starter platter offering an eclectic mix of seafood, chicken, lamb, stuffed Kuzhi paniyarams and, surprise! Chettinad salads. The mildly-flavoured non-greasy Seela meen varuval (deep-fried seela fish); the tender and aromatic Kari uppu vathakkal (cubes of lamb cooked in customary marathi mokku spice); and the piquant Kozhi paruppu varuval (chicken marinated in freshly grounded spices and fried) were a fitting curtain-raiser to the scrumptious main course ahead of us.

But the highlight were the two salads — Vendakkai Kodamelagai (okra and capsicum) and Paruppu (lentil and finely cut onion) — gently flavoured and sautéed in olive oil. Dinaz Madhukar, General Manager, Taj Connemara says all the restaurants across Taj properties have eliminated the use of ghee. “The food is transfat free,” she says.

A new addition is the condiment trolley offering 10 types of chutneys ranging from the traditional ghongura to the more offbeat eggplant and snake gourd preparations. A range of home-made pickles and fries such as vadams, vathals and appalams accompanied the salads.

The platter for the main course consisted of 14 katoris neatly laid out on a round plate lined by a banana leaf; one got to sample small portions of idiappam, mini parotta and kal dosa. The portion sizes and the presentation evoked exclaims of “Oh, so cute!”

The curries to go with it included Vayal nandu chops (whole crab, the fresh catch-of-the-day, cooked with blended spices), seer fish curry, coriander-based chicken curry and the spicy Erachi Melagu Thokku (cubes of lamb cooked in peppercorn flavoured masala). The lamb was well cooked and melted in the mouth, allowing your taste buds to savour the pepper flavour.

While the Taster’s menu offers a range of “innovative” delicacies, it has retained the traditional ones as well to ensure that a first-timer gets a taste of everything.

For instance, the course also included the kootu, poriyal, sambar, and the finale to every South-Indian meal, Thayir saadam (curd rice).

When it comes to dessert, one is often tempted to try more than one, and this menu offers four. The speciality is the Chef’s handmade ice-cream — a honey and jaggery combination. The Chef also experiments with the spices and one can taste exotic flavours like star-anise, cardamom or pepper! Mixed fruits blended with honey, pal payasam and a glass of cool nannari juice, part of the last course, offers a fair choice for the sweet-toothed.

As the meal draws to a close, the Chef has kept his word — one feels light and satiated, not heavy and sedated. The Chef decides a unique Taster’s menu for each day. Here you can relish the meal, appreciate the courteous and fast service and enjoy the ambience too.

The setting is a traditional house amidst natural green surroundings, with interiors inspired by Chettinad architecture. The walls are decorated with paintings by artist Thotta Tharani. Adding to the ethnic Chettinad experience are little touches like the menu card shaped like the base of a Burma teakwood pillar, clove and cinnamon stand lamps and a toddy bar.

The non-vegetarian Taster’s menu costs Rs 875 + taxes, while the vegetarian one costs Rs 850 + taxes and is offered only during lunch.

Could be made available for dinner on special request.