Beyond Idli-Dosa: Head To The Taste Of Madras Fest For Kaarakikudi Biryanis, Kurmas & Panakam

Thought South Indian food was limited to dosas, idlis and vadas? Well, think again. Experience a true South Indian foodgasm at JW Kitchen with their Taste of Madras festival.

Curated by Chef Chandramani Tarai of Chennai {he is the specialty chef of Courtyard by Marriott in Chennai}, there are umpteen flavourful options inspired by the essence of Madras Presidency for both vegetarians and non vegetarians alike.

Non-vegetarians can relish mutton curry, kaarakikudi chicken biryani, raw mango fish curry, Chettinad chicken curry and more, while vegetarians can take their pick from a spread of an assortment of veggie curries, kurmas, vadas and more. I’d definitely recommend the lentil dumplings curry, which goes amazingly well with coconut milk infused dum rice. You’re bound to find kuzhi paniyaram addictive, too — try them with an assortment of chutneys {do not skip the eggplant and pumpkin options!}. Live counter preparations will be rotating throughout the week.

There’s even a small spread of pan-Asian options for those who want a bit more variety beyond the influences of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Guzzle down all your food with kokum sherbet, buttermilk and, my favourite, a jaggery and ginger-based cooler called panakam.

Surprisingly, there weren’t any South Indian dessert options. No, do not worry — if you have a sweet tooth you’ll still get a sugar coma when you sample all of the cakes, pies, tarts and traditional Indian mithaai options on display. Do not forget to try some Royal Cake — it is heavenly.

Lunch will set you back by INR 1,250 on weekdays, while dinner is priced at INR 1,625.

Want to make some boozy brunch plans? Saturday brunch options range from INR 1,500 to INR 2,500, depending on whether you opt for beer and sangria or premium spirits. Sunday brunch is placed at INR 1,850, inclusive of beer and sangria.