The words used to describe each dish on the menu at the new fine dining restaurant by ITC Hotels in Chennai, Avartana, read like a poetic culinary glossary—buttermilk mayo, coriander shrimp dumplings, dried berry sauce, fennel panna cotta and angel hair caramel.
While the genre of modern Indian cuisine has largely played with north Indian cuisine, little has been done with food from the peninsula. Avartana rises to that challenge. “We specialise in contemporary south Indian food,” says Ajit Bangera, Senior Executive Chef at ITC Grand Chola. “We wanted to reimagine south Indian cuisine and go beyond our signature peninsular restaurant Dakshin We want to emphasise that the core is traditional south Indian cuisine and the accompanying spices.”
Avartana is part of the same chain that gave us Bukhara and Dum Pukht, two of the most awarded Indian restaurants in the world.
The restaurant’s decor does not have any overt signs of being an Indian restaurant; it could easily pass off as a chic eatery in say New York or Paris, with its pastel hues and open kitchen. Its beauty and identity come through upon closer inspection—giant banana motifs on carpets, lamps on the ceiling resembling coconut clusters, lights shaped like banana flowers and wall art that looks like Kerala’s rice boats. Its south Indian identity is expressed subtly. As you approach the open kitchen, your sense are overwhelmed by the ever familiar aromas of a south Indian kitchen wafting through—curry leaf, pepper, coriander, tamarind. A veritable feast for the senses.
Avartana prides itself on its degustation menus. There is no a la carte format. You can choose from four degustation menus—Maya, Bela, Anika and Tara—with varying courses, going up to 13, each with a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option. This is India’s first restaurant offering only a degustation menu format, a courageous move from the hotel chain. “We’ve gone into people’s homes, in all states of south India. My team of chefs and I then huddled together to convert our ideas and inspiration into dishes. We moved away from traditional thalis..”
Elegant martini glasses are laid out before diners as a French press filled with traditional rasam, steeping in spices, coriander and tomato, is brought to the table, brewed for a while and poured into the glasses. “The standout dish is our rasam, which we have elevated. It took us six months to perfect it with international techniques of rehydration and distillation,” says chef Ajit. A course of fish in chips was served with buttermilk mayo. This was followed by a decadent lamb brain fritter, shrimp dumplings and some stir-fried lobster. Then came an artistic presentation of idiyappam, topped with asparagus and beans in a fragrant coconut stew. A heavier course came in the form of a flavourful lamb congee served with aubergine yoghurt.
A portion of pepper chicken soon followed, with a side of Malabar paratha and spiced meringue. Vegetarians are spoilt for choice and can enjoy dishes like banana flower fritters and a chunky tomato mustard chutney, or mini idlis served with sweet pepper and eggplant stuffed ridge gourd.
“The Indian traveller now has so much exposure. Everyone is familiar with fine dining around the world. The local market is just so happy that we’ve done this to south Indian food,” says chef Ajit.