MAAMI’S are traditionally known for their recipes radiant with tales from the yore and lip-smacking crunchies handed down from generations of the maami brigade. Meet Vijayam maami, Rukmani maami and Rajeswari maami—the trio who sit comfortably amidst a score of garlands at Accord Metropolitan’s Seasons restaurant.
They prepare steaming hot aapams, kai murukus and paruppu vadais for guests who crave the tantalizing traditional fare.
Inspired by the culinary assortment at the traditional South Indian Brahmin household, Maami Manasu Vecha, the dinner buffet festival at the hotel offers a wide variety of mixed rice, curries and desserts.
The restaurant’s efforts to include some of the rare, authentic items like Vazhaipoo Kadalai kootu, Appala Vatha Kuzhambu and Beans Paruppu Usili are commendable, and give the general public a good insight into the traditional Brahmin cuisine. However, the preparation falls short when it comes to taste, as the items lack flavour and no ingredients really hit the right note. Perhaps the stereotype of bland food in Brahmin households has been taken way too seriously here, as even delicacies like Vatha kuzhambu, Thakkali sadam and Urulai (potato) roast that are generally relished for their tartness and spice are disappointingly bland on the palate.
The Vempampoo Rasam (rasam made of neem flowers) comes as a welcome variation from the other items. The vepampoo (neem flower) is well-cooked and crispy and the rasam has just the right proportion of tamarind and other spices.
The desserts come in ten varieties and are certainly the best part of the festival. Must-tries would be the Jeera Poli, a rare sweet dish made of flour, fried in oil and dipped in sugar syrup, Aval Payasam (rice payasam), Urulai Badam halwa and Mundhri Knol Knol (made of cashew nuts).
Alongside the festival buffet is also a row of dishes for the nonvegetarians.
The buffet is priced at Rs 619 per head.