CHENNAI: An overpowering whiff of Korean fried chicken sautéed in a red chilli paste and generously sprinkled with sesame seed engulfs us as we step into KV Navya’s kitchen in Adambakkam. She flips the assorted vegetables in the pan, takes it off the stove and drizzles some grape wine to give it a finishing touch. Sticky, zesty and moist, the appetiser works wonders when paired with orange juice and vodka, giving you the just enough buzz to feel good. This is one of the many alcohol-infused starters at Booze Box, an Instagram-brand run by mother-daughter duo KV Gouri and KV Navya.
It was Navya’s years of observations while party-hopping and a keen passion for mixology coupled with Gouri’s mastery over multiple cuisines that propelled this dream-come-true moment. The two-week-old kitchen offers a whole range of multi-cuisine vegetarian and non-vegetarian starters doled out from their respective homes. “While my mother takes care of vegetarian dishes, I handle the orders for non-veg. However, my mother has a few specialities such as karivepaku vepadu (curry leaf) chicken that she prepares even without tasting. All recipes are tried-and-tested by the two of us, so, there’s no room for inconsistency. We ensure there’s a desi touch to all the items to suit the Indian palette. We don’t add preservatives, recycled oil or colouring agents. The masalas are hand-pound and the meat is sourced fresh for the day. Mom’s the biggest support and she can handle anything in my absence,” shares Navya, a city-based journalist.
What sets the menu apart is their liquor-based specialities like mushroom caps filled with vodka sauce, French fries with rum dip and beer-battered chilli chicken. The order is readied a few minutes before delivery, keeping in mind the preference of alcohol and spice tolerance of customers. “The reason for emphasising on starters is because most of us social drinkers prefer buying plenty of starters over main dish. With the lockdown, and subsequent restriction, there is an increase in the number of home parties. We wanted to give the right kind of flavours that will sell well among the local crowd. Also, to ensure the alcohol does not evaporate while heating, it’s poured only in the end, after preparing the delicacy. Everything is customisable,” assures Navya, who has interned at a few resto-bars and restaurants in the city.
The starters are packed in microwave-friendly boxes that come with a partition to accommodate two items. You can either opt for two different starters or buy just one for the quantity of two. While Chilli Kucchi Idli and Cocktail Kucchi Idli are the hotsellers among vegetarians, it’s the Andhra chilli chicken — an in-house speciality — that has seen most takers. Orders, Navya says, can be placed four hours ahead of the party.
For Gouri, it was the knack of understanding flavours by merely tasting food at eateries that gave the confidence to experiment regional cuisines too. “Afghani cream sauce momo is one-of-a-kind on our menu. Stir-fried mushroom in coffee cream sauce is another novelty. I don’t think twice before barging through kitchen doors at hotels and asking the chefs for recipes. It’s been a habit since childhood. We also want to keep the pricing affordable and serve good portions. We will be including more varieties in the future. There will be exclusive menus on weekends too,” explains Gouri, a homemaker.
The menu also includes a DIY Box where you can pick a combination of starters. Besides this, there’s a surprise box from Navya, who offers a combination of starters of her liking. Then there’s a mock meat option for vegans. If you wish to keep it healthy, the Healthy Box and Green Box will interest you. Booze Box delivers across the city and the orders come with a personal note from Navya. “We’ve been getting repeat orders from day-one and that’s really encouraging. I’m working on a set of readymade cocktail concoctions that can be brought and mixed with drinks of your choice at home. We also accept bulk orders for parties and will soon be collaborating with delivery partners,” shares Navya.
Starters at Booze Box start priced from Rs 100.
For details, visit Instagram page: Booze Box, or call: 9789855197Starters at Booze Box start from Rs 100.