Chennai lives and breathes cinema. And, when Machaan, a new restobar at a popular mall on Nelson Manickkam Road, rolled out the red carpet for us movie aficionadoes who also love to indulge in good food, it was nothing short of a blockbuster.
At the entrance, we were greeted by an auto that featured Raayan star Dhanush, albeit in his Maari avatar. A speedy tour turned out to be a brush with some of the iconic moments of Tamil cinema, be it legendary comedian Nagesh’s evergreen dance number, Avalukkenna, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan doling out some retro vibes with Engeyum Eppodhum, Karthi relishing his biriyani in Kaithi, or Vadivelu delivering his eponymous jokes — all beautifully adorning the walls of the watering hole even as lilting Tamil numbers played in the background. We opted for a cosy corner next to the poster of Jigarthanda star Siddharth.
Soon, it was showtime! We are talking about the ultimate star of the evening, food, curated by ‘Mad Chef’ Koushik. The cocktails and mocktails stormed the scene first. We were quite enamoured by the Peacock Nada, a refreshing green apple drink with a tropical twist. The mocktail looked as beguiling as a peacock train, and we were mighty impressed by its enchanting look and its distinctive flavour, which had a dash of spice. And what’s a drink without a Superstar touch at a cinema-themed restobar? Nu Kaavalaiya, an effervescent rum-based cocktail charged with a blend of earthy turmeric and the sweetness of pineapple, made our hearts feel housefull. The bartender further honoured us by making a whisky-based cocktail, which he christened Indru poi naalai vaa on the spot, named after the popular movie, was quite refreshing.
Among the starters, Vazhakkai nachos, sliced raw plantain nachos served with tangy mango salsa, turned out to be the delightful 'onscreen' pair. As we scooped out the sweet, tangy, and chunky mango salsa with the crispy banana nachos, we realised that this was only the trailer! The creamy curry Pesto Potatoes, baby potatoes infused in a South Indian-style pesto made with curry leaves, were incredibly flavourful and quite addictive. It packed in quite a few flavours and we were not complaining.
We then dove into the flavours of Andhra with the spicy Mirapakaya muttai, fried egg tossed in Andhra style sauce with green chillies. Though the spicy flavoured egg was a treat in itself, the interesting addition was the crunchiness, courtesy of the kaara boondi topping. Yet another delicacy based on chilli was the scrumptious Mirpakaya chicken burger, a juicy chicken made with a spicy marinade served with fries and salad.
Mangalore chicken varuval, tender chicken pieces cooked in Mangalorean style and served with parotta, made a special appearance. They say life is too short to have boring bread. And the flaky flatbread, accompanied by the mildly spiced tender chunks of chicken, was layers and layers of flavour explosion and happiness.
The showstopper was saved for last. The Vendakkai mor kozhambu spaghetti, a fusion dish featuring spaghetti tossed in a creamy yoghurt-based sauce with tender okra and aromatic spices, made a mass entry towards the climax. We were blown away by this culinary masterpiece, which we were told was their prime attraction. As we twirled our way into a plate of goodness, the tanginess and crunchiness of the curd-based dish felt like a spaghetti symphony in our mouths.
Every meal needs to end on a sweet note, and ours, too, did in a sinful manner with the decadent Chaaklate kaapi cafe. And with that memorable indulgence, the curtains came down on a delightful evening!
Check out our full experience here!
Price: `1,500 for two. Open all days. 11 am to 11 pm. At Machaan.
sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com
@psangeetha2112