The Chettinadu and Nedungudi cuisines are known for their bold and fiesty flavours, liberal use of freshly ground spices and condiments, and a diverse range of delicacies. So when the restobar, Sin & Tonic in T Nagar, decided to come up with a seven-course tasting menu curated by Chef Ayyappan, which aimed at bringing back lost recipes from the famed Chettinad cooks of Karaikudi, we decided to give it a shot.
We were greeted with a plethora of options, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. We began our meal with the Kal nandu saaru, which seemed like a modern take on the nandu (crab) rasam. However, the highlight of this hot and peppery soup was the tart shell with crab pieces and onions, which added crispiness and zing to the soup.
Leading the appetisers were the Naatu kozhi kola urundai — minced chicken meatballs, olives, and a fried quail egg — adorning a bamboo skewer. The meatball was cooked to perfection, and was quite crisp.
Our favourite, however, was the Karaikudi uppu kari varuval. The well-cooked mutton pieces came with potato fries and a cheese appalam on the side. Although the accompaniments did not add much to the taste of the mutton, the semi-gravy lamb curry by itself was a winner. The meat pieces were tender, succulent, and moderately spicy.
Then came the Kadal yera idiyappam avithal, a lasagna-like dish with an interesting combination of flour-based hoppers, or idiyappam, fiery prawns, and creamy molee as the base. The sweet creaminess of the molee, the mildly spicy prawn morsels along with the idiyappam, led to a riot of flavours in the mouth.
This was followed by the next main course item, Oon choru and Sutta kathirikai thokku, which was typically a bowl full of tender goat meat cooked with ancient rice grains and spices. Resembling biriyani, the spices blended well with the rice and meat, making it a delight to savour. We were quite full after relishing this dish.
Now, it was time for the desserts and our pick was the Mukkani sangamam. If you are a saffron lover, then this one is for you. The desert essentially consists of a fruit mélange simmered in milk and scented with cardamom and saffron. This apart, we also quite liked the Rosapoo gulkand cream, which is essentially an ash guard pudding, cooked with butter and topped with almond flakes.
Available for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Pre-book for the meal.
Price starts at —
Vegetarian: INR 899
Non-vegetarian: INR 999.