Take a break from the bustling city life or stressful deadlines and head over to Shamiana at The Taj City Centre New Town Kolkata. The all-day fine diner is hosting a special pop-up — Southern Spice — inspired from the coastal cuisine of Southern India, straight from the interiors of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The pop-up is curated by Chef E Prakash from Taj Coromandel, Chennai and promises an array of around 40 dishes and drinks including mocktails, beverages, Biryani, rice and sides and more in vegetarian and non-vegetarian fares.
We started off lunch with a punchy and refreshing Ginger Punch. The pineapple, ginger, sweet lime and coconut water mocktail had a strong pungent ginger kickback which elevated its taste.
Up next was the Tulasi Rasam, the tangy soup was made with the freshest tomatoes, basil leaves, spices, and black pepper. Each of the ingredients had a distinct flavour on the palate which made us reach out for a second helping. But what won our hearts the most was the way of serving it in martini glasses.
Moving on to the appetizers, we loved the Ulundu Vadai, a light yet crispy spice-filled urad dal fritters. The Eral Porichathu translated to crispy fried baby prawn tails, had the right amount of spice to hit the flavour but did not go overboard with it.
For the mains we started off with Red Rice, which is a specialty of the South. The rice which resembles Bengal’s own Khoi was delectable when paired with the Arachivitta Sambhar which had a tangy note because of the tomatoes but was full of veggies.
A whole meal in itself, this pairing was a great start to what was about to follow. We also threw in some pieces of perfectly cooked potatoes, green peas and shallots cooked together to form Urulai Pattani Kara Masala.
The non-vegetarian fare consisted of Meena Manga Curry, Karaikudi Chicken Curry, and Attu Erachi Kuzhambu. The Meena Manga Curry is perfect for fish lovers where they can devour a fresh fish cooked with delightful flavours.
The Karaikudi Chicken Curry stood out due to the tender chicken pieces and the black pepper flavouring which was soft on the palate and did not make it overbearingly spicy. For mutton lovers, the Attu Erachi Kuzhambu is irresistible. Soft, succulent mutton pieces falling off in one bite is all one needs.
Our next adventure was with biryani. Influenced by the interiors of the South states, the biryani flavours were nothing as is commonly seen. In fact, the Pallipalayam Chicken Biryani is made with special jeera sambhar rice, which is very different from the regular long-grained rice used in the dish.
The Biryani came with sumptuously fresh chicken leg pieces and would be an ideal one-bowl meal. We also tried the Rayalaseema Mamsam Biryani, which is a mutton preparation from Andhra.
After a hearty meal it was time for the dessert which consisted of Elaneer Payasam. This easy to make dessert was full of the richness of coconut milk and the sweetness of jaggery. Chef Prakash was kind enough to share with us the recipe as well.
The Southern Spice pop-up is a fine amalgamation of flavours and an array of dishes from the region which widens the guests horizon about their knowledge of Southern cuisine. Sometimes, chef also treats the guests to unforgettable trivia and stories behind the dishes on the plate. We highly recommend you to visit the pop-up.
Price for two (approx.): Rs 4000+
Available in a la carte and thali
On till May 12, 2024