While the simplicity of Idli and Dosa has won hearts the world over, the many flavours of Southern coastal areas are often overlooked, even as they comprise an integral part of South Indian Food. Tamarind off Deshpriya Park attempts a take at such dishes and Indulge went over to check out their recently revamped menu that has added a few more southern delicacies.
Owner Gautam Purkayastha comments, “We've introduced our updated menu to offer a wider range of culinary options, including dishes inspired by Southern and Konkani cuisines. Our goal is to provide a diverse and flavourful experience for our guests.”
We started our meal with the simple Curd rice, a perfect dish to prepare the gut for the following onslaught of meat and seafood. With the roasted crunchy dal and ginger juliennes liberally sprinkled on cold curd rice, it was a delicious start.
Another complete meal in itself was the Bissibella Huli Anna, a vegetarian savoury and spicy khichdi with fresh chunky vegetables like beans, and carrots along with cashews and sambhar. Served with papad for the crunch, it could be your perfect meal on a lethargic rainy day.
We started moving onto the non-vegetarian dishes starting with Mutton Stew and Appam. This non-spicy stew with the smokiness of caramelised onion could be paired with Appam or any variety of rice. Boneless with tenderly cooked meat, it was sure a mutton lover’s delight. The Appam too was soft with crusty edges and the two made for a wholesome combination. Popular Parsi preparation, the Mutton Vindaloo too is a must-try for the fine balance of tender meat, cooked in a gravy of potato, onion, spices, and curry leaves that lends it a unique taste and flavour.
Up next was the Prawn Balchao. Seafood has always been a specialty of the coastal areas. Jumbo prawns cooked in spicy gravy would definitely be the choice for those who prefer seafood and spice together.
The last dish for the day was the Nellore Chapala Pulush. Basa cooked in garlic, chilli, and spices topped with curry patta was for those who have a spicy palate. Even though the dish tasted well, we felt it could have been a little less oily. The restaurant also serves Bhetki pieces instead of Basa and they can be made boneless too at an extra cost.
The newly introduced range of dishes consists of further varieties of food including the Elneer Payasam, a sweet dessert, or the Malabar Chicken with Malabar Paratha. The dishes distinctively reflected all that the South is comprised of including meat, seafood, spices, and of course curry leaves. If you are looking to spend a quiet time enjoying the culinary treasures of Southern cuisine, you can definitely drop in at Tamarind.
Price for two: Rs 1500+
Photos by Pritam Sarkar