Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park’s all-day dining restaurant Cappuccino recently got a menu makeover. According to executive chef Manpreet Singh Malik, this has been a long time coming, given the last time it was changed was way back in 2018. Alongside classics like Eggs Benedict and comfort plates like Idiyappam and Attukal Paya, also look out for Indian dishes with an Asian twist like the Wasabi Mahi Tikka. We find ourselves curious about the latter, especially after chef Manpreet tells us “most of the twists come from Japanese ingredients” within a pre-existing Indian recipe. So he brings us a tikki which swaps out conventional fillings like potato or peas for edamame instead. A finer detail that we enjoy is the slightest hint of gari (tsukemono in Japanese or sushi ginger). Both are unlikely ingredients to be found in a desi-style tikki but the result certainly has our interest piqued and our taste buds tingling, shortly after the waiter places our dish on the table in a dramatic plume of rose smoke.
Veggie soup for the soul
We move on to other highlights of the new menu like a Broccoli & Pea Soup that is equal parts nutrition-packed and flavoursome. The pastel green soup is warm and smooth, except for tiny florets of broccoli that have been added in for some crunch. And later, there is a bright and umami-esque Nasi Goreng which is plated in a traditional clay pot topped with an inviting sunny side up. But if there is one dish we were to recommend as a ‘not to miss’ — it would have to be the Crispy Fried Fragrant Chicken. Inspired by the popular Drunken Chicken cooked in a Chinese Shaoxing Wine, this rendition has a few tweaks. For starters, the succulent chunks of meat are not immersed in a pool of dark sauce as is often the traditional way. Instead, expect a spicier, thicker sauce and fragrant chillies tossed in the mix. We say order this one, even before you sit down because you might end up ordering seconds. Definitely, a slam dunk.
Egg-cellent taste
Our main course is spent between a Canadian Poutine and a Kejriwal Chicken. The first is an ensemble of French fries, diced sausages, three pepper jus and crumbly bits of feta for a salty kick. While the latter is an improvised Eggs Kejriwal, inspired by Mumbai’s popular street food of an open sandwich with eggs, cheese and chilli. On this plate, the store-bought toasted bread at the base is upgraded to a freshly baked brioche. This is topped with a crumb-fried chicken patty and a fried egg on top with a side of salad to cut through all that indulgence. We wrap up with an Instagrammable Framboise — think layers of almond sponge, Italian buttercream and raspberry ganache. Berry good.
Meal for two at INR 1,800.