The Flying Elephant in Chennai reopens with eclectic flavours that surprise and entice

Expect gourmet plates with a twist that range from Bangkok Biryani to Burrata Butter Chicken
Interiors at The Flying Elephant
Interiors at The Flying Elephant

After a long hiatus, The Flying Elephant is open again. And with bold new flavours. From Bangkok Biryani to Burrata Butter Chicken, the culinary team at the Park Hyatt Chennai helmed by executive chef Balaji Natarajan have spent months of taste trials to serve up inspired plates. “Travel was a big part of our creative process,” chef Balaji shares, as we try a piece of Bangkok Fried Chicken (BFC) — a cheeky take on KFC, except packing in plenty of umami. “And this isn’t fusion,” he is quick to clarify. With a 110 dishes on the new menu which features Indian, Asian and Western flavours — we’re told to expect some classics but also a liberal dose of suprise ‘twists’ at every turn. Cue our cocktail for the night which is glistening silver much like a potion out of a Harry Potter movie. To match its name, the Silver Tusker, it arrives in a glass shaped liked a giant tusk, large enough to fit a baby elephant. We take a sip: rum, coconut water, panneer soda and silver dust. How about that for a sterling surprise?

<em>Silver tusker</em>
Silver tusker
<em>Whipped burrata</em>
Whipped burrata



Burrata drama 
A quick tour also gives us a chance to make note of décor changes — like the DJ console which now sits in the vintage elevator shaft, a dessert bar on the first floor and open show kitchens for interactive dining. Speaking of a ‘show’ — we get one with the Whipped Burrata platter — which is prepared and assembled from scratch at our table. A herb oil — which is now green after being infused overnight with the likes of thyme and parsley — is mixed with the burrata that is served bruschetta-style on a rustic bread. Toppings include a ‘vegetarian caviar’ made with aged balsamic, cherry tomatoes and orange zest for those subtle citrus-y notes. 

<em>Threesome on the beach</em>
Threesome on the beach
<em>Lamb Kebab that is flambéed with Jack Daniel’s whiskey</em>
Lamb Kebab that is flambéed with Jack Daniel’s whiskey

Kimchi experiments
Longtime patrons will be happy to note that a handful of dishes from the original menu have been retained like the Lamb Adana Kebab and the Orange & Arugula Salad which now includes a drizzle of honey sourced from one of the five agricultural hives on the premises. Meanwhile, our tasting spree continues with ‘wait what?’ moments like Kimchi Chicken Tikka with a gojuchang dip and a Lamb Kebab that is flambéed with Jack Daniel’s whiskey. Twist number two: the green chutney on the side is made of fresh basil instead of mint, a refreshing change from the usual.

<em>Tagliatelle burrata</em>
Tagliatelle burrata


Pasta reimagined
Mains include slow braised Baby Back Ribs with Asian accents like a BBQ meets hoisin sauce and red cabbage slaw topped with spring onion on the side. And later, Tagliatelle Burrata, which upon a closer look has pasta that is ‘laminated’ in-house with herbs like sage and basil, upping the ante for both aesthetic and flavour. “We have a desi variant as well with parpadelle laminated with pudina, that comes with lamb kheema and burrata,” chef Balaji adds, already giving us something to make a mental note of for next time. 

Dessert is a warm Coconut Lemon Souffle fresh from the oven. We are encouraged to poke a few holes on top to pour an accompanying pink guava coulis to soak in that fruity sweetness. Also, enjoy a play of temperatures, warm and cold, courtesy the soft serve of vanilla ice cream it comes with. Also, not to miss is TFE Signature Chocolate Cake with layers of French dark chocolate and ganache that have been a favourite ever since the restaurant first opened nearly a decade ago.

Dinner  from 7 pm to 11.30 pm; bar open from 5 pm onwards.Meal for two, including beverages at
INR 5,500 ++ 

Coming soon!
Look out for a Sunday brunch that will be available from mid-November. The menu will showcase signatures of restauarants across the property including hawker-style eats from Mr Ong, multi-cuisine specials from The Dining Room; hand rolled pizzas and house-smoked meats from TFE.
 

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