Eat like a prince at Karikalan Virunthu held at The Savera

Have you tried Sutta Kozhi Pirattal, Karunkozhi Inji Puli, or, better yet, Paramakudi Vellatu Kola Urundai in the same meal? At the Karikalan Virunthu held in Sangamithirai, you can, and so we did, and here's how it went.

Also read: This new restaurant in town serves old school Chinese dishes

After sipping the welcome drink, we were served the Vellattu Nenjelumbu Saaru with a bread stick. Apart from the visual drama, which involves dousing the lamb chop in the mutton broth flavoured with spices and herbs, the dish was quite similar to mutton soups served at restaurants serving Chettinad food. That said, it was quite well made, and we quite liked it.

Then came the Sangamithirai Special Yeral Varuval, a prawn fry dish that was good, followed by the Paramakudi Vellatu Kola Urundai. The meatballs were not as spicy as we would have liked, and the chefs said they had to reduce the spiciness of the dish to cater to the taste of Chennaiites. We reckon this was a missed opportunity, for, the kola urundai is something that an avid foodie does not want to eat in a compromised form.

Moving on, we tried the Sutta Kozhi Perattal, a country chicken dish that looked like it would be very spicy, but turned out to be a pleasant one, thanks to the right amount of masala added to the dish. The next in line was the Karunkozhi Inji Puli, a tangy and spicy black chicken masala that was a confusing dish. It had all the flavours of a chicken dish, but the meat was not as succulent as we had come to expect with such dishes.

Nonetheless, we soldiered on to the next dish, which was the Kheema Kothu Parotta. Honestly, this dish redeemed the menu once and for all. It is basically minced parotta cooked together with mutton gravy. However, the parotta was soft, and the gravy was used just about right, meaning, the dish was fantastic. Unlike a regular parotta-based dish, this can actually be fully enjoyed, and the best thing is that one does not get the dreaded 'packed to the brim' feeling in their stomach.

Finally, we were served the Simmakal Vellattu Biryani and the Mansatti Musal Kari Kuzhambu. The mutton biryani was tasty, but it was the rabbit curry that made the mark. Served in a clay bowl, the curry was a brilliant mix of spices and meat, and one could practically have it with anything as bland as a plain dosai, and still the combination would be very good.

Do note that we've not been able to mention all the dishes served at the Karikalan Virunthu, which amount to 22 in total, and that it is a set menu. The good thing is that it is unlimited. So, if you have the appetite, go for it.

Prices: Veg - INR 2,000++,  Non-veg - INR 2,500++. Dinner only (Tuesday to Sunday). At Feathers Chennai.