Take a royal culinary detour to Rajasthan with this food festival in Chennai

We walked into Mynt at Vivanta Chennai expecting a hearty lunch, but we got something far more immersive, rather a proper royal welcome to Rajasthan. The warm glow of lanterns, flashes of mirror work, and the echo of folk music set the mood, but it was the food that truly told the story for us. This specially curated Rajasthani food festival was brought alive by Chef Pankaj Meghwal from Umaid Bhawan Palace.

We list our favourites from this Rajasthani food festival

A chilled glass of Shikanji kicked things off—light, citrusy and the right respite to Chennai’s lingering summer heat. It prepped our palates gently before the spice symphony that followed.

First up were the starters, and they meant business. The Maas ka bhuthan had us at first bite—the lamb, smoky and tender, was kissed with spices and yoghurt, just enough to make it fiery without overwhelming. The Mathaniya mirchi murgh ka soola was just as memorable. The chicken, grilled to a perfect char, carried the heat of Mathania chillies with a slow burn that lingered beautifully.

A brief calm arrived in the form of Dal palak shorba, which was comforting and warm. A quick spoonful and we were ready to go again.

Side-by-side, we also tried Sangri salad—a simple, unassuming dish that turned out to be one of the interesting items in the menu. Featuring wild beans, the salad was crunchy, tangy, and refreshingly different from the south palate that we are used to.

It was then time for the heavyweights.

The popular dish from the state, Laal maas, was deep, bold and spicy. It arrived like a king in a copper-bottomed pot. The meat was tender, soaked in an intense red gravy that made us slow down and savour. Meanwhile, the Murgh makki ki soyta offered comfort, the chicken cooked gently in a cornmeal porridge, surprisingly light yet packed with flavour. And the Chakki ka saag, with gluten chunks in a rich onion-tomato base, held its own against the meatier companions.

We scooped up every last bit with rustic, hearty Bajra rotis and helped ourselves to spoonfuls of Kabuli pulao, dotted with caramelised raisins. We also sampled papads of different kinds, dipping them in Lasooni and Mirchi chutneys that delivered heat and punch.

There was also the iconic Dal baati churma too—soft, buttery baati soaked in ghee, paired with spiced dal. And then came the finale — Kesar badam churma. Warm, nutty, and delicately spiced with saffron, it was indulgent yet somehow comforting. A spoonful of this and we were ready to call it a night.

Only we didn’t want it to end.

The food festival is on till August 3. For lunch (a la carte) & dinner (buffet). Buffet: INR 2,400++. At Mynt, Vivanta Chennai, IT Expressway.

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