Savour authentic Andhra cuisine at this Chennai restaurant with their newly launched thalis

For us South Indians, a tasty thali is like a warm hug to the heart. No matter how many flavours we savour from across the world, our love for a South Indian thali is a flame that never flickers. So, we decided to continue our affair with some Andhra delicacies at Virunthu, JP Hotel, last weekend, where we arrived to try out their newly launched thalis.

The preset thalis are suitable for those who detest poring through an extensive menu and making a decision. The Virunthu bhojanam at the restaurant boasts three varieties of thalis—Kayakura bhojanam (vegetarian), Mamisam bhojanam (non-vegetarian), and Samuthra bhojanam (seafood).

Without a second thought, we opted for the non-vegetarian thali. The thali arrived in style with a special holder for all the accompaniments. We began our lunch with the Malabar coin parotta, which we tried along with some Guntur kodi kura, the traditional hot and fiery Andhra chicken curry. However, the spice levels have been tempered down to suit the taste buds of Chennai foodies. The parotta-chicken curry combination is one of our favourites, and this passed the test.

It was now time to move over to our grain of comfort, rice. We decided to try the vegetarian fare first and started with some Beetroot thokku, which was a perfect sidekick to the rice, along with some steaming-hot sambar. And this, we tried along with Chicken-65, the pride of namma Chennai. The deep-fried crispy chicken made for a perfect appetiser, crispy on the outside and juicy and tender inside.

To up the game, we dug into the Kakinada mamisam kura, one of the most sought-after dishes in Andhra Pradesh. This flavour-packed dish is the perfect companion for rice. Again, the spice levels have been toned down, but we thought that a dash of spice would have taken the gravy to the next level. And finally, we tried the fiery Kakinada mamisam kura, and we were in love with this dish. The rice and gravy are unlimited, so do not hesitate to ask if you want more.

We culminated the meal with some piping hot rasam and perugu (curd). The desserts comprised Semiya piravannam, a delicious festive pudding made of vermicelli, milk, and dry fruits.

In a traditional thali, paan is served towards the end. Here, the paan arrived in the form of a shot in a kulhad! This turned out to be a refreshing dessert beverage.

Available for lunch- 12.30-3.30 pm. Thali for one: Vegetarian- INR 400 ++; Non-vegetarian- INR 550++; Sea food- INR 700++. At JP Hotel, Koyambedu.

sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

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