Chennai-based Kappa Chakka Kandhari reopens with a new menu of curated course meals

As we are slowly and surely getting back to dining out and wrapping the new normal over our nose and mouth — we find that the recently reopened Kappa Chakka Kandhari has on offer an innovative menu. With social distancing being part of etiquette, chef and partner, Regi Mathew tells us how the pre-curated themed full course meals tick many boxes for their diners — including less sharing and more caring one might say! “These pre-set menus are multi-course and comprise carefully put together dishes that pair well and follow a culinary theme. Since these are pre-set, there is less interaction with our staff and individuals can order as per their preferences without having to share big dishes.”

While there are ten unique, carefully crafted ‘Set Menus’, one can also keep it simple with their ‘One Pot Meals’ or amp up the choices by adding a dish from ‘House Specials’. They also have a vast range of veg options this time. We start off with a cold glass of lemony Absolute Kandhari that has a delightful hint of the fiery chilli, while the less adventurous could sip on a goli soda. From the set menus, we chose the Toddy Shop Memories and Naaduvaazhi meal — where the former had delectable seafood options in the form of dry roasted clams, spicy calamari and Kozhuva fry, besides the predictable and welldone Syrian tenderloin fry. We suggest you pace yourself, as up next is a plate of appam with duck mappas, mashed tapioca with piquant sardines cooked with ‘kodampuli’ in a claypot and puttu (stuffed with layers of coconut) with varutharacha chicken curry.

From the Naaduvaazhi fare our favourites include the adorable potlums of prawn kizhi, the home-style fish curry and the must-have mutton ishtew! Even though we were often distracted with their gorgeous glazed crockery, we have our focus back on the wobbly tender coconut panna cotta called the Cloud Pudding. However, our favourite is the addictive and chewy Pazham Nanachatu which comprises sundried, ripe bananas that have been slow cooked in unfermented toddy. With nearly 10 items in each themed meal, we found that it doesn’t end with that memorable dessert — instead at Kappa Chakka Kandhari you can be truly done only when the fragrant hot Sulaimani tea has been sipped, savoured and lingered over.

Per meal at Rs 550 onwards.