Rustic wall murals of women busily cooking in their traditional kitchens welcomed us as we sat down for a meal at the latest South Indian restaurant in town. Bright shrubbery set in a plush 120- seater space and yesteryear Telugu hits in the background set the tone for our meal at Chiguru.
We started off with a zingy bowl of Tomato Allam Rasam with juliennes of ginger ensuring an added punch to every sip. The Green Peas Kaju Vada was brought in next, with a freshly ground bottle gourd chutney to go with it. While the vadas looked like they’d be full of spicy green chillies, they were just right, with the hand-ground chutney complementing every crunchy bite.
A familiar aroma of a well-loved beverage greeted us as the Rum ka Chicken was brought in. Made with a rum infused spice mix, the chicken appetiser had a hint of sweetness to it. Next, it was time for one of the star dishes at Chiguru — the Chinta Chiguru Kodi Vepudu made in a marinade of young tamarind leaves and spices. Each bite was succulent and flavourful with a subtle tanginess. Spiciness from the dishes was deftly mitigated with a tall glass of Red Chevelle — a watermelon and star anise based mocktail.
Continuing the string of signature dishes, we were served a Chintakaya Pacchadi with Mudda Pappu Ghee Rice for mains made with a mix of tamarind chutney in a steaming hot bowl of thick Telugu style Dal (Mudda Pappu) and rice. Garnished with a generous serving of ghee and toasted cashews, the food-coma inducing dish is what we would come back to the restaurant for. “In line with the restaurant’s name which means ‘young leaf ’ in Telugu, we’ve introduced signature Chinta Chiguru or tamarind leaf based dishes on our menu alongside well-loved delicacies from across India,” says Dinesh Rawat, executive chef at Chiguru.
We also got to try the Vankaya Pulao that paired excellently with raita. The dish was rich in flavours and softness brought forth by the eggplants. The Patiala Chicken with Butter Naan was brought in next. Served with omelettes stuffed with chicken in a supremely creamy gravy, the curry was another favourite on the menu. Our meal ended with a hearty serving of crispy and hot Paneer Jalebis, which we thought tasted best by themselves, sans the rabri they were served with.
Rs 2,400 for two.
At Jubilee Hills.