AnTeRa serves a creative spin on nostalgic snacks and cocktails

Hot, crispy snacks on a rainy day are one of life’s little pleasures. And at AnTeRa Kitchen and Bar, the seasonal Mast Mast Monsoon menu captures that indulgent feeling perfectly.

Serving up familiar regional flavours with inventive twists and crafted cocktails that showcase the season’s best

We began our meal with the Chicken miriyalu charu, an Andhra-style pepper broth simmered with aromatic spices. Rich, peppery and flavoured with garlic, the broth was deeply comforting. It was paired with Jallanta kavvinta, a refreshing mocktail of jamun and citrus that balanced the charu's heat with its fruity tang.

The menu also featured an unusual pairing in Ee rasam sakshiga. This warm cocktail brought together clarified tomato, black pepper, tamarind, jaggery and tequila, finished with a fiery Guntur chilli garnish. Bold and layered with flavour, it was a drink that suited the weather. Its non-alcoholic counterpart, Ghal ghal, offered the same warmth and comforting notes. No monsoon menu is complete without mirchi bajji, and AnTeRa’s chef Srinivas puts his own spin on the classic.

The Prawn bajji arrived golden and crisp, coated in a traditional bajji batter with a tangy masala that complemented the succulent prawns. Up next, the Chicken pungulu, where minced chicken in bite-sized spheres was packed with spices and served alongside a nutty peanut chutney, making it a meat lover's take on the regional snack. And just when you thought you couldn’t possibly have more, the Choti moti paneer featured crisp, bite-sized cubes of paneer tossed in garlic and chilli flakes, balanced by a creamy, mildly sweet salad.

We also tried the Stuffed chicken seekh kebab, which combined juicy chicken with a molten cheesy centre, while the Mushroom duplex, stuffed with cheese and greens, delivered a crisp exterior and rich filling in every bite. These were paired with the Manchi coffee lanti cocktail, where filter coffee decoction, coffee liqueur, black pepper, cinnamon syrup and vodka blended into a smooth, aromatic drink.

Dessert was a fitting end to the meal. The warm Ragi brownie, served with ice cream, struck a perfect balance between hot and cold, sweet and slightly salty. However, it was the Mysore pak crumble that stole the spotlight. The traditional Indian sweet was reimagined with caramelised apple and pear, finished with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, creating a decadent dessert. All in all, Mast Mast Monsoon combines nostalgia and reinvention without straying too far from the classic flavours we’ve grown to love.

Meal for two: `2,500++. 12 pm to 11.30 pm. At Gachibowli.

Email: anikagomez@newindianexpress.com

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