Blue Elephant is a gentle reminder that food should be the primary focus of a diner

The resto is helmed by two people—food writer Oneal Sabu and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Sapna Anand
Blue Elephant is a gentle reminder that food should be the primary focus of a diner

One downside of the boom in café culture is flamboyant spaces with cliched menus. So, we’re in for a surprise when we arrive at Blue Elephant—a 16-cover hole-in-the-wall in Kochu Kadavanthra with a quaint yet intimate vibe.

We’re keen on trying out the food as the eatery is helmed by two people who’ve been active in the F&B (food and beverage) industry—food writer Oneal Sabu, known for his book Soul Fried Monologues, and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Sapna Anand.

“We don’t want to go down the tried-and-tested route by serving the usuals like shawarmas or biryani,” says Oneal, handing me a handwritten menu, which includes dishes such as mutton vindaloo (paired with lemon rice) and lemongrass chicken, but seems to quote upmarket rates.

Dynamic duo
The Internet was quick to classify the outlet as a Goan speciality diner. So, it’s apparent that the duo is working hard on changing this misconception as they start by serving a crispy chicken noodle salad dressed in honey-mustard.

“I’ve curated the menu by drawing from my life-long global dining experiences. Our menu has Goan, Western, and South-East Asian specials prepared with fresh, locally-grown ingredients,” says Sapna, who hosts the show Fast Indian Cooking on Asian Food Channel.

Their only beef dish uses a Goan sauce with prominent soy tones, and the Blue Elephant prawn, a sweet concoction with a texture similar to watered down coconut milk and loaded with butter-sauteed curry leaves, is uniquely enticing. But, the chef only smiles if you ask for her secret ingredient.

There is no reason to deny the pâtissier the pleasure of serving us her specials made with a balance of Belgian and market-bought chocolate. So, I choose a Hummingbird (with almond flour, banana, and pineapple) and pavlova (meringue topped with tart fruits like passion fruit and kiwi) to close off the meal.
 

Open from noon to 10 pm.
 

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