This restaurant offers a royal feast from nine Indian states

The grandeur of Indian royal courts has transpired to the Chennai food scene. We recently attended the launch of the reimagined Navaratna, an elevated dining experience dedicated to celebrating the royal Indian cuisine. The cuisine symbolises the gastronomical significance of nine Indian states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Goa, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. Curated by chef Daniel Kumar and team, the concept honours India’s grand culinary history while infusing each dish with modern flair.

Navaratna’s interiors have been transformed to evoke the grandeur of India’s royal courts, with décor inspired by palace artistry, intricate woodwork, and hand-selected artefacts from across India.

With soulful live music performing in the background, we sat down in the chairs to experience the multicuisine restaurant. After having a refreshing Roohafza as a welcome drink, the first dish that came to our tables was the Chettinad nandu charu. This not-too-thick Chettinad crab broth was spicy and refreshing.

Next up were the kebabs; one mutton Gosht ki galouti and another with mushroom filling, Bharwan khumb anjeer. While the Gosht ki galouti looked more interesting, it was the Bharwan kumb anjeer that surprised us with the taste. With its creamy filling, Bharwan khumb anjeer simply melted in our mouths. The mushroom flavour too was not over-the-top and added the right taste to the dish.

Meanwhile, Gosht ki galouti was presented on top of small circular pieces of paratha. We felt these kebabs to be on the drier side and felt they could have been better. Nevertheless, we enjoyed it with the parathas.

For the main course, we tried a variety of dishes. First up was the Rampuri kofta curry. The creamy and thick vegetable kofta paired well with Indian breads. We had it with Miniature naan and Wakri paratha, which were both soft. It added the right amount of creaminess to our mouths. For non-vegetarian, we had Dilliwali butter chicken. It had a different flavour from what we usually have, and was not right up to our palate.

We then came to the South and tried the mutton curry and thengai saadam next. Mutton curry, cooked with chillies and coconut, was an absolute treat to have. The perfectly cooked meat with the right spices elevated the whole meal experience.

Lastly, we had Iruttu kadai halwa, comprising jaggery, milk, and butter. This Tirunelveli delight was presented on a banana leaf and had a consistency that’s different from the usual halwas. We savoured it nevertheless.

Meal for two (approx): INR 2,500 ++. 12.30 - 3 pm & 7-11 pm. At Le Royal Méridien Chennai.

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