Avartana turns 2... ITC Grand Chola...

Amuse Bouche - thinly sliced Carrot with some yummy crunchy goodies inside.

The Rasam- with Cumin & Black pepper

Corn & Cherry Tomato [ with pomegranate & curd chilli]

Up close- Corn & Cherry Tomato [ with pomegranate & curd chilli]

Cracklings- [L-R: Ghongura leaf, sweet potato sheets with coriander & curry leaves, and Lotus stem served with Mango mush]

Sundried Tomato tapioca- Coriander chutney

Crispy chilli potato 2.0 with Pineapple & mint soup

Lemon leaf sorbet

Bottle gourd & Raisin- on a bed of Ginger & chilli sauce

Spinach & Curd cheese with tomato salsa and Aerated rice cake.

Fried Aubergine with Jaggery & Sesame sauce

Vegetable Rice with Okra Yoghurt

Vermicelli Yoghurt with preserved lemon

Almond Cremeux with candied orange ice cream & strawberry sauce

Celebrations are always fun, and exciting. No less when it comes to a restaurant! Happy 2nd Birthday Avartana..  True to its name, "Avartana" , a sanskrit word meaning rhythm, mysticism and magic, the restaurant has indeed been weaving magic and dazzling visitors, giving them an experience like no other! 

Known for its set course dinners, Avartana at ITC Grand Chola rolls out a revamped version of Jiaa (Soulful) -11course menu. 

Chef Ajit Bangera told us they are also likely to be making changes to their other 4 menus as I enjoyed the glass of clear piping hot rasam that was served from a French press. Starting with this, the rest of the evening went by with us savouring each of the courses that came by. The first time I was here was when they had just opened their doors and the feeling remains the same today as I walk into the restaurant. It has that oomph factor, right from the entrance to the decor and the food, including the plates/cutlery. 

More than the food, it is the techniques used, the ingredients, the flavours & textures that make this restaurant stand apart from the rest. The Crispy Chilli Potato 2.0 involves techniques that left us puzzled- as we pop the entire thing into our mouth, the little ball bursts and the liquid pops out with a medley of flavours. In the sundried tomato tapioca dish, the smooth sago exterior works well against the sharp coriander chutney and the tangy tomato filling. I could go on, but you get the drift right? When the spinach & curd cheese arrived on the table, I kept wondering about the textures, wondering what would be the surprise in this. As I cut into the spinach ball, the fork just went through as if it were butter. 

The Fried aubergine again had a crispy exterior that complimented the smooth inside, and the sauce was such a tangy sweet delight. It hit us then that we were almost at the end of the meal. Woah... Next came a small parcel with a spoon of Okra yoghurt. As we unwrapped it, I found rice cooked with vegetable korma of sorts, and it was such familiar flavours but presented so beautifully. We asked for a repeat of the okra yoghurt.. As with most South Indian meals, the last course is always something to cool the system, with curd. The new menu had Vermicelli Yoghurt with preserved lemon, cool comforting dish.

As with every dish, we looked forward to the last course, the dessert. We were served with Almond Cremeux with candied orange ice cream and a strong strawberry clove sauce. While the cremeux was light, the ice cream with candied orange was a fun accompaniment. The sauce was quite strong, though it worked well with the other two. 

It was yet another fabulous meal at a grand setting... That is Avartana for you!! So, if ever you want to indulge or just feel special, make a reservation and head out for dinner one evening. 

A Meal for one [Jiaa menu] - Rs 3,500 + taxes


Address: 
ITC Grand Chola 
No., 63, Anna Salai, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600032
Call 044 2220 0000 for reservations.
Website : http://www.itchotels.in/hotels/itcgrandchola.aspx


Disclaimer:

The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-) 

Avartana unveiled, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai

Deconstructed…Dehydrated….Emulsified…Smoked..

are terms that once upon a time used to go over my head.. Now I know what they mean, and I know what to expect when a dish is placed in front of me. But then there are times when I falter and assume what I see is what I get, well those are times when am in for a surprise..  It is like the dish does a one up on me, giving me a jolt and shaking things up a bit. :-) 

Tonight we were there to explore the newest restaurant in the block, Avartana. "Avartana", the name is  derived from sanskrit [means rhythm, mysticism and magic] 

As we walked along the familiar corridor at ITC Grand Chola towards the new restaurant [located near Towers Lobby],  I could not help but wonder what Chef Ajit Bagera has whipped up.    We had reached the end of the corridor and were guided towards the left, into the restaurant.  The first thing I notice is the rotary evaporator sitting there on the table. When enquired, I was told it was for rasam.. My mind was starting to wander into the world of its own where food was similar to what I have read in Willi Wonka’s Chocolate factory- fun & playful, yet true to the flavours. 

The carpet has banana leaf patterns, the walls have Kerala boat style lighting etched on them, there are glass panels all around with banana flower styled fittings on them, the lights on our table were inspired from the tender coconuts… I could go on and on. It was amazing to see the attention to detail. Oh and this is probably the only South Indian restaurant with an open kitchen.

We had the privilege of being seated in the private dining area [it can accommodate 10 pax, overall capacity of the Restaurant is 60 covers]. I see my plate, and a green blob of sorts on my knife. I wonder if it is a macaron or something else. Chef Harish Rao [ of Park Sheraton’s Dakshin] fame walks in with a grin with a “gotcha, you guys did not know I am here now didja” ..  And thus began our WOW evening.

A flower arrangement with what looked like macaroons on a stick, which turned out to be Fennel & pepper Air with Avocado Fluff [the green blob from my knife] that melted in our mouths… Tomato rasam that was poured into a French press containing herbs, tomato and poured onto martini glasses- it was filled with flavour and fun[ I would have happily had a pot of this]… 

Fluffy little idlies served with a Sweet pepper & Eggplant stuffed Ridge gourd sitting on a sesame & peanut curry.  The rice & Madurai Chutney [ a version of Kuzhi paniyaram served atop hot red chilli chutney] , Jackfruit and vegetable congee served with brinjal raita.. Butter milk noodles dish, a take on our curd rice perhaps where the sauce was poured on and it had a tiny pippet containing lemon pickle. To finish it off there was Finger millet vermicelli served with tender coconut ice cream and caramalised milk sitting pretty on a plate resembling a bird’s nest with some edible art work around it…

Along with the food there were a few interesting drinks- Mocktails & Cocktails as well. I had Mouth Road 63 [which is the address the property sits on] and Gooseberry Margharita served in one tall glass, both of which were absolutely divine. For the others there were a range of Mocktails- Nannari based, Paneer soda, raw mango drink served in a traditional Bharani, mint-coriander and many more.

The dishes were not only a treat for the eyes, but for the palate as well. During the course of the evening, Chef Bangera shared the journey behind the restaurant, and how the team has been at it for a while, working on the dishes and presentations. He was clear he did not want to reinvent South Indian food, but he was here to give it a twist and add a surprise element for the guests. Well, must say he has done exactly that.

All during the evening, I kept thinking of my granpa. He was one of those always open to new flavours and would have loved this place.  He is one of those true blue South Indians who will not tolerate any mucking about, especially with traditional dishes.  It also makes me happy to note that my city has now opened doors to such new restaurants and the fact that the restaurant is sold out the 1st few days is heart warming~ 

The restaurant is open for dinner [7pm to 11pm] and offer only tasting menus.

Prices begin at Rs. 2000 approx [per pax] for a 7 course-tasting menu.  

[All you need to do is tell the Chef if you have any allergies or don’t eat certain items.]

Address: No., 63, Anna Salai, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600032

Call 044 2220 0000 for reservations.

Website : http://www.itchotels.in/hotels/itcgrandchola.aspx

Disclaimer:

The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)