The ambience is pleasant; the music, soothing; and the company, super-friendly. That’s the first impression which Park Sheraton’s Dakshin gives you when you enter their premises to catch a taste of what’s on offer on their newly conceptualised Madurai Virundhu. Hoping to take customers on a whirlwind tour of the traditional cuisine from the famous temple town, Chef Harish and team have whipped up quite a rhapsody for the taste buds.
“It’s a challenge for us to come up with a different theme for a food fest every month. When Executive Chef Praveen and I put our thinking caps on, we hit on Madurai. Even residents who have lived in the city for ages haven’t sampled all the delicacies — such is the diversity of the cuisine. We went through a lot of research, visited several eateries and a major influence was Chef Shekhar, who’s from Madurai himself,” explains Chef Harish.
The priority was to use authentic ingredients and ensure that the taste was as close to the original recipe as possible, Chef Harish says. “The team even makes plans and takes trips to different interiors, stays with the locals, and eats with them. We made all the powders and spices from scratch inside our kitchens. When we receive customers sometimes, with allergies, we have to think out-of-the-box and come up with innovative ideas on the spot,” he adds with a smile.
And then, he introduces the feast: we start off with some delectable soups. A Murunga Elai Charu (drumstick leaf), as well as Elumbu Rasam, concocted from lamb bones, that left a tingling aftertaste in the mouth, in anticipation of what was to come. After tickling our taste buds, the virundhu well and truly kicks off with the main course: for the vegetarians, there was Thengai Pal Saadham (rice cooked with coconut milk and spices) along with Motchai Curry (fresh butter beans with spices), Vendakali Puli Kozhambu (okra in spicy tamarind gravy), Murungakai Parupu Kozhambu (lentil and drumstick curry) as well as Thayir Kozhambu, one of Chef Harish’s most innovative dishes, made with tempered curd and radish, that is sure to be an instant hit!
But it was the non-vegetarians who truly got the better of the deal — after all, it was all about paying a tribute to Madurai’s legacy. Kari Biryani, a sumptuous lamb and rice combination, was the star of the offerings. It was accompanied with Vera Avarai Masala (broad beans and prawn), Motchai Nethili Kozhambu (thin gravy of anchovies with butter beans), Viral Meen Varuval (roasted murrel fish covered with masala), Kozhi Salna Curry (chicken gravy with coconut), Kari Chops Sukka (mutton chops slow-cooked with shallots, pepper corn and cumin), and Elumbu Kozhambu (curry extract of lamb bone and potatoes).
Chef Harish picks the Kari Biryani and Kozhi Salna as his favourites, though he admits he loves the whole menu that he’s lovingly put together.
However, we aren’t done for the evening without something for the sweet tooth! Bring on the Amirdha Kuzhal, an ancient variation of Jalebi and Thengai Pal Halwa, made of coconut milk and rice. Rounding it off with a coffee and beeda, anyone who visits the virundhu is sure to need some time getting up from their seats after the meal!
As Chef Harish and team indulge in some light hearted chit-chat and then wave us a friendly goodbye, we can’t help thinking: would we have had such a good time even if we’d visited Madurai? We honestly don’t know!
