At Tuya, Chef Suresh Adds New Chapters to the Story of the South
Chef Suresh’s latest menu at Tuya brings the South back to the table—familiar, evolved, and guided by memory rather than trend.
By : Reshmi AR
Update: 2025-12-19 16:28 GMT
At Tuya, food has always been less about reinvention and more about remembering. Subtitled 'The South Retold', the restaurant has steadily built its identity around flavours shaped by travel, childhood, and the quiet kitchens of South India’s villages. With the launch of its new menu, Chef Suresh isn’t changing course—he’s simply adding more layers to a story that continues to evolve.
The space mirrors that philosophy. Earthy without being rustic, it leans into restraint—terracotta accents, soft Indian-themed artwork, and an understated warmth that feels intentional. Nothing distracts from what’s on the plate, and that’s exactly the point.
“This menu came from a simple thought,” says Suresh. “We wanted to bring in more interesting dishes and a lot more local flavours.” Hyderabad, he adds with a laugh, keeps pushing him to do more. “The city keeps asking for something new, so we added a few dishes that feel closer to home—bamboo chicken, grilled preparations, avakaya fire-roasted prawns. These are our star dishes now.”
The meal begins, as it often does at Tuya, with familiar favourites that regulars swear by. The sarvapindi avocado toast remains a crowd favourite, as do the mini ragi rotis stuffed with jackfruit, cleverly served taco-style—comforting, playful, and rooted. “Some things don’t change,” Suresh says. “Sarvapindi, tacos, these are dishes we will always retain.”
Then come the new introductions. Almond 65 arrives unexpectedly and leaves a lasting impression—crispy, chilli-coated almonds paired with curd rice. It sounds unusual, but it works brilliantly. “That’s exactly what we want,” Suresh explains. “Surprise, but with familiar flavours.” It’s the kind of dish that gets talked about long after the plate is cleared.
From deeper in the menu comes the tribal-inspired bamboo (bongulu) chicken, smoky and robust, echoing forest cooking techniques. The Dakhni kofta—paneer dumplings nestled in an almond-based korma—feels like a warm pause in the meal, best enjoyed slowly with a soft tawa roti. I should have started with that, I felt since it’s like comfort on a plate.
The menu itself reads like a personal map of the South—not a checklist of states, but a fluid journey shaped by memory, markets, coastlines, and everyday home kitchens. Instead of replicating classics, the dishes reinterpret them gently, allowing nostalgia and modern technique to sit side by side.
Seafood and meat lovers will notice thoughtful additions like a reworked Nellore-style fish curry, a Mangalorean prawn curry, and chicken with flavoured rice prepared in a new way—each designed to stay on the menu for the long run. “Some dishes are permanent,” Suresh says, “but the menu itself will keep moving.”
Change, in fact, is part of Tuya’s rhythm. “We plan to refresh the menu every four to five months,” he explains. “It keeps us excited and keeps guests curious.”
Vegetarians haven’t been forgotten either. Fire-roasted vegetables finished with curry butter and a reimagined take on fried brinjal bring depth and character to the plant-forward plates. “We do it our way,” Suresh says simply.
Dessert, as always, is where Tuya saves a little theatre. The much-loved Coconut N Jasmine returns with a festive twist—flash-frozen into delicate snowflake-like textures for Christmas. It’s elegant, unexpected, and a fitting finale. A new curry leaf ice cream also makes its way onto the menu, quietly reinforcing the chef’s commitment to local flavour storytelling.
Asked about his personal favourite, Suresh doesn’t hesitate. “Coconut and Jasmine will always be close to my heart,” he says. At Tuya, the new menu doesn’t shout for attention. It invites you to sit, taste, and remember—proof that South Indian cuisine still has many stories left to tell.