Late in the Nineteen Nineties, luxurious lodges in Chennai realised that there was a slight inflection in the tides. Although unique and understandably attractive, au gratins and paneer butter masala bowls have been not making the lower. Tourists who have been visiting the metropolis wished to style genuine South Indian fare — the parotta and salna type.
When Dakshin started at Sheraton Park Hotel in 1989, serving elevated variations of home-style kozhambus and poriyals at premium charges, different lodges realised that it was time to shine the mild on nalli or bone marrow in a mutton stew. The likes of Ente Keralam, Malgudi, Amaravathi, Manjal, Erode Amman Mess and Kappa Chaka Kandhari joined the bandwagon. They quickly grew to become eating places to take visitors to. Or oneself, when one felt indulgent.
Joining this lengthy checklist of eating places serving meals from the South of the Vindhyas is Visesham, a brand new restaurant in Nandanam. Here, one eats a meal whereas watching artistes play the veena. Cutlery is in place and the expectation is to put the serviette on the lap and munch by means of their huge bowl of vadams with an accompaniment of contemporary pickles common from fish, prawns, mutton, pumpkin and carrots. We skip the etiquette and dive proper in with our fingers.
Interiors at Visesham
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Special Arrangement
As we get to the evaluate, I want to get one factor out of the manner. The meals at Visesham (which means ‘celebration’ in all 4 South Indian languages) is nice. Nearly each meals merchandise elicits a “that was good.” Everything besides the ada pradhaman. My Malayali good friend says she has had higher.
Begin your meal with an annasi pazham (pineapple) rasam which is good from the diced pineapples and spiced with purple chillies for a kick. The peethala mamsam chaaru is an alternative choice. Cooked with complete crabs, the inventory simmers with flavour. The former nevertheless, is the choose of the desk.
The podi idlis are an amazing appetiser order for a big desk. Served with three chutneys that change relying on what’s out there at the market, these ghee-soaked mini idlis are a straightforward crowd pleaser. The deep-fried kappa cutlets product of a tapioca stuffing and the pacha masala yeral or tiger prawn, steeped in the spicy inexperienced chilli-coriander paste, shouldn’t be missed. The koon milakittathu, a deep-fried mushroom dish with pepper, nevertheless, is a miss. Instead, strive the koonthal porichathu, one other deep-fried dish with squid. Successful of lemon on high ensures that the dish hits the spot.
Visesham’s energy lies in its mains. Served with idiyappam, parotta or dosais of selection, an assortment of gravies are the option to go. If I have been you, I might start with the mutton istew and the monagadda royyalu koora. Both these coconut milk-based dishes with mutton and prawn respectively, have vastly totally different flavour profiles. However, the meat in each these dishes is succulent and tender. Pair it with an idiyappam to make sure that a impartial vessel carries the flavour by means of.
Kappa cutlets and an assortment of pickle at the restaurant
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Special Arrangement
The gutti vankaya koora, sacred to the Andhra palate, is a vegetarian choice that steals the present. The garlic softened by hours of cooking in a fiery tomato and chilli gravy alongside stuffed complete brinjals, is finest eaten with a kal dosai. If you desire to an choice from Karnataka, strive the bhende chilli product of a byadgi chilli paste from tulu nadu.
For the rice-loving South Indian in you, the Dindigul mutton biryani and curd rice, is a perfect option to finish the meal. Pro tip: add a beneficiant serving of inji puli to the curd rice. Because there’s at all times room for dessert, a heat carrot halwa with cashews and raisins turns into the excellent option to say “shubam.”
Arasu Dennis, managing companion of Visesham, says that whereas the purpose is to make sure South Indian delicacies is spotlighted, additionally they have kebabs and the customary dal makhnis and paneer butter masalas on the menu. “We don’t want to say ‘no’ to anyone, you know,” he says. He provides that they’ve additionally launched set meals the place one can select from vegetarian, seafood and meat choices.
Arasu believes in indicators. “Our first booking on the opening day is of a kitty party by a person named Arthi. They are dressing in sarees for their meeting. An auspicious start, don’t you think?” he asks. A visesham certainly.
Visesham is at 135, Chamiers Rd, Nandanam Extension, Nandanam, Chennai. A meal for 2 prices ₹3,000. For reservations, contact 9176757711.
Published – April 16, 2025 05:20 pm IST
