High school friends, Jerome Fenelon and Dee Badrinarayan, were always interested in cooking and the world of food. Five years ago, he decided to pursue this passion more seriously. After making an effort to understand this industry, he has now launched his own fine dining restaurant, Madras Mapalai. The strategic location, close to Anna Flyover, makes this restaurant accessible to many office goers. Needless to say, this 4,000 square foot space with a seating capacity of 150 guests is packed during lunch time.
The promoters were keen to showcase the many aspects of Chettinad and Madurai cuisine. Therefore, this experiment took the form of three plates. “We serve vegetarian Andhra food, non-vegetarian Chettinad food and our main attraction, Mapalai Virundhu,” says Jerome.
Aarti Aku Kodu Vepudu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Their carefully crafted Virundhu (feast) thali comes with soup, four starters, four types of gravies, biryani, sambar, rasam, kootu, poriyal, plain rice and curd. “Although dry starters (mutton chukka, chicken fry, prawns and fish) are served as limited portions, guests can ask for refills of other items in the thali, including biryani,” says Badrinarayan.
We were attracted by the description of Aarti Aaku Kodi (chicken cooked in banana leaf), where tender pieces of marinated chicken are wrapped in banana leaf and stuffed with green chillies and cooked on slow fire. When it arrives, the chicken has an earthy flavor and the essence of banana leaves and green chillies seeps through the slow-cooked meat. We also try their popular pickled pineapple. However, it has a little more butter in it.
Their next dish, a feast on a plate, is served hot. It comes with a hearty bowl of Nenju Elumbu Soup (Mutton Ribs Soup). Chicken Varutha curry (dry roasted), Mutton Chukka (semi dry roasted), Manga Eral Thokku (raw mango prawn curry) and Karuvadu Thokku (dry fish gravy), are the highlights of the feast. All food is mildly spicy and low in salt, which makes the taste more distinctive. The dominance of fennel and black pepper in chicken fry makes it especially good with Seeraga Samba Biryani.
Raw Mango Shrimp Curry combines the juicy flavor of prawns with the tartness of raw mango, flavored with South Indian spices. If you are a fan of seafood then this dish with a little ginger and garlic is a must try. They also offer fried fish with three different marinades like mustard, black pepper and red chili paste.
Chettinad-Style Boneless Mutton Chukka and Chicken Chukka and Andhra-Style Shrimp Gravy with Mango | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
We finish with a big portion of chilled Eleanor Payasam. “In Tamil culture, a feast was given when Maplai “A (son-in-law) visit is always a grand affair,” says Jerome, “We have designed the menu at Mapalai Virundhu to ensure that every guest feels special.”
Madras Mapalai Gemini is located at Parson Manere, Anna Salai, Nungambakkam. Open from 11am to 4pm for lunch, 4pm to 7pm for breakfast, and 7pm to 11pm for dinner. Mapalai Virundhu thali is available for lunch only. To make a reservation, call 7305021627
