Local ingredients, aromatic, freshly-ground masala and fragrances reminiscent of a grandmother’s cooking... It’s a formula that is replete with soul-satisfying morsels and Dakshin at the ITC Windsor is adept at it, and has been for decades. Jasmine flowers welcome one into this haven of all things South Indian as classical musicians play the flute and tabla. It’s buzzing. And it usually is, as Dakshin is that home kitchen of culinary South Indian in a five star hotel that sits proudly among the best in the city, and the oldest. And it’s the renowned and talented Chef Praveen Anand from Chennai who imbued it with a regional soul through his exhaustive meanderings across villages in the south to dish out fare that is not only delectable but also hits the “soul” food spot. Their new menu is a walk past those back waters in Kerala, a hop into the Canara and Pondicherry sea fronts, an amble into the spice trails of Andhra and Telangana, a climb into the hillocks in Mangalore and a traipse into Chettinad kitchens.
A menu that showcases food from all the southern states, it has been helmed by able masterchef George Jayasurya with inspiration from the creator of Dakshin Chef Praveen Anand. The ITC Windsor also has a new executive chef from Rajasthan, Akshraj Jodha, who is a storehouse of foodie tidbits. With 18 years of experience at the ITC properties across India, he was executive chef at ITC Maratha in Mumbai and Calcutta, and had also opened the ITC Gardenia in the city. He brings with him a rich Rajput legacy so we can’t wait to see some of those intrinsic dishes from the state in the ITC Windsor Manor Menu.
“We have changed close to 50 per cent of the menu. Also, more variety in small quantities made us bring in the Chef-curated menu experiences, Saivam (vegetarian), Asaivam (non vegetarian), Matsyam (seafood) and Sampoornam - the ultimate experience for a gourmand in you. Veg and non veg options giving you a course wise experience with right pairings and the staples,” explains Chef Praveen Anand, Executive Chef, South Indian cuisine, ITC Hotels. The new menu has 33 new dishes with flavours across regions. A must for all local food lovers. We sipped on refreshing, tangy and spiced majjige as we gazed through the menu. We started with the most delicious banana pancakes, delicious and perfectly cooked. The tomato uthapam was fluffy, dunked into the chutneys, scrumptious… a coconut, tamarind and chilly… unmistakable freshness and spice tenets.
There is so much to taste, it would take you innumerable visits to do justice. We liked the inherent play of ingredients from across the South, and the fact that the Dakshin team has gone scouring for the best and unique morsels. The Meen came in spicy masala, slow-cooked fish, flakey and delicious. The most succulent and soft Chettinad Chops or Attukari Chops cooked in a dry masala with egg batter (a unique addition to the original), came deep fried. They were perfect and juicy.
We chomped away on light and fluffy appams, a beautifully rendered Kerala parantha and delightful string hoppers or idiappams. For vegetarians, try the Cauliflower Melagu Peratti, Tomato Pappu, Ulitheeyal and Kai Kari Mandi. We settled for a brinjal which was simplistic but wholesome with poppy seeds, and three types of brinjal.
There was prawn gassi, made with the famed byadgi red chilly in a thick gravy that went perfectly with the accompaniments. The chef also informed us that the thalis are very popular — a veg, non veg and fish thali that comes with sambhar, curd rice, rasam, papad and vegetable and two meat dishes. We will most certainly try it next. The chicken curry was cooked well, the meat succulent. As we went from region to region, as we munched on a crunchy slew of papadums which are always welcome. Dakshin also has a chef curated menu … cooked in a typically homecooked style. We dipped our parantha into a delicious Lamb curry, from Karur. It had a unique masala with lentil and coconut blended together, reminding us of a South Indian dhansak, spicier.
The fresh prawn Telangana style was delicious and very interesting. The food has a freshness, and is great for intrinsic regional fare with the comfort of a five star. For dessert, it was the kadal patchee, a pistachio icecream. A frozen speciality of Keelakarai made with milk, khoya, china grass and pistachio, it was interesting.
We also walloped the most mouth watering badam halva and adikumayam, a halwa of rice and lentils, which we demolished in a jiffy, even though we were full up, it’s that good. “It is a famous dessert at any Chettiar marriage, and a compulsory desert. It is melt in the mouth,” says the sous chef Logesh Gandhi, adding, “Our star dishes are also in the starters, as many of our regular customers come in for those. The new menu has regional language names on it, to celebrate cuisines, and popularise dishes. Infact, this menu is being launched at five Dakshins across India,” says the chef.
Do try the Iyer’s Trolley named after Chef Paramasivam Iyer, which serves small adais, banana dosais and kunnipaniyarams. The other desserts one must have are the elneer payasam, and basundi — lipsmackingly good.
We liked that the new menu has Annanas mensakai, a pineapple curry made with byadgi chilli and coconut. Even the Veerakai Paal Koora, a ridge gourd simmered in coconut milk with spices sounded delicious. The Kodi Gajaala and the maanjidha Gassi – A mild curry of pomfret, Mangalorean style and the kaadai Thengai curry, farm bred Japanese quails in a paste of shallots, green chilli and coconut are intrinsic to the regions. Chef Anand recommends the Chef curated experiences. “Chinna Vengaya Patcha Milagai Mandi (Shallots, whole garlic and chillies in tamarind curry), Telangana specials like Kakarakai Ulli Karam (Bitter gourd crisps with onion, chilli and copra), Uragai Mamsam (Mutton slow cooked with pickling spices) are all very rare. Even the adikumayam and Kadal Patchee, a dessert of the Tamil Muslims is very rare,” adds Chef Praveen. It’s soul food from village kitchens for oota that celebrates tradition and our universal differences so beautifully.
Dakshin at the ITC Windsor, 25, Golf Course Rd, Abshot Layout, Windsor Square, Bengaluru - 560052
Meals per person: Saivam - Rs 1650+ taxes
Asaivam - Rs 1950 + taxes
Matsyam - Rs 2150 +taxes
Sampoornam (veg)- Rs 2150 + taxes
Sampoornam (N.vg) - Rs 2750 + taxes
Call: 080 2226 9898
