Drinking rasam from French press

Steaming hot rasam that has been simmered for 48 hours served in a French press and poured out into a martini glass set the tone for the 10course meal that awaited us Known for offering culinary experiences that showcase wellresearched traditional and progressive renditions of Southern Indian cuisine Avartana first opened its doors at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai then at ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata The restaurant is now all set to open at the ITC Maratha in Andheri and we dropped by for a taste test of their awardwinning fareAsparagus and coconut stew with turmeric coconut and idiyappamPronounced lsquoAvartanrsquo the Sanskrit word refers to rhythm mysticism and magic The menu shines a light on vegetables fruits grains and spices from across the southern states mdash think ghee from Kerala mango ginger sourced from Andhra Pradesh sago jaggery and mochai beans from Tamil Nadu tamarind from Telangana butter from Uthukuli from Tamil Nadu byadgi chillies from Karnataka and a particular variety of mountain garlic called Kodai garlic from the mountainous region of Kodaikanal in Tamil NaduThe simple yet classic deacutecor features the banana leaf in a recurrent theme The cutlery includes earthenware and plates from Mahabalipuram and even a gorgeous ceramic piece in shades of blue and green from Pondicherry made with gin bottles and clay Diners can usually choose from a bunch of tasting menus mdash the sevencourse Maya Rs 2500 ninecourse Bela Rs 3000 elevencourse Jiia Rs 3500 and the 13course meals of Anika Rs 3950 and Tara Rs 4750 which predominantly features seafoodInteriors of the restaurant also reflect its regional focusThe rasam a classic dish on the Avartana menu uses simple ingredients such as cumin black pepper and tomato infused with coriander and cherry tomato but it is the technique that makes it unique ldquoA lot happens before the rasam reaches the table The technique is scientific and requires a basic understanding of the process of distillationrdquo explains Diptii Jadhav senior sous chef ITC Maratha and chefincharge Avartana Mumbai ldquoThe tomatoes are blended distilled and then doubledistilled They are then heated and cooled downrdquo she adds as we sip the comforting rasamThe amuse bouche soon arrives Itrsquos called crispy chilli potato 20 The mini dish is as a fellow foodie on our table suggested a lsquogreat ice breakerrsquo The texture of the dish caught us all by surprise ldquoThe base is made with string potatoes and the top is a combination of pineapple and mint which is frozen and dipped in cocoa butter That is how you get the casing outside while the liquid melts insiderdquo explains Nikhil Nagpal executive chef ITC HotelsDiptii JadhavNext to arrive on our table is the tempered bottle gourd with plum chutney It is humble vegetables like the bottle gourd that find pride of place on the menu ldquoI am from Kolhapur and worked on farms for many years I understand the produce both when it is played around with a lot of spices and also when it is kept as is like in this dish We pair it the bottle gourd with raw mango from the region and the combination of ingredients creates an experience of its own Then there is a flavouring of ambe halad or mango ginger Itrsquos usually used in pickles but this is a very different way of using itrdquo Jadhav explainsAs of now the produce and the ingredients come from the South including the seabass ldquoWe have a herb garden and a vegetable garden here but ingredients from different regions taste different There are a lot of things which we might not be able to get on a daily basis but the cuisine and taste will stay the same whether you eat in Chennai or Mumbairdquo Jadhav assures usTempered bottle gourd with plum chutneyWe had two favourite dishes The shrimp and coriander dumplings with chilli coriander jam mdash the meltinthemouth dumplings hid a delightfully flavourful coriander oil made with coriander stem and lime inside it mdash the second dish was a light fragrant and flavourful lamb rice with a sweetish okra yogurtSome of the other highlights of our meal were an asparagus and coconut stew with turmeric coconut and idiyappam which remind us of Keralarsquos famed meen moilee the steamed seabass with fermented gongura emulsion a flavoured pickle made from gongura leaf and butter rice sweet kollam rice which is thicker and has a bite and the uthukuli chicken a delicious buttery curry served with the crisp layered Malabar parotta and butter toffee Beetroot juice is bloomed with a plant carrageenan called methylcellulose spread very thinly and dried to attain a texture like thin plastic film which is then wrapped with uthukuli butter and shaped into a toffeeThe dessert was just as innovative as the rest of the meal Fennel panacotta with angel hair caramel is a dessert that looks like an egg and needs a mini hammer to crack open It is served in a birdrsquos nest created using Isomalt a sugar substitute heated to 130 degrees and drizzled onto the plate in thin silky strands using a fork We found the combination of fennel and mango interesting The discerning Mumbai foodie is certainly in for a treatAvartana at ITC MarathaOpens February 1 dinner onlyTime 7 pm to 11 pm all daysAt ITC Maratha Sahar Village Andheri East call 28303030 for advance reservations