Taj Coromandel Restaurants Chennai

Starters like the piquant Chettinad Chicken stay true to the recipes of the Chettiar matriarchs, and the turmeric-hued Allepey fish curry can match its counterpart from a home on the Kerala coast.

The shavings of coconut soak poetically into the fluffy white hopper, appam, and its mild hint of sourness merges with the fiery flavour of Andhra Pradesh’s mutton curry, Mamsam Koora.

The wine list features wines that complement South Indian cuisine; the pairing of a Premier Grand Cru of Bordeaux or a Californian Cabernet with Kori Kempu Bazule, can be an interesting experience.

Among guests who have savoured the warm South Indian hospitality and the gastronomic offerings of the Deccan are Prince Andrew of England, former US Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter who stayed here with his wife Rosalynn, and Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Prego, Taj Coromandel, Chennai

Going beyond run-of-the-mill fare like pizza, this eatery delves into the subtle nuances and warm comfort of creamy homemade pastas, freshly baked bread with a sprinkling of olive oil, pistachio soufflé with coffee sauce and delightful deviations like chilled bitter chocolate mousse with ginger and chilli. Chef Marson who drops by your table, explains that she seeks to “introduce a kind of Italian cuisine that is traditional but contemporary”.

While in the culinary embrace of Rome, we enjoy fine wine as the Romans do. Prego specialises in them, with 75 of its collection of 300 labels being Italian. The elegance of the cuisine is just the excuse we need to open up another bottle of wine, to toast yet another memorable evening.