​The Dining Room is holding a Mediterranean Food Festival fro a week. The festival is in a Buffet Format.  The festival features dishes of Eastern Mediterranean, Southern European and North African cuisines.
The dishes feature a predominant use of fresh herbs, vegetables and seafood along with olive oil, wine and garlic. 

Some of the highlights are :-

• A Moroccan tea counter
• Traditional country breads representing every region, like the Italian Ciabbatta, French Fougasse, Omani Special stuffed bread, pita, lavash etc.
• A Live Spanish Paella Counter
• Delicious Shawarmas
• The ever so famous ‘Ratatouille’
• Traditional Desserts like the Tarte Tatin, Savarin, Crepes Suzette, Financier, Opera, and Zabaglione with berries and many more items.

 
I have documented few of the Dishes I tasted at the Food festival.

Please note: - The buffet menu will change on a rotational basis. 
Date: March 17th to 25th
Time: 7 P.M. to 11 P.M.  
Price: Rs. 1600++ taxes per person for dinner
Venue: The Dining Room, Park Hyatt Chennai
For details and reservations, please call The Dining Room – Park Hyatt Chennai on 04449919965/04449919961

Verdict

If you love mediterranean food and would like to sample many choices I would strongly recommend this festival since the Buffet Format lets you sample different flavours of the Mediterranean.  

I should Congratulate Chef Balaji anf Chef Rathina Kumar in putting together a lovely food festival.
The buffet menu will change on a rotational basis.  

Date: March 17th to 25th
Time: 7 P.M. to 11 P.M.  
Price: Rs. 1600++ taxes per person for dinner
Venue: The Dining Room, Park Hyatt Chennai

​For details and reservations, please call The Dining Room – Park Hyatt Chennai on 04449919965/04449919961

I had always assumed that South Indian food and flavours were extremely immune from being presented in a contemporary fashion with pleasing aesthetics in presentation while simultaneously incorporating modern cooking techniques.

Having experienced a seven course meal at Avartana, the latest restaurant from the ITC Hotels I discovered that that the team under Executive Chef Ajit Bangera and Chef Harish were able to successfully showcase contemporary South Indian food that is firmly anchored in the traditional flavours and ingredients of the South India, in a fascinatingly innovative interpretation of the cuisine and its presentation.

'Avartana' derived from sanskrit apparently refers to rhythm, mysticism and magic. True to its name the team at Avartana has been able to create dishes that are an expression of magical art, with each one of them featuring unique culinary concepts.

Chef Bangera mentioned that he has used lots of modern international cooking techniques in a creative way while curating the menu with his team. The team has been at it for nearly 2 years from conception of the Idea to execution and opening of this restaurant. They have made it a point to choose the choicest of fresh ingredients and seasonal produce, to fashion inventive recipes that blend flavours from across the Southern India with techniques from across the globe. The accent has been to marry the robust flavours of South Indian Cuisine with  twenty-first century global technology and hence presenting a haute cuisine fine dining experience.
 
We were treated to a Seven Course menu which I have documented and described below along with a range of Cocktails and Mocktails.

Mocktails & Cocktails
Avartana has a unique selection of mocktails and cocktails infused with Indian spices in fresh flavours which can be paired with the food. Every one of these drinks were unique in the flavours and presentations !      

Design and Decor

The interiors of the restaurant look opulent. The banana leaf is a recurrent theme of the design of this restaurant. The banana leaf motif on the carpet, pairs with the banana flower on the partitions.  

The upholstery is mellow, light colour scheme, light-coloured wood, silver-hued fabric upholstery, accentuated with objects d’art in tones of copper and amber. 

An open and interactive show kitchen demonstrates the drama and flair of preparing food live to interested guests and is a definite novelty for a South Indian themed restaurant.

Avartana also features a Private Dining Room which can accommodates 10 guests.

VERDICT

To call the experience 'Mindblowing' would not be an exaggeration at all. 'Avartana' is definitely going to be a culinary landmark in this part of the world.

If you want to experience what a 'Michelin' grade restaurant feels like do head to the 'Avartana'. I can safely stick my neck out and predict that this restaurant is likely to be the one getting the Michelin Stars in town !!

They offer different tasting menus starting at Rs 2000 for a seven course meal going upwards.

'Avartana' is located in the ITC Grand Chola and is open for Dinner from the 17th of March 2017.