Meena Tai's - Magnificiently Maharashtrian!

Meena Tai's is a huge shot in the arm for Chennai city. It is located in the upmarket Venus colony suburb in Poes Garden in a two storied complex with Meena Tai's occupying the lower slot and Batlivala&Khanabhoy, a Parsi restaurant taking the top half. It's the first ever full fledged restaurant offering Maharashtrian cuisine and is a remarkable addition to the restaurant market.

Again it's not just about bringing a different cuisine for the heck of it in order to be cool and different but a lot of research and behind the scenes work have been undertaken to ensure good ground is covered so as to ensure the customer gets a true blue authentic Maharashtrian culinary experience. They have also gone beyond the boundary in showcasing that Maharashtrian food has a much larger oeuvre in variety and entirety as opposed to the usual myths associated with it. They are out to break the stereotypes and misconceptions that unfortunately this cuisine from the West is pigeonholed into. The aim is to bring as diverse and unique a cuisine as possible borrowed and curated from the different communities to bring to the fore the richness and tradition of the culinary spread. They also plan to highlight on the different influences and launch a story around to make the whole process more authentic and real.

The place has a vintage old world charm to it. The beauty about it is it feels classical from the bygone era yet modern and bohemian. More of simplistic elegance than over the top. It makes you feel laid back and relaxed and almost gives you that feel of being in a home away from home and that's what really makes you instantly connect with the place. The mild Marathi music adds to the feel good factor. The confluence of the history and tradition with a new age appeal gives it a very classy yet contemporary feel. The underplay is beautiful!.

We were here on an "On the House" invite to try some of the special offerings of the restaurant. We were given a set menu from which items were brought to the table.

We began our foray with the "Lomboo Sharbat" - a lemon juice with a dash of cardamom and it was riveting and invigorating and set the tone for things to follow. Then what followed was the "Matttha" - a spiced up buttermilk which was like nirvana. We couldn't refrain from having repeat servings of the same as it was just too contagious.

And on to the starter section we were first given the "Peruchi Dahyati Koshimbir"  - A Guava based curd salad which had a very nice taste and then the "Papad kozhimbir" which were crushed papads with a few veggies. It was crispy and a decent snack but however felt a bit too briny. Then we had the "Mini Matar karanji" - a peas based patty and the "Surnaache Kaap" - a yum preparation, both of which were exquisite. And next was the turn of the evergreen Sabudana Vada made from Tapioca roots and it was mind blowing to say the least. This was the only known Maharashtrian dish I've tried my hand at before but whatever I had here was just superlative and went so well with the garlic curd chutney.

Mini Matar Karanji & Surnaache Kaap

Peruchi Dahyati Koshimbir

Sabudana Vada

Peruchi Dahyati Koshimbir

      

After our tryst with the starters, we were given the "Thalipeeth" - a dosa/pesarat kind of dish to eat along with the "Vaangyache Dahyatle Bhareet" - a brinjal in a whitened curd avatar and it was sensational. Seldom have I liked Brinjal so much but this was in a league of its own. Then we moved on to "Jowar/Bhajra Bakri" - millet based roti's to go along with "Kelpulachi Bhaaji" - Banana blossom in a buttermilk paste which was delectable. Also we got to sample rice with chilli's and crushed paruppu vada for company along with a few condiments.

We rounded off dinner with desserts in the form of "Chirote" - a sugary sweetened round thingy and the "Piyush" - an ornated shrikhand with nuts, pista and badam which resulted in being the perfect foil to end a highly satisfactory meal.













The food really lived up to expectations and was unanimously liked by all of us. There were some items bearing an eerie resemblances to certain dishes from down south which is understandable as food has a history of being passed down the ages with different regions and communities adding their own flavoring and touch in line with the nativity and tradition. It was quite an exhilarating experience getting to savour heirloom cuisine brought down from an unchartered territory like Maharashtra especially for South Indian folks like us who are not aware of the vastness of the spread. It was also educative to learn about the history of the cuisine which has evolved over time and how it has gotten passed on from generation to generation.

The service was exemplary with each dish explained to us in detail with interesting snippets thrown in. The orderliness and time between each of the items was also just about fine. They were really hospitable and acceding to all our requests and it seriously felt pleasant to dine here. The rates are hard to comment as we were on invite but on a cursory glance at the menu, the pricing seemed par for the course considering the diversity, location, spread and ambiance. Parking is not an issue as there is abundant space available.

The montage has come out really well and one cannot but appreciate the intricacies and detailing gone in to making the place what it is. Kudos for not going the usual tried and tested path and instead coming out with a trademark of their own. They are unique and clearly distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack. It also paves the way for the city to open its arms for similar dynamic ventures going forward. Also they score heavily on the requisite factors - interiors, the architectural design, the overall feel of the surroundings and the most paramount of all - the food.

You cannot brand Meena Tai as just another restaurant. It's much beyond that and one should experience it to really appreciate it. Come to Meena Tai's to devour home food of your neighbourhood communities and regions made with a lot of heart and passion.