This menu pairs classical tunes with forgotten dishes

For instance, musicians will perform live with instruments veena and tabla for a menu (served till November 28) that includes a traditional Iyer-style feast, and violin and tabla will be played for another menu (served from November 29 to December 5) that attempts to evoke nostalgia with forgotten dishes. Mandolin and flute will be used to play melodies alongside a menu (served from December 6 to 12) that will highlight dishes from the different ethnicities of south India. And lastly, ghatam will accompany a menu (served from December 13 to 15) which heroes dishes from villages.

“We wanted to bring forth lost recipes, dishes from villages and traditional foods and serve them along with fitting music,” said chef Vijayakumar G, who curated the menus. As he served up tamalapaku bajji (betel leaf fritters), a lost recipe from Andhra Pradesh, the sounds of musical anklets and flute played by musician Stanley kept us company. The Pallipalayam kozhi vathakkal, a rustic dish of chicken sautéed with red chillies, shallots and coconut served next is reminiscent of flavours from the rural parts of the state.

“I’ve consulted many family members from my hometown in search of lost recipes to curate the menus. A total of 50 recipes have been chosen to fit the four themed menus,” he adds. A total of 10 musicians will be taking the stage in turns at the restaurant throughout the fest. If one wants to be reminded of grandma’s brinjal kothsu, he or she should try the kathirikai kosumalli. The nostalgic dish uses only roasted eggplant pulp, sesame oil, tamarind and tomatoes, but comes together as one to bring back memories. Or the manchati meen mangai kuzhambu, a tangy fish and mango gravy cooked in clay pot, to be transported to a village hut.

There are also desserts like kuzhiyadichaan arisi payasam (ancient paddy rice cooked with milk, palm jaggery), kavuniarisi (black rice) payasam and akkara adisil (rice and lentil pudding), which takes over two hours for cooking rice.  The fest is on for lunch and dinner at Dakshin, Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park till December 15.