Dishes from the Madras Presidency come alive in this new restaurant in Bengaluru

At the height of the British Empire, the erstwhile Madras Presidency comprised present-day Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, northern Kerala, and parts of Karnataka. The British clubbed these diverse regions together, and soon after they left, our current language States came into being. A new restaurant in Bengaluru is paying homage to the cuisine of the presidency with its menu. At Madras Kitchen in UB City, you can dine on Dindigul biryani from Tamil Nadu, Telengana’s mokkajona garelu, Travencore’s Kanava Peera and many more culinary gems from the region.

Interiors of Madras Kitchen

Madras Kitchen is part of the newly opened Marriott Executive Apartments Bengaluru UB City. The restaurant is located on the piazza level, home to many other restaurants such as Salt, Sanchez and Toscano. I walk in on a rainy evening and am welcomed by a tour of the space. The first floor is the restaurant tastefully done in rattan, red brick and brass accents. On the upper floor is the bar. A dark and cosy space with a well-stocked bar. The plush interiors make it feel intimate. Both the restaurant and bar are open to visitors and guests of the hotel.

The cocktails

The drinks menu pays homage to South India with its ingredients. Onam uppu is a drink made of white rum, Cointreau and ajwain seeds. By two highball is themed around the concept of having your filter coffee “by two”. It is made of filter coffee reduction, jaggery syrup and whisky. My favourite drink of the evening is one called Bangalore Rains. It is a refreshing concotion of Tequila, green chilli, lime juice and curry leaf. The curry leaf and chilli combination gives it a punch.

Pogabettina Mettani Vankaya (smoked aubergine) with a crusty thatte idli
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Special arrangement

The food

I sample a selection of their small plates to begin with. Pogabettina mettani vankaya (smoked aubergine) with a crusty thatte idli is a textural delight. The aubergine serves as a dip to the crunchy idli, that is deep fried to give it a crispy exterior. The kappa cutlet is chewy, made with tapioca and spices. It is served with a beetroot chutney. Chromepet kozhi 65 is a spicy chicken dish, where the meat is marinated with spices such as cumin, chilli paste and black pepper. The crispy bite-sized pieces are paired with a curry leaf sour cream. Extra marks to Madras Kitchen for all the delicious dips and chutneys. The rava fried nethilis disappear from the table real quick.

Already full from the starters, we try a few bites from the main course options. The Dindigul biryani is made with authentic seeraga samba rice. The spices are on point. The urali mappas (baby potatoes) are served with flaky and buttery parottas. A must try is the pallateru mamsam, mutton cooked with poppy seeds and coconut.

The service is slow, but since I am there on day one, I hope it is a teething issue. The dishes and flavours make up for it. A must-visit especially for new visitors to Bengaluru or south India.

Cost for two ₹3,200. At UB City. For more details, call 9036054585