Go on a Pan-Indian culinary journey across 23 states in Chennai at Parva

Chef Arupam Baidya is simply a storyteller, and his menu, the tale. 

At Parva, a caller pan-Indian edifice connected OMR, helium attempts to bring unneurotic dishes from 23 Indian states nether 1 roof. The effect is simply a paper that moves good beyond the acquainted food chicken-and-biryani formula, inviting diners to research lesser-known determination cuisines without leaving Chennai.

“Most Indian restaurants service Mughlai and Punjabi cuisine predominantly. I person travelled astir India rather a batch and person eaten from each State. The thought to unfastened an Indian edifice has ever been connected my mind, truthful I thought wherefore can’t we bring everything to 1 place,” says cook Arupam. 

Drawing from his travels and involvement successful nutrient culture, helium has brought unneurotic dishes from states specified arsenic West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, among others. The edifice caters to a increasing IT assemblage of radical from crossed the state who often find themselves missing the flavours of home. “I utilized to tally a tiny catering concern erstwhile I lived successful this country and would often get requests for nutrient from antithetic states,” says cook arsenic a chilled aam pora shorbot is acceptable successful beforehand of me.

Given Chennai’s heat, the charred earthy mango drink, with cumin and achromatic salt, makes for a refreshing commencement to the meal. We statesman with Uttar Pradesh’s palak patta chaat, which indispensable beryllium eaten instantly lest the crisp spinach leaves soak up the chutneys and yogurt, and crook soggy. Chhattisgarh’s bafauri, steamed chana dal dumplings tossed successful a flavourful tempering and served with a caller greenish chutney, offers a delightful alteration of gait from the accustomed paneer tikka that dominates galore starter menus.

Another standout was the food kabiraji, a classical from Anglo-Bengali cuisine. The food itself is delicately cooked, but it is the intricate lacy ovum nett wrapped astir it that steals the show. The prawn ghee roast is affluent and indulgent, layered with spices that marque you spell backmost for much and pairs good with the dizzyingly saccharine bel sharbat made from wood-apples. 

For those who are inactive capable to tummy crockery this summer, the herb saar and the yakhni shorba are some airy and flavourful. While the tandoori conception is mostly populated with chickenhearted successful antithetic styles, the mutton barra kebab is aromatic and spiced successful the close measure. 

A repast astatine Parva is simply a acquisition successful nutrient past and culture. Chef Arupam explains the past down the chickenhearted dak bungalow, an Anglo-Indian delicacy that is said to person been cooked successful station offices (dak ghar) when British officers travelled with mail. It is simply a delicate, lightly spiced crockery that the British erstwhile enjoyed, and present truthful bash those with a little spice tolerance. He besides explains with interest, the past and travel of the bedmi poori. “It was called the travelling poori due to the fact that it was preferred to beryllium carried connected agelong journeys owed to its longer support life,” helium says pushing the poori handbasket towards us, which has an assortment of six antithetic kinds of pooris from a kochuri, luchi, poori and more. 

The chena-r-dalna, a dumpling made with chena (ricotta) and simmered successful the regular herb based gravy; and the techa paneer gravy, which is dense with greenish chilli spice and peanuts, are some bully choices to spell with the moti pulao oregon immoderate of the breads consecutive from the tandoor. The flavours are familiar, yet distinct. 

Being a South Indian, ending the repast with curd is indispensable and the ace up Parva’s sleeve is the dahi jalebi, a cardinal Indian dessert operation of a syrupy saccharine piping blistery jalebi, served with a somewhat tangy chilled vessel of curd. Eaten together, it evokes nostalgia adjacent successful those trying it for the archetypal time. On the different hand, the achromatic atom kheer made with Manipur’s achromatic atom is nutty and intense. 

From dal bhaati churma and litti choka to achromatic til chickenhearted and Himachali rajma, Parva crosses State borders casually galore times crossed the paper and does it without putting connected a show. Though it is an indulgent repast that dapples successful acquainted flavours, proceeding the stories and however these flavours travel unneurotic is an experience. 

Parva is astatine Shop no.10, Shop successful a park, East Coast Road, Sea Cliff Conclave, Akkarai, Panaiyur. A repast for 2 costs ₹1,200.