The Feast of the Gods – Dakshin’s Food and Wine Pairing
Recently I was invited by
Sheraton Park’s Chef Harish of the famed restaurant Dakshin to enjoy their food
and wine pairing. On only till the end of March I urge everyone to give this
very decadent experience a try. For me it was not just a great meal with
fantastic wine but a very educational experience on the tricky pairing of south
Indian food with the prefect wine. Normally one associates the more full bodied
heavy reds to complement our well spiced Indian food but boy was I pleasantly surprised…
there was not a single red wine to be seen through the meal!!
The entire experience is a
joint collaboration of the very charming Chef Harish and suave sommelier
extraordinaire Kadhir. Each dish that was put forth on the menu was carefully
thought out and the accompanying wine a perfect match. Click here for the non-vegetarian and
vegetarian menus of the food and wine pairing. It’s very obvious that this love
child of a menu has had a lot of thought and effort behind it. Click here for the complete menu.
Starting off with the food…
for me the crispy Keerai Vadai paired with the crisp refreshing Prosecco was a
stroke of genius. Despite being deep fried there is a lightness to the perfectly
seasoned and executed Keerai Vadai that is so synchronous with the Prosecco
that is not only beautiful to taste but also to look at. And yes… by now my
readers know that I love all things pretty!
There is a smooth
progression of the wine and food, which are always in perfect harmony. There
was never a moment when I felt something was out of sync which is key for a
successful food and wine pairing. Sommelier
Kadhir and Chef Harish have nailed to that element perfection! But at the same
time your palette is constantly challenged and exposed to new realms of flavor
pairings. The wine brings freshness
to a cuisine that is so ancient and complex.
The Nandu Puttu is a seafood lovers dream come true. The simplicity of the flavors is highlighted by the Prosecco (I’ll admit the Prosecco was my favorite of all the wines!). In Round two of the meal my dining companion loved the Kodi Vepudu and the Uralai Roast that were served with the flaky melt in your mouth Veechu Parotha. The Attukal Paya was good blast from the past with the ideal accompaniment of a lacy divine Idyappam. Whoever would’ve thought that a James Bond Smooth Riesling would accompany Kodi Vepudu and Attukal Paya?! And yes… Bond would have totally approved of the pairing too. :)
I must mention that the Riesling,
unlike most Rieslings , was barely dry and went down your palette very smoothly
with a nice burst of complimenting flavors. It was the right balance of not
being too smooth or too dry because if it was dry, it may not have worked with
the food served. This for me was a true stroke of genius.
Chef Harish explained how
the butterbeans balanced out the heat of the green chilies in the China Vengaya
Pacthmiligai Mandi. Surprisingly I loved drinking the Riesling while enjoying
the Mandi. Whoever would’ve thought that a gorgeous Riesling would be the
perfect accompaniment to the very traditional Mandi?!! I was quite dumbfounded!
Another dish apart from
the keerai vadai that stood out for me was the unusual Pomegranate Rice (Puli
madazhaoazham sadam). Chef Harish explained how the recipe is one that dates back
to a couple of centuries. I truly appreciate the effort and interest that Chef
Harish puts into the research and excavation of ancient and traditional recipes
which if not for people like him, may be lost to us forever. The Riesling surprisingly echoed the lime in the
pomegranate rice along with the sweetness of the pomegranate seeds. The dish
itself was an interesting combination of tart with bursts of sweetness as the
seeds exploded in your mouth. It’s definitely something that seemed easy and I
am looking forward to exploring in my own kitchen.
Meanwhile my companion had
lost herself in the much-loved Andhra Kodi Biriyani and barely acknowledged my presence
while digging in! Again I never would have paired a white wine with the spice
heavy Biriyani but Kadhir… thank you for broadening my horizons!
The dessert was a great
and fitting end to a lavish meal with the Vathalappam being the star of the
show. It’s amazing how complex a simple combination of eggs, palm sugar and
milk can become! The Badam Halwa was nicely done as it was the right amount of
sweetness as I’ve tasted some rather cloyingly sweet versions in the past.
The only part of the meal
that somehow did not stand out to me was the Bendakaya Thalimpu… which I guess
is okay since I think it was meant
to be a foil to the other dishes rather than a starring dish by itself.
The whole experience was
so relaxing and I kept thinking it’s the prefect way to celebrate a special
occasion or special day like Valentine’s Day (Hint hint hint to all you boyfriends
and husbands!) with a loved one. Kadhir mentioned that one of the reasons he
chose the effervescent proseco was because it was such a perfect drink to toast
too and to kick start a celebration! And indeed it was a celebration of senses
and flavors besides being educational at the same time (if only all my classes
had some wine thrown in!). I was
truly fortunate enough to experience this adventure and if you do venture out
to try this extraordinary experience loose yourself in the moment as the smooth
wine takes over lulling you to a state of bliss where the food just adds to the
feeling of headiness. Now having said that… what are you waiting for?
