It’s the place that put the sizzle into the salami, the panache into pizzas and re-invented Chennai’s Gemini Circle into the must-dine-at 601, The Park’s all-hour restaurant.
Everyone has a definitive 601 moment. Was it the time they dangled their buffet in plates attached to helium-filled balloons that floated up the high atrium ceiling while guests grabbed their dinner? Or was it when rasam was transformed by the magic of molecular gastronomy into wobbly balls of cold liquid to explode on the tongue?
When rumours floated across Chennai’s rain-battered roads that there was a new menu being tested at 601, we hot footed to the place. There are subtle changes in the décor. Everything is coming up white — the stunning flower arrangements, the minimalist steel trays filled with jasmine buds, the sparkling newly-buffed stairway to 601 and even the spiffy white cashmere wool jacket worn by Rajesh Radhakrishnan, who has taken over as Regional Director and Acting GM. Can’t swear it was cashmere, maybe it was lambs wool, but worn over a dark shirt, like one of the Italian dudes in the Godfather movies. It was certainly striking.
Now, as the French say: revenez aux moutons — back to the mutton; let’s get back to the food please. At first glance, there were signs of an imminent quinoa attack. The food mafia is in full organic mode this season. How much millet can a sedentary townie afford to consume I whine, whenever I come across dishes where these farmer-friendly grains — millet, bajra, oats, buckwheat and the dreaded quinoa — have been artfully concealed within the new-age salad leaves?
“It’s not that we are going organic all the way,” explains Radhakrishnan, “We are sourcing a lot of foods locally, especially the fish that forms the main course, which has been inspired by the landscape at Mammalapuram.”
The starters make the point brilliantly. There are tiny Vietnamese style fried spring rolls with succulent paneer tikka; spears of baked asparagus with a pale covering of parmesan flakes; tandoori glazed prawns curling in the heat; scallops wrapped with bacon beautifully presented on a platter with doodles of dark sauces. We quickly leap over the quinoa salad served in frilly lettuce cups, and the entrée of mushroom in pasta packages served with truffle cream, and dive straight into the main dish.
The Mammala bay is served on a slice of dark black stone, possible of volcanic origin, though someone whispers it’s actually from Mammalapuram. At the center is a mound of roasted fish — imitating some of the features of the coastline, there are also cherry tomatoes, olives, caper berries, olives, small mounds of baby potatoes and vegetables with fronds of dill and herbs.
The best is yet to come with the dessert platter. They call it a Phd in chocolate. It’s served in style with a flash of liquid nitrogen that sets the raspberry macaroons shivering, just like a line-up of the old dancing girls in a Gemini Studios movie. So, yes! 601 has re-invented itself in style.
Expect to pay Rs. 1500/- per head without taxes or liquor. For details, call
