Yes, we all know an invitation from the jail is the last thing you would want to accept! But it is the Melting pot restaurant of the Poppy’s Hotel all set to imprison you for a unique dining experience! We warn you there is no bail here even though an intimidating arch captioned ’The Central Jail’ may not be your idea of walking through for entering a hotel lobby. It can also be a bit disconcerting to find prison gates allowing you entry into the dining area done up as what is a neat resemblance to prison cells. To add to the atmosphere, waiters dressed as convicts and jailors greet you and handcuffs hang from dimly-lit cells. The feeling is difficult to describe till you experience it yourself!
“Theme dining is not uncommon,” V. Arul Murugan, vice president, Poppy’s group of hotels, thankfully intervenes. “Each time we plan a food festival, we give much importance to the ambience as well,” he says assuring the food of course will be a pleasant surprise matching the concept of the festival.
It takes a while to get in sync with the concept dining – in this case the whole idea of sitting inside a jail!
A waiter wearing a lungi and a striped shirt comes with the welcome drink ‘Neer More’ (butter milk) and ‘Inji Karuppati Paanagam’, that contains ginger, palm jaggery and tamarind pulp. Even as I sip my drink, my eyes remain focussed on the aluminium plate and a tumbler on the table. Before my imagination takes wings, the general manager N.Saravana Kumar assures the utensils are only for display and asks for the ‘Kalavai satham’ (mixed variety rice) and the Mango satham on my table. These two dishes have been specially included to bring authenticity to the theme-based menu, I am told. I am much relieved when shown the regular vegetarian and non-vegetarian spread for the meal.
‘Kaithi Kannayiram’ mutton dum biryani (remember the popular Tamil movie of yesteryears), Punjabi Jail Murgh, Prison Thai banana leaf fish are some of the non vegetarian delicacies for the main course. These are no special dishes, just that the terms associated with jail have been added to the names to suit the occasion.
“For instance the Italian Jail Pasta is nothing but pasta preparation in Arrabiata sauce,” points out Executive Chef B. Sakthivel. ,
The Nandu roast sets the tongue on fire. In the vegetarian section, Kondapur Jail Potato Mirchi Masala (a dry preparation with potato and capsicum), Sirai Salai Kaikari Khorma (mixed vegetables cooked in yellow gravy) and the Dragon Jail Noodles (noodles prepared with capsicum and vegetable) stand out.
To neutralise the effects of spicy food, the menu also has Paal Satham (Double boiled rice mashed and well mixed with milk with cardamom for flavour).
This festival is more for curiosity and effect. The food is not bad either. Children have fun as they play hide and seek with the ‘convicts and jailors’ (read waiters). Caricature artist M.A. Thangaraj Pandian waits at the entrance to draw your portrait as a prisoner. There is a ‘Selfie Zone’ where you can take photographs dressed like a prisoner. The entire experience at the food festival is wee bit surreal.
The buffet is available on weekends at Rs.499 plus Tax per adult and Rs.399 plus Tax for a child. On weekdays, there is only a la carte. For enquiries and reservations, call 9597920111
