‘Mediterranean cuisine’ is one of those umbrella terms that mean everything and nothing at the same time. Spanning three continents, Europe, Africa, and Asia, with over 25 nations between them, each with a claim to a piece of the Mediterranean Sea, the cuisine of these lands ranges from the bruschetta of Italian streets to the dry breads of Arabian deserts. At the newly-opened, mediterranean fine dining restaurant, Lavash, you’re welcome to hop countries on your palate, for there’s something to please everyone.
The menu opens with a selection of hot and cold ‘mezze’ platters - the Turkish term for appetizers. There’s the whole host of usual suspects for cold dips - creamy, cold hummus, roasted eggplant muttabal and baba ganoush - with hot deep-fried cheese sambousek (essentially a samosa filled with melted cheese), fish fingers and chilli-paste marinated chicken wings. But things get interesting with the muhammara - a blend of red chillies, walnuts and peppers - with that unexpected dash of spice meant to be savoured all on its own. You could always sample this though, with some lovely kibbeh, a shell of minced lamb and bulgur, filled with more minced lamb and nuts. The stunner in this section though, is the dolmades. A starter served often in Turkey and Greece, dolmades are rice and chopped herbs wrapped in vine leaves and dipped in lemon broth. It’s the burst of strange textures and odd flavours that combine to surprise you.
Chef Muneer Mangalan, who conceptualised Lavash’s offerings, revels in these surprises. With 15 years spent with Asian and European chefs in West Asia, and a stint in Africa, Muneer brings to the table the travel stories, literature, history and anecdotes behind his food. Dolmades, for instance, are apparently served hot when minced meat is rolled into them but cold when they’re vegetarian. His great grouse though is that diners often mistake Mediterranean cuisine for just Arabian staples. “Of course we have the shawarmas and grills, but we also have snappers with pont neuf potatoes from France, falafel from Egypt, pizzas and pastas from Italy and much else because that’s the complete range of Mediterranean cuisine,” he says. What saves Lavash from being another run-of-the-mill multi-cuisine restaurant are Muneer’s surprises. Tomato soup, for instance, arrives in a glass topped with parmesan foam, served on a wooden log with focaccia crust and olive tapenade.
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For the main course, we’re served tiger prawns marinated in chermoula (a mix of parsley, garlic, chilli, and coriander) with chewy gnocchi. And since there’s no polite way to ease this gentle meat out of its shell, here’s where you ditch fine dining manners and get down and dirty with your hands, for the trade-off’s worth it. Shish taouk, charcoal grilled, arrives next and its mild olive oil, garlic and pepper marinade may surprise you for a dish that looks this fiery, but Muneer is quick to remind you, “This isn’t Indian chicken tikka, my friend.” Our meal closes with Lavash’s lava chocolate cake that takes a while to arrive for Muneer says its baked exactly 12 minutes in the oven from the moment of order, for the chocolate to ooze out just right. And boy, is it a good surprise!
Lavash, Oyster, 3rd floor, 9 Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai 600 006. Phone : 4214 1144.