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Heard a lot about Avartana restaurant about its progressive South Indian cuisine. The food here is served as testing menus (you can always repeat the dish you liked).
If you are curious of Avartana menu prices then here is the answer. There are five fixed menus starting from 2000 INR and goes up to 4500 INR plus tax for single pax. It includes vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu items based on the preference. The restaurant is operational from 7 PM and takes the last order at 11 PM.
Avartana is one of the seven famous restaurants of ITC Grand Chola hotel and it is renowned for its innovative preparations.
Above image is of the grand lobby leading towards Avartana restaurant.
While you enter the restaurant, on the right side of the entry, you will see all 5 menus on display to choose from.
This lavish and beautifully decorated entrance is a treat to guests to get the grand feeling of the ambiance.
Also see: A sneak peek into glory of ITC Grand Chola. An experience from a week's stay here
Best Time To Visit
Recommended is dinner time because this restaurant is open only after 7pm until 11pm. Prior bookings are highly recommended.
Places visited
There are 5 varieties of menus on offer. The starting menu price was 2000 INR + taxes. The price looks obviously on higher side but looking at the restaurant located in ITC Grand Chola and the way restaurant serves a completely innovative menu, this price seems worth a try.
The highest menus on offer is at 4500 INR plus tax. Well, I went for the starting menu with vegetarian dishes called Maya, the mystical.
This menu serves 7 varieties which comprise of 1 appetizer, 3 starters, 2 main courses and one dessert. They end your menu with their grand finale dish - a mystical pan - the eighth variety (a bonus one)
I am posting clicks of all the dishes which I was able to test in the order mentioned in the menu image.
0. Extra item outside the menu - cucumber kick starter
1. Drumstick rasam with idiyappam and dehydrated vegetables. ( 5/5 - best rasam I had ever despite I am not a big rasam fan)
2. Crispy chili potato with buttermilk sphere to burst while you eat. (5/5 - for taste and innovative buttermilk sphere concept)
3. Pumpkin and peanut dumpling with coconut and green chili chutney. (5/5 - sumptuous taste )
4. Asparagus and coconut stew with turmeric coconut cream and idiyappam. (4/5 - tasty, creamy and healthy)
5. Jackfruit and vegetable conjee with aubergine yogurt. (5/5 - the size of portion, taste and the preparation was just apt)
6. Sago yogurt with tamarind and dried berry sauce. (5/5 - taste was surely just apt but extra points for the innovative presentation.)
7. A perfect dessert to end the meal with a bird's nest effect. No wonder each part of this preparation is edible apart from the plate :-) (5/5 - without any doubt for the presentation. The ice-cream and the decorative elements were complementing each while eating)
7.1 Repeat order of the dessert, but I wanted without vermicelli used for the nest effect.
8. Grand finale dish - the pan with chilled pan and gulkand puree. While taking the dish to your table they use dry ice to make the presentation mesmerizing (4/5 - for presentation and the awesome taste)
9. A complimentary dish from the crew: Jasmine milk (5/5 - due to the fragrance not only felt by my nose but the aroma can be experienced while sipping it too, just awesome)
Some clicks of the ambiance of this grand restaurant.
As conclusion - This restaurant not only got innovation with the food and the vibrant ambience, it got the crew who will make the experience even grander with their fabulous hospitality.
From left to right - Manopriya, Alam, (hopping myself), Anup (restaurant in-charge) and Ellora were just fabulous hosts.
Transportation
I visited Avartana restaurant while my stay at ITC Grand Chola hotel, so it was matter of walking to the restaurant from my hotel room.
Well it has very good proximity from Chennai international and domestic airport. It is located near very famous Guindy circle on little mount road.
** Comment back if you like the details and even if this needs any edits **
Pro-tips
Only one tip - Go here with patience because there is a bit of waiting between two dishes and the portion sizes are pretty small - by design.