Review: The new menu at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid- Mumbai

When South of Vindhyas at The Orchid, Mumbai celebrates its 15th birthday with a new menu, one should surrender to the temptation. And that is what we did. The restaurant that serves authentic coastal cuisine from the four southern states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka is one of the first South Indian specialty restaurant in Mumbai. Wicked Spoon Confessions was invited to relish the new menu that promised some new and delightful additions to the menu....and we relished and how J

The restaurant draped in traditional finery always reminds us of a decked up home in Southern India, ready to welcome guests. 

The beautiful traditional interiors at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

A homely feel and soothing live music are the highlights of the authentic dining experience one enjoys here. Traditional lamps, rangoli patterns and fresh flowers add to the décor. But we saw something new this time-a “Catch of the Day” section that showcased fresh seafood ready to be relished as a starter or a main course dish as per choice.

Catch of the Day at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

The New Menu:

We settled down and started exploring the new menu right away. The delectable aromas that waft from the kitchen will make you do so. J  After a rose water hand wash, we ordered chicken rasam – a delicious chicken stock preparation flavored with distinct taste of peppercorns, fennel and cumin seeds and not too spicy.

Chicken rasam at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

Next we tried non-vegetarian starters- Yeti sukkhe – a delicious and spicy prawn preparation, Meen varuval- masala tawa fish fry, pepper chicken- a dry and spicy chicken starter with fresh peppercorns.  Since my foodie friend wanted to try a vegetarian starter as well we sampled Khara paniyaram- fried rice fitters served with delicious coconut chutney.

Pepper chicken at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

Meen varuval at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

Khara paniyaram at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

As we waited for the main course, beautiful strains of the sitar helped us relax. A hot and fluffy appam perfectly complemented the three main course gravies we tried. The pachakari stew- seasonal vegetables made in creamy coconut milk broth, Meen moilee- fish prepared in coconut milk and Kozhi nadan curry- a traditional chicken curry were well balanced, fresh flavored and surprisingly light. After we devoured the appam we also tried the gravies with Malabari parota and kal dosa- a spongy dosa variety.

The main course dishes from the new menu at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

By now, our taste buds were craving something sweet!! Along came the sweet and cold rose petal ice cream and hot pazham pori- banana fritters a favorite tea time snack across South India. 

Rose petal ice cream and pazham pori at South of Vindhyas, The Orchid

The play of the hot and cold left us satiated and we finished our delicious meal with paan- a delectable mouth freshener known for its digestive properties.

Verdict:

For 15 long years, Master Chef Bala Subramanian and his able staff have delighted patrons with diverse flavors and delicacies from the southern coastal states of India and it continues with the new menu. We loved the live appam trolley that serves soft and fluffy appams, the homemade pickle trolley, fresh seafood and a creative twist to the authentic dishes. The authentic spices add to the flavors of the vast dishes served here. A must visit dining experience with family or guests that want to savor novel southern delicacies. Patrons can choose an a la carte experience to sample the new menu. The restaurant provides valet parking.

Where:

South of Vindhyas,

The Orchid,

Adjacent to domestic airport,

Vile Parle (east)

Mumbai- 400099

Timings: lunch (12.00 to 3 pm) dinner (7 pm to 11.45 pm)

Call: 022- 26164040​