Apr 12, 2009 10:58 AM
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Finally a restaurant that proves that there is more to South Indian Cuisine than dosa, idli and fire hot Andhra dishes.
Take it from me as a Swiss gal living in India what I came to discover with most popular restaurants is that they all end up tasting the same in the end. Bon South Stand apart in many many ways.
First the Ambience, sure it spells posh all the way, but this is a fine dining restaurant, and it's nice to see one of those that dared to break the cliche of the over ethnic look. The minute you step in you are taken in a minimalist decor, toned light, soft music and trust me it makes for a relaxing meal ahead of you.
The staff is courteous, discreet, helpful and fast in their service. And I loved the complimentary square bits of papads they bring along with the menu, and their coconut chutney was the best I tasted, hubby and I even asked for a refill of that one, which we got promptly.
The Drink menu is by far the BEST I ever saw, an extensive wine selection, a choice of imported beer that goes beyond Foster, and a cocktail list that dares going past the Bloody Mary and Daikiri. That day however I chose a mocktail which was cheaper than in other places I went and very good tasting. Still knowing that there is a place where you can if your wallet allows it indulge into some fine wines and spirits is something not to overlook.
The food menu was very original, and I loved the fact that they made different section according to the location : Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a good idea if you want to narrow it to a specific region. As a starter hubby and I took a coconut chicken dish which was moderately spicy, our friend took a hot and spicy vegetable dish.
Both dishes had very distinct flavour and it was such a pleasure to dig my teeth in something that din;t get doused in the standard chilli masala mix that put your mouth on fire and leave you wondering what on earth was beneath the spice, there the vegetables still tasted like vegetables and the chicken had a very distinct chicken flavour.
The feast didn't stop there, for the main course, I decided to give Andhra cuisine another try, and picked out a Chicken dish that came in a cashew gravy flavoured with pepper, wondering if it would be as hot as all the other andhra food dish I ever tasted in the past. On the side I decided to opt for crap appams. When the food arrived I was floored, the chicken was practically melting in your mouth from being so tender and soft, the gravy was velvety and thick, and it was indeed flavoured with pepper, no chilli to mask other subtle flavours. That's one andha dish that didn't have me call the fire department and guzzle down water glasses after water glasses in a vain effort to tame the inferno in my mouth. Appams too had a very nice crab taste, and what I particularly liked is that despite the menu saying one serving has 2 appams they bring you only one at first, letting you the time to finish it and then bring the second one the minute you are done with the first, so that you won't have to deal with a mushy half cold appam in your plate and enjoy your food better.
We were too full for deserts, but we did take coffee and tea to close the meal, served South Indian style in stainless steel goblets (elegant ones), I wasn't up to the challenge of mixing the sugar in my tea by pouring the tea back and forth from one cup to the other, so I asked the waiter to help me there, and they promptly obliged creating a sweet foamy tea that was just what I needed to finish an overall excellent meal.
The bill was quite obviously high, but considering the quality of the food and the service, trust me I felt more ripped off in those 5 star hotels where the only thing that is up to the mark is the brand name and decor. And I paid more more for a crappy prawn dish and beer bottle in the park once that we paid for 3 in Bon South.
So if you decide to give Bon South a try, very well know that this is one of the few place I would label as a gastronomic Indian restaurant, that you will pay for the quality and that it is definitely not a place you will visit regularly, but that's one to keep in mind for a special occasion indeed.
And I will finish the review by mentioning their last nice touch. Upon stepping out of the restaurant, we were greeted by a complimentary tray of paan, and ladies were offered a small cute potted plant to take back home. Mine still sits on the TV and I keep thinking they could not have thought of a better way to advertise their restaurant, the name and the website of the place is written on the pot with a small poem, and it sure stayed in my home longer than any business card I've been offered.
