Get A Taste of Thailand With The New Menu at Lotus

In Chennai, Lotus at the Park Chennai has been eponymous with great Thai food. And after building such a strong brand for themselves, it’s clear that even when they make a change and introduce something new into the normal course of things, people are going to love it.

This week, Lotus launched a brand new menu with lots of new dishes for food lovers to try out. From a vast selection of vegetarian dishes to seafood, chicken and lamb, there’s a lot to try out. But you should really show up with an empty stomach and make the most of the spread they have, which also includes delicious cocktails and mocktails to choose from.

Chef Ashutosh Nerlekar greeted us at the restaurant and gave us a great taste for Thailand, all the while stuffing us happily with delicious food.

to begin with

One might consider these the best and the worst kind of starters, but they were delicious. The combination of Prawn and Garlic Wafers served with three different kinds of sauces is enough to make your mouth water. Crisp and spicy, this was a great start to the meal.

You’ve got to beat the summer heat somehow and that’s possible thanks to the Sugarcane Juice, which had hints of ginger giving it a tang, and the Watermelon Juice, which is always a winner when it comes to summer drinks.

the starters

Perfect for vegetarians, the Crisp Lotus Root was covered in a tangy sauce that balanced out the crunchiness of the root. And like with all Thai food, the hint of sweetness was there, that made it a little more interesting than it would have been otherwise.

Don’t be frightened by the colour of the fish, it’s just been grilled and roasted in seasame seeds, so that it’s coated that way. But once you cut into the fish, it is well cooked and tasty.

This was a great dish, because how can you go wrong when you mix chicken, chili paste and roasted cashew? You can’t and this dish was perfect in every way. Whether eaten alone or with rice, it’s perfect the way it is.

Those like me, who have never eaten Edamame before, this is a good place to start. They are immature soybeans still in the pod and cooked and spiced. You suck the beans out and eat them, leaving the skin of the pod as it is. 

Glass noodles are a very popular Thai accompaniment, so served with prawn it’s a perfect starter. Unlike everything else, it’s like a salad, so it’s a cold dish, which doesn’t take away from the deliciousness of the dish at all.

and the main course goes to…

Most people will know of Thai food comprising of two coloured curries and that was exactly what we were served. A Green Vegetable Curry and a Red Chicken Curry, served along with a bowl of Jasmine Rice makes for a very delicious meal. But that’s not all!

If you’re a fan of seafood, then this is a definite must try. A delicious prawn gravy with the perfect blend of spice and sweet also goes really well with Jasmine Rice. And if you’re not a non-vegetarian (or seafood is just not your cup of tea)…

Beans, mushrooms, cashews and a whole lot more in a delicious sauce is what one would refer to as “the works”. 

Lotus is located in the lobby, beside Six ‘O’ One at The Park Chennai, which is located in Nungambakkam, close to the Gemini Flyover. Call 044 4267 6000 for reservations and other information.