Visesham redefines fine dining in Chennai with traditional South Indian flavours

Chennai is constantly expanding its culinary horizon and competing with established metros like Mumbai and Bengaluru. With international cuisines to a variety of pushkarts, the city is upping its game. However, there is still a gap to be filled in terms of standalone fine-diners. Arivarasu, along with his partner Madhavan, is aiming to bridge that gap with Visesham, a new fine-dining restaurant.

Located on the bustling lanes of Nandanam, the diner’s foundation leans on the five south states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Arivarasu, who has been in the industry for the past three decades, has meticulously curated each and every corner of the restaurant, starting from the cutlery to the flavours of the dishes. “I have been working on building this diner for the past five years. The menu will feature all the classic and traditional dishes of each state,” he says.

The menu brings together the warmth of Tamil Nadu’s home-style kitchens, Kerala’s coastal aromas, Karnataka’s royal staples, and the fiery flavours of Andhra and Telangana, all in an easy palette. “With an easy palette, we wish to cater to people from all age groups and should be digestive-friendly,” adds the co-founder. As he rightly says, we could also see many senior citizens relishing the food with their families.

Talking about the food scene in Chennai, Arivarasu shares, “Yes, definitely the culinary landscape is growing. But we miss out on the experience-based food concept. Now, food is not just for taste. It is viewed as an experience. And, restaurants take extra care to offer a unique experience to the diners. We also try to give a royal dining experience to our guests, which makes us stand out.”

For the cutlery, the founders have traveled to various countries and states to get what they want. And, each of their travel is reflected in the brass cutlery.

Now, coming to dishes, we love the peppery crab and naatu kozhi soup. Not to miss, the annachi palam soup is also quite unique. For the appetisers, the vaazhaipoo cutlet, scrumptious chicken tikka, mutton chukka, calamari fry and grilled prawn are perfect to-the-tee. The green chicken didn’t convince us like the other dishes.

The accompaniments, which are different kinds of pickles like lamb, prawn, fish, gongura, garlic and more, are a must-try. The gravies for parotta and idiyappam, like veg stew, mutton stew, chettinad chicken and Allepey fish curry, are mind-blowing. Especially, the creaminess of mutton stew wins our hearts. They also have great briyanis, and we end the feast with classic curd rice.

All these dishes will come under different virundhu options on the menu. Among the desserts, the palada payasam and paan ice cream are top-notch and apt for a sweet tooth.

Most importantly, the beverages are the silent heroes with great innovation. The vetti ver sarbath, pazharasam and karumbu have unique flavour profiles.

A meal for two people at Visesham, Nandanam, is approximately Rs 3,000, and it offers a vibrant ambience designed with traditional motifs, warm lighting, and lotus-inspired decor.