Pick the fish at Sage and Salt, an all-day diner at the newly launched Four Points by Sheraton in Velachery. Punctuated with various shades of refreshing aquamarine blue, the restaurant has been buzzing since it launched says Chef Dinesh Kumar, who leads the kitchen team here.
Located in a coastal city, there is no shortage of fresh seafood, and Chef Dinesh takes full advantage of this by showcasing a variety of seafood preparations in the buffet. Do not miss the chilled seafood counter, where poached lobsters and jumbo prawns are served with six types of dressings such as Basil mayo, Romesco, Lemon butter sauce, Red wine dressing, Tartar sauce and Balsamic dressing .
Mirappakaya Kodi
Besides a mix of Continental, North Indian, Asian, and South Indian specialties, the buffet includes an assortment of either mezze or Mexican platters (served daily), along with two variations of biryani: mutton biryani made with basmati rice and chicken biryani made with seeraga samba rice.
We order the Five Herbs Meen Varuval (fish fry) from the a la carte menu. Glimmering in butter and sprinkled with fresh herbs like mint, coriander, curry leaves, sage, and basil, the Sea Bass fillet is perfectly pan seared, falling apart with a pleasing flakiness. “We focus on herbs from across India and experiment with different types of salt, incorporating at least one herb in every dish,” Chef Dinesh says, discussing how he curated the menu.
Ghee infused Podi kuzhipaniyaram at Sage and Salt
Mirappakaya kodi, comprising tender boneless chunks of chicken sautéed with crushed red chili, green chili, minced ginger, and garlic in ghee and gingelly oil, is a bestseller at the restaurant. Crushed black pepper and fennel are sprinkled over the top, while the dominant aroma of curry leaves adds a delightful fragrance to the dish.
We also order prawns that are deep-fried and tossed in Schezwan pepper and crushed red chili, resulting in a spicy, delightful dish, and the stirfried Royyalu Iguru — an Andhra-style semi-dry prawn stir-fry— featuring tiger prawns slow-cooked on a tawa with onion, tomato, ginger-garlic paste, and chili.
Orzo Shrimp Aglio Olio
Chef Dinesh emphasises his focus on hyper-local and regionally sourced ingredients. Determined to promote South Indian cuisine, he has set up live counters serving up local favourites like adai smeared with thogayal, idiyappam, dosa, and appams.
We also explore the vegetarian side of the menu, ordering malai paneer and kothamir vada on the table. The podi-tossed kuzhipaniyaram, recommended by the chef, is an addictive blend of spongy batter crisped up with gree and crunchy idli podi, served with coconut chutney.
Pistachio Cheesecake,
For the mains, we chose the Orzo shrimp aglio olio, a rice-shaped pasta made from wheat. As the aroma of biryani from the buffet wafts through the air, we cannot resist trying the well-balanced, boldly flavoured chicken seeraga samba biryani.
For dessert there is a beautifully styled pistachio cheesecake, topped with a delicate rose soufflé and rose petal purée. We also sample their popular Nizam Ki Nazakad, decadent dessert consisting of layers of gulab jamun and sweet boondi that is baked, and then doused in rabadi before being garnished with rose petals, saffron, and nuts. This dessert is chewy in texture and satisfying, with layers of caramelised sweetness, crunch from the toasted nuts, and a hint of warm spices.
Sage and Salt is at Four Points by Sheraton Chennai, Tambaram Main Road, Velachery. 6:30 am-10:30 am, 12:30 pm-3:00 pm & 7:00 pm-11:00 pm. Cost for two is approximately ₹2,500. For reservations, call 8925887804
Sage and Salt, at Four Points By Sheraton, Velachery
Published – February 05, 2025 02:48 pm IST