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On the southern edge of Leander, a restaurant is serving up authentic flavors from Chettinad, a region of South India with a rich history of spice trading.
House of Chettinad offers a restaurant and bar managed by executive chef and founder Mahendran Gunasekaran, whose professional career spans decades and continents.
What they offer
Gunasekaran said Chettinad’s flavors are set apart by the “bold” mixture of spices, owing to the influence of the spice trade on the region.
For those seeking a classic experience of cuisine from Chettinad, Gunasekaran said the Varuthu Aracha Kari is a “very authentic and very mild spice” dish passed down through his family.
The mutton-based dishes, which feature meat imported from an Australian slaughterhouse, are among the most popular dishes, Gunasekaran said. All the meat in the restaurant is halal.
For the pescatarian, Tawa Fish Fry features fresh barramundi, or Asian sea bass, cooked in a house marinade. Meanwhile those seeking a dish with a sweeter profile can try the tikka masala, which Gunasekaran said is popular with children.
The Kavuni Arisi Cloud rice pudding, which is traditionally eaten upon auspicious days, is made from a kind of rice Gunasekaran said was historically only eaten by royalty. Rather than being made from basmati rice like many other dishes, this pudding is made from a darker Asian wild rice.
In addition to its main fares, House of Chettinad also offers dosas, a savory crepe-like bread, and idlis, a small cake made usually of rice and lentils.
The context
While head chef Gunasekaran is from Tamil Nadu, his cooking skills took him around the world.
After attaining a diploma in culinary arts, he began working in Chennai before moving to Dubai. In the Middle East, he worked at the InterContinental where he worked with all kinds of cuisines with a speciality in steakhouses.
After spending two and a half years in Dubai, Gunasekaran worked with fine dining chefs in Banff, Canada, before serving as the executive chef on oil rigs in northern Canada.
“I always had that dream that when I come out of this corporate structure, when I open something on my own, I want to do something where I come from,” Gunasekaran said.
After spending time in Canada, Gunasekaran moved to Seattle, where he worked for a fine dining establishment specializing in Chettinadi cooking, where Gunasekaran was surprised to learn of the popularity of the cuisine.
“Only people who grew up there, they know,” Gunasekaran said. “Lot of chefs, they know it by reading a book because the cuisine is not at the restaurant, it's only at everyone's home, so it's very hard to learn that.”
In Seattle, Gunasekaran decided to strike out on his own and opened his own operation. Although his business only had capacity for 40 orders a day, they were routinely hitting 150 orders a day.
Diving in deeper
Among the mainstays of spices are star anise, cloves, black pepper, and sun-dried dried chilies.
Gunasekaran also highlighted more unique ingredients, like the dried fungi kalpasi, which has similar notes to cinnamon. Other classic South Indian ingredients include coconut and white poppy. Additionally, he noted that each curry has its own unique combination of spices and cooking techniques.
For example, tamarind, fenugreek, chili powder and coriander are key components of fish curry while recipes for mutton may emphasize other ingredients.
One key trick from Chettinad cuisine is adding the spices into dishes once the oil is heated rather than adding it afterward.
Gunasekaran also said the restaurant does not use artificial colorants to bring out the color of its dishes. Instead, they rely on ingredients such as Kashmiri chili, saffron or tomatoes to give each dish a vivid color.
One more thing
Beyond the restaurant, Gunasekaran highlighted House of Chettinad’s unique bar, which has drinks paired for various dishes. A professional mixologist and professional barista help prepare drinks and in-house coffee.
While the bar has a distinct mocktail menu, any drink from the cocktail can be made nonalcoholic.
In terms of drinks, the restaurant’s most popular drinks include the gin-based currytini, the blackberry-infused ginger bomb and the rum-based jungle bird. The restaurant also features wine from Kalasi Cellars, a Fredericksburg-based winery.
"We want to support the local winery," Gunasekaran said. “So we found very amazing, high-quality wine.”
Beyond the restaurant, the business also offers catering for special events.
