Chennai:
Chennai's Birthday, the "Madras Day" celebration, is also an opportunity for many to explore and relish some typical Madras cuisine.
The Vivanta by Taj Connemara Hotel in Chennai has made the city's 375th birthday special with their "Anglo Indian Cuisine" a part of their week-long Madras Day Celebrations.
"As the British landed in the then Chennaipatnam and developed the city of Madras, they married local people and this gave rise to not just Anglo Indians but also Anglo Indian Cuisine, a marriage between English and Tamil Cuisine," says VK Chandrassekaran, the Executive Chef.
The 'colonial' menu included ''Country Captain Chicken Curry", "Grandma's Chicken Curry", "Coconut Rice", "Tomato Rice", "Harry's Fish Curry", "Meat Ball Curry" besides "Devilled Fish" and "Pork Spare Ribs".
For those 'colonial spirited' the hotel also offers the tweaked cocktails "Colonial Hangover" cocktails like "Herbal Mary", "Earl of Raj", "Colonial Syallabub" and the Maharaja's Express".
Among the food enthusiasts who tried the season's special lunch, The Matthews from France and their two children. Mr Matthew says "We are enjoying the Anglo Indian Cocktails and the food. It is great to be in the city on its Birthday".