Planning to enjoy a traditional feast with family and friends on April 14? Why not step out and savour delicious options being offered by restaurants in town. Here are a few choices for the special day:

 The Dining Room, Park Hyatt Chennai, Velachery Main Road

Marking the beginning of the Tamil New Year on an auspicious note, enjoy an afternoon with your family and friends at The Dining Room, decorated with beautiful floral rangoli arrangements and a warm welcome by the staff adorned in traditional attires to tend to your catering needs. The festivity continues with a celebratory and delectable spread of home-made vegetarian delicacies curated by master chefs, taking careful notes from grandmothers’ kitchen and offering you the experience of true celebration of the festival.

Time: 12 P.M to 3 P.M.

Price:  1350 plus taxes

Reservations: 044 4991 9965/ 044 4991 9961

Southern Spice, Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam

Revel in the festivities of Tamil New Year’s Day and Vishu on April 14 with a festive culinary feast. Enjoy rich, traditional and delightful cuisine from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Some delightful starters include aavoli pollichadhu (white pomfret wrapped in banana leaves with a Kerala spice mix grilled to perfection); Chettinad yerachi suttadhu (char grilled lamb morsels marinated with stone ground Chettinad spices); vazhapoo cutlet (banana blossom cutlets); and koonu roast (mushrooms in a slow roasted shallots and pearl garlic masala). The delectable main course includes the all-time favourite avial (country vegetables in a mélange of coconut and cumin ); kappa puzhungiyadhu (tempered tapioca cooked to perfection); ethakkya vattichadhu (raw Kerala bananas simmered in tomato and tamarind reduction); vendakka more kozhambu (okra in curried yoghurt); beans paruppu usili (garden fresh French beans tossed with crumbled lentils and spices); Travancore meen curry (Seer fish cubes cooked with ground coconut and shallots); and Tanjavur kozhi kozhambu (A rustic chicken curry from the hamlets of Tanjavur). Savour these with traditional appams, parotas and steamed rice. Round off the meal with mango ela ada (mango and coconut in a rice casing wrapped in banana leaf); chakka pradhaman (jack fruit and jaggery pudding) and paal payasam.

Time: 12.30 pm onwards

Price: 2017 (inclusive of taxes)

Reservations: 044 66002827

Mahamudra, Mylapore

To celebrate the Tamil New Year and Vishu at Isha Life’s Mahamudra Restaurant, the restaurant has put together a wide spread menu of authentic delicacies combining the delicacies of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The range of traditional delicacies includes Vishu kanji, Malabarparotta with korma, vegetable brinji  and many more delicacies as well as desserts like palada pradhaman and paruppu payasam.

Time: 12 pm to 3 pm and 7 pm to 10 pm

Price: 600 plus taxes

Reservations: 87544 77800 / +91 44 4353 5555 / +91 44 2499 1757

Holiday Inn Chennai IT Expressway, OMR

Celebrate the spirit of Tamil New Year at Holiday Inn Chennai. Ring in the Puthandu the traditional way with an enormous festive rangoli and an exclusive buffet.

Price: 950 plus taxes

Reservations: 044 6604 6604

 Buzz, The Gateway Hotel IT Expressway, OMR

Savour a traditional spread for Tamil New Year’s Day including the likes of  seven kai sambar (sambar with 7 vegetables); carrot beans poriyal; avarakkai kootu masala; puliyodharai sadam (tamarind rice); kozhi sukka masala; mutton biryani; and lamb liver roast. Don’t forget to help yourself with generous helpings of the all-the favourite desserts like semiya payasam; and sakkarai pongal. For the little snacking in between, go for the varieties of murukkus and cheedia. Enjoy all this and more along with the regular buffet spread on April 14.

Time: 7.30 pm onwards

Price: 1300 plus taxes

Reservations: 91 44 6680 2500