The Rochester Hotel's food offering received a southern Indian makeover earlier this year, with the arrival of chef Mischa Tropp. Now, Tropp is celebrating Kerala's annual state festival Onam with a series of vegetarian and vegan feasts later this month.
Coinciding with the ancient festival, which celebrates Hindu mythology with a rice harvest in the Malayam month of Chingam, the Rochey's $45 meat-free banquets will be on offer from August 20 to 23. And if you've already had a chance to sample Tropp's vibrant, gutsy dishes, you'll know to expect a seriously flavourful affair, even when vegetables are the heroes.
The Rochey's regular vegetarian-friendly menu includes hits like sweet confit parsnips topped with a Kashmiri-style chilli crumb, the fiery 'kadala' featuring chickpeas in coconut and roasted spices, and the utterly addictive boiled egg 'bonda' coated in a crispy fried sourdough shell.