A Week of Tracing India’s Coast Through the Kitchens of South of Vindhyas at The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai

If your idea of comfort food comes with the aroma of the sea and the promise of impeccably fresh flavours, we at South of Vindhyas (SOV), food has always been about regions, memories and method rather than reinvention. That approach carries through its Seafood Festival, running from 30 January to 8 February at The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai, where the menu quietly brings together flavours from India’s coastal belt.

The meal eases in with a beverage list that mirrors the festival’s mood, familiar ingredients used without fuss. Coconut, kokum, tamarind and raw mango form the base of both cocktails and mocktails, from Nariyal Ka Jadoo and Samundari Lehere to lighter options like Nariyal Pani Cooler, Kokum Shikanji and Santra Imli Fizz. The drinks act less as centrepieces and more as gentle openers to what follows.

Soups keep things traditional. Nandu Rasam and Chemeen Rasam arrive hot and restrained, offering spice and acidity without overpowering the palate, alongside a rotating rasam of the day that reflects everyday coastal cooking.

Starters mark the first real shift in pace. Crisply fried dishes such as Talela Bombil and Prawn Rava Fry share the table with slow-cooked and wrapped preparations like Meen Pollichathu and Kundul Ularthiyathu. Plates such as Prawn Bhartad, Raal Vattal and Chapa Vepudu introduce deeper spice and heat, moving across Maharashtra, Kerala and Andhra without drawing attention to borders.

The main course is where the festival settles into its rhythm. Coconut-forward gravies like Malabar Meen Curry and Prawn Coconut Roast balance out peppery and masala-led dishes such as Raal Perattal, Meen Ghassi and Kane Curry. Crab features prominently, with multiple preparations including Nandu Chettinad, Nandu Pepper Fry, Njendu Crab Curry and Crab Flesh Dry Roast, each distinct yet grounded in familiar technique. Richer plates like Chimbori Rassa, Kalyera Vartha Curry and Golden Lobster Fry add heft without excess.

The food is meant to be eaten the way it traditionally is—paired with appams, kal dosa, flaky Malabari parotta or simple steamed and ponni rice. For those who prefer a single-dish meal, Prawn Biryani and Meen Biryani offer a complete, spice-layered alternative.

Dessert brings the meal back to comfort. Rice Payasam, Mampazha Payasam, Vathal Appam, Kalakand, Dates Halwa and Pazham Porichathu close the experience on familiar ground, echoing home-style endings rather than restaurant finales.

Meant for long meals and fuller tables, the Grand Seafood Festival brings family and loved ones together over the enduring coastal flavours. 

The Seafood Festival at South of Vindhyas doesn’t try to reframe coastal cuisine. Instead, it lets regional flavours speak in their own time, making the experience less about occasion and more about continuity of food that feels lived-in, seasonal and rooted.

When: January 30 - 8 February | Lunch & Dinner
Where: South of Vindhyas at The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai
Cost: ₹2,000 + Taxes onwards
Contact: +91 7506010316