MadCo in Chennai hosts limited-edition Asian pop-up lunch
'There are a lot of great Asian places in Chennai, but there are no fun takes, and at MadCo, we always try to incorporate interesting elements. We have never done anything in its original form,' says Mathangi. The five-course menu leans into umami-rich ingredients, thoughtful textures, and small, expressive plates, offering diners a glimpse into an evolving interpretation of Asian cuisine.
According to the chef, the Asian menu began with the inception of beer cocktails at the bar. 'They are light and playful, and it hits you less than a regular cocktail. So the menu came together to compliment this concept.'
The meal begins with a Japanese-style sesame salad featuring seared romaine and crunchy Wai-Wai doused in a sesame based dressing. It is then followed by two dim sum courses — with options like Thai green curry chicken, truffled mushroom and asparagus and water chestnut.
Then comes the small plates. 'You can choose three small plates, and can even repeat the same one,' says the chef. Standouts include a Tangra-style Chinese chaat, silken tofu in Sichuan panko, fried chicken done three ways, and the lotus stem with curry leaves. For the mains, chef has taken a page from her own past and dived back into the Mala noodles as one of the options. 'It is a cherished memory because I came up with the Mala noodles during the pandemic, so I have brought it back and elevated it,' she adds.
Other mains options include a delicate truffle beef fried rice with jasmine rice and a runny egg on top. For dessert, diners can pick from a warm French toast topped with a matcha mascarpone crème, ginger panna cotta, or an upside down warm miso caramel apple cake.
For reservations, directions, and the day's password, DM madco_Chennai on Instagram. Lunch will be served from noon to 4pm @₹2,500+ taxes.
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"I'll be very honest -- I've never ever been a pancake person," he said, but added that this recipe "has opened people's eyes to what a pancake can be." When Yoo was creating the restaurant's menu, he wanted waffles, but pancakes made more sense logistically for the small kitchen. He never thought they'd be the hit they are. "It's all a little crazy," he said. They're so good that they are, in fact, worth hourslong waits in New York -- and definitely worth making at home everywhere. --Recipe: Golden Diner Pancakes This game-changing pancake recipe from Sam Yoo, the chef and an owner of Golden Diner in Manhattan's Chinatown, combines all the nostalgia of diner pancakes with innovative techniques for a dish that makes your eyes widen at first taste. Yoo cooks a yeast-risen buttermilk batter in individual skillets to give them height like Japanese soufflé pancakes and a perfect roundness like those in the flapjack emoji. As soon as he stacks them on a plate, he drenches them with buttery maple-honey syrup, then tops them with salted honey-maple butter, both inspired by Korean honey-butter chips and reminiscent of Werther's hard candies. A berry compote completes the meal with its fresh tang. 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