Loya continues its culinary journey through North India with a special dessert chapter titled ‘Mittha’ at Taj Mahal Palace. Inspired by halwai traditions, old family recipes, and the warmth of festive gatherings, the new menu brings back familiar flavours in a refined and modern style.

At the heart of ‘Mittha’ is nostalgia. Each dessert tells a story of childhood memories and shared celebrations, while presenting the sweets in a way that fits today’s fine dining experience.

Among the highlights is Badana Pearls, a delicate mix of rabri and saffron foam, finished with pistachios and almonds. It balances richness with a light texture.

Doodh Jalebi brings together crisp jalebis with pista, chuara and warm kesar milk, offering both crunch and comfort in every bite.

Kulfi Pop features a four-flavour kulfi board with rose petal, saffron-cardamom, royal paan leaf and malai. It is designed as a playful yet elegant tasting experience.

Falooda layers almond kulfi with rose rabri, creating a fragrant and textured dessert.

Gud–Ke–Maan, inspired by the chef's grandmother's recipe, is a slow-cooked badam kheer that carries deep nostalgia.

Loya Khel adds a modern twist with chikoo mousse and biscuit cake paired with coconut grass, blending tradition with creativity.

The experience does not end with dessert. ‘Baad Mein’ offers a curated selection of digestifs and Himalayan teas, encouraging guests to slow down and enjoy the final moments of the meal.

With ‘Mittha’, Loya at Taj Mahal Palace turns dessert into more than just a final course. It becomes a celebration of memory, craft, and comfort, served with elegance.

Holi has never been about colours alone. From gujiyas passed between colour-stained hands to glasses of thandai shared mid-celebration, food has always played a central role in the festival. With the launch of its Holi Special Edition range, Origins brings these familiar traditions back into focus, celebrating flavours that feel festive, nostalgic, and deeply rooted in Indian homes.

Staying true to the brand’s commitment to clean and honest food, the limited-edition range features festive favourites such as Namak Pare Diamond, Namak Pare Sticks, Methi Mathri, Plain Mathri, Methi Mathri Sticks, Shakkarpara, Sugar-Coated Shakkarpara, Mawa Gujiya, Thandai Mix, and ready-to-drink Thandai. Each product is crafted without any artificial additives, preservatives, colours, or seasonings, reflecting Origins’ focus on ingredient integrity, consistency, and uncompromising quality.

“For us, Holi was always defined by the food as much as the colour. The gujiyas everyone reached for, and the thandai shared between celebrations. With the Origins Holi range, we wanted to bring back those familiar flavours and recreate the sense of nostalgia and togetherness that makes the festival so special,” says Avinit Bagri, Co-founder of The Filter Coffee.

Alongside the festive food range, Origins has also introduced Holi Gifting Hampers designed to make festive gifting simple yet thoughtful. Each hamper includes a curated mix of sweets, savouries, and pre-mix, paired with Holi colours by Pankhudiyan, all packed in gift-worthy packaging that feels festive and modern. The hampers are available at three price points, making them suitable for friends, family, or even a little self-indulgence.

While the Holi Special Edition is a seasonal offering, it reflects Origins’ larger vision of helping modern India rediscover everyday food, reimagined for a fast-moving, design-aware, and quality-conscious audience. This philosophy runs through every step of the process, from sourcing ingredients and refining recipes to designing packaging that feels intentional and contemporary. By prioritising quality over convenience and maintaining transparency in how products are made, Origins ensures every offering feels honest and thoughtfully crafted.

The Holi Special Edition range is available across all outlets of The Filter Coffee and on the First Club app.

BORN Restaurants has expanded its growing portfolio with the launch of FU FU, a bold new Pan-Asian restaurant in Alwarpet, Chennai. Marking the group’s seventh launch in the past year, FU FU positions itself as a fearless response to the way Asian cuisine has often been softened for mainstream palates.

Born out of the idea that Asian food is loud, layered, emotional, and unapologetic, FU FU embraces intensity rather than toning it down. Garlic doesn’t apologise, chillies don’t whisper, and broths are given time. From sushi and a cured-and-cut raw bar to okonomiyaki, robata grill, dim sum, bao, cheng fun, sizzling stone bowls, and stir-fries, the menu is expansive yet sharply curated.

The name itself carries cultural resonance. “Fu” (福) in Chinese symbolises happiness, good fortune, and prosperity, often displayed upside down during Lunar New Year to signify that fortune has arrived. FU FU embodies that irreverent joy while staying deeply rooted in Asian culinary traditions.

Manoj Padmanaban, Co-Founder of BORN Restaurants, explains the philosophy behind the beverage programme: “Across Asia, palate cleansers and small rituals have always been part of dining. At FU FU, we play with that idea boldly. ‘Mouthwash’ was created from a joke everyone knows, that you can’t kiss after an Asian meal. It’s a tall, sweet blue drink served over ice that resets the palate between flavour-packed dishes heavy on onion, ginger, and garlic. They say you can’t kiss after an Asian meal. Now, you can.”

Japtej Ahluwalia, Co-Founder of BORN Restaurants and Double Roti, adds, “FU FU draws strongly from the spirit of the tiger — intensity, confidence, and presence, balanced with joy. It’s powerful yet welcoming, designed for families and large gatherings to truly experience that vibrant energy together.”

The 94-seater space, including a 12-seater private dining room, unfolds dramatically. Guests enter through a deliberately minimal lift lobby before stepping into a moody open-plan dining room layered with mirrors, rust tones, and subtle red accents. A striking cat-inspired light installation above the bar shifts colour through the evening, transforming the energy of the space. The aesthetic blends the polish of a downtown Singapore cocktail bar with the high-energy chaos of a late night on Bangkok’s Soi 11.

Leading the kitchen is Chef Gopalsami Mani, whose culinary journey spans Tamil Nadu, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. His cooking balances global finesse with homegrown depth, delivering flavours that are bold, joyful, and unapologetically Asian.

FU FU joins BORN Restaurants’ award-winning portfolio that includes concepts such as Jolly Indian, Sortd, Double Dashi, and Cherry Pond. While each brand carries a distinct identity, FU FU stands out as the group’s flagship — a riot of flavour, design, and cultural attitude unlike anything Chennai has seen before.

Restaurant Details

• Address: 3rd Floor, Born Restaurants LLP, CP Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet, Chennai – 600018

• Timings: 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM (Lunch) | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (Dinner)

• Reservations: +91 96000 37124