There are times in life for even a pure non-veggie getting "the craving for veg food". Yes! Yes! I know it is a banned term for carnivores. But then once you do get it, there is only one solution. To have a herbivore diet! This was one such time.

Food:
Since it was just the two of us (Mom & I)  for the dinner, we kept the orders to a minimal. Also my mom hates me clicking with DSLR's, thankfully I had my ASUS Zenfone 2 LASER on my hand. Our order portion of Onion Rings, Channa Bhatura, Malai Kofta and Lachha Paratha. The Onion Rings were the first to be served. Crispy batter fried onion rings with sprinkle of chat powder was just divine. Mom was really craving for yesteryears Drive-In woodlands style Channa Bhatura and the one served here was just super sized and tons of times richer. It was just a overload. The Bhatura was soft, while the Channa was rich and mildly sweet.


My Malai Kofta and Lachha Paratha was the last to be served by then I had my hands dirty binging on the Bhatura so could not click it. If the previous dish was an overload of richness, the Malai Kofta was epitome of richness. Even though it was slightly on the sweeter side, the combination with the Paratha was heavenly. Binge eating at this place a couple of times a month - one would definitely grow a full circle wider.

Ambiance:
A simple dining space which was quite empty when we walked in around 8pm but was fully packed, with people waiting by 9:30pm.

Service:
Courteous fast and fantastic.

Price:
The meal set us back by Rs 995/-

Food - 8/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Service - 9/10
Price - 8/10

PS: Pictures shot using ASUS Zenfone 2 LASER.

As I have been using two different camera centric smartphones for a while now, I can most definitely vouch for ASUS Zenfone 2 LASER. By far the best sub Rs 10000/- phone. Loaded with Tech to the teeth it can take battle up to my other higher end daily driver both in terms of Camera and Battery. A big mention to the battery which lasted a good 3 days with heavy usage while my other phone gave up in a single day during the Chennai Floods. For people looking to start a food blog or foodstagram page this phone would be a great starting point for having those amazing photos thanks to the LASER autofocus and full MANUAL mode just a DSLR. The Manual mode is quite brilliant as it gives complete control over photo output. Throw in a pair of steady hands and a creative mind, BOOMMM!!! Fantastic photos as output every time around.

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

Cream Centre is located on College Road near Alliance Francaise.

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Chennai bar food scene is finally warming up to a lot of new players. More choices, better for the consumer. Newest entrant into the scene is Hoppipola - A bar which wants to put the fun back into your life. A table which doubles up as a blackboard. Super sized Jenga for the Jenga fans. Mini golf, Taboo and various other games, plus a collection of Comics. Yes definitely this does put some recreation back into the life. Maybe they should instate no phones rule, like the no stags rule :P A place which looks like a garden with some fine sounding audio setup playing tracks to groove to. This is the scene at Hoppipola.
Food:
As always I picked my magic portion, Peachy Mangifera, a spicy mock-tail and a Virgin Pina Colada. While my friend had a Orange Passion Frappe & Virgin Pina Colada and the sole drinker had the Watermelon - Basil Caprioshkas. The Peachy Mangifera had a nice spicy zing to it and the Pina Colada was out of the world. Finally a proper Pina Colada with good coconut juice.




The meal kicked off with Jah Man's Chicken, which was breaded chicken with Jamaican spices. Crispy and tasty but a little dry for my liking. Next up was the sole veg dish, which was the Cheesienos, which was essentially a crisp fried cheese stick.




For mains we had a Chicken Blasta Pasta, 4 ways Pizza and a Lamburgini Burger. The Blasta Pasta had quiet a chilly hit to it. Kind of oil soaked as well. But still pretty decent.



Pizza 4 ways was two veg pizzas and two non-veg pizzas put-together. The veg pizzas were Margarita and Cheesie Pizznezz while the carnivore part had the Lambretta and Jerkin Around. Getting to sample so many different kinds of pizzas on a single base was a first for us. Nice thin crust worked in the toppings favour.


Finally we had the Lamburgini Burger which kind was a let down. Thin patty which was on the drier side and the bun to patty ratio also did not help the cause. But presentation wise it looked brilliant. French fries served Jenga style was quite nice.



For desserts we had the Banana Cinnamon Ice Cream Cake and Molten Chocolate Lava Cake served along with a Vanilla Ice Cream. Both pretty decent desserts to finish up a meal.

Ambiance:
This was something which I enjoyed the most. Had crazy fun playing Jenga and mini golf.

Price:
A meal for two should cost around Rs 1500 - 2000 including a round of drinks.

Disclaimer : Invited review.

Hoppipola is located inside Hotel Spring at Nungumbakkam.

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India is a country of vast cultures and different types of food. A single dish varies across the length and breadth of the country. Of all the different sub-cuisines available my favourite has always been Awadhi or Lucknowi cuisine. One simple reason as it was the seat of power the Mughal empire, with which came the influx of Kebabs into the Indian Subcontinent.


Taj Connemera or Vivanta by Taj or however one would call it, has an Awadhi food festival on till the 25th of October 2015 at the Verandah. Also has flown in a Lucknowi chef for the same. This is a kind of food invitation which I should not miss. But sadly I had declined as I was held at work. But then as I was done with work on the day of the event, I gave a buzz to the foodies who had ventured in for the Boomastic food festival. To my luck they were just about to enter the Main course. Zoooom!!!! I went and joined them. So here goes the rest.


Food:
Starting of with the mains and then venturing into the starters has its benefits as you get to enjoy them together. My star pick among the main course was the Nihari Ghost which was one of the most succulent lamb Indian preparations I have come across in a long time. It was absolutely fantastic. Combine them with Romali roti or Shermal or Chicken Biryani - BLISS!!! I sampled a little of Dum Kofta Biryani along the Nihari and I must say, I continued raving. At this time I was served with a bit of starters both veg and non-veg. But I loved the veg Khoya Khubani ke Kebab the best. One of the best use of apricots I have come across.




The desserts were nice. But something was missing. Yes Yes! It was the Galouti Kebab. So we had a word with the Chef and returned again on Monday to check out the Galouti Kebabs. Soft succulent Galouti Kebabs along with Shermal and Pudina Chutney and a bit of onions rolled into one decadent wrap. WoW!!! Absolutely mouth watering! If you are a sucker of succulent Galouti Kebabs please do not miss the food festival.

Ambiance:
The typical Verandah ambiance, but looks like Taj has painstakingly restored the hotel. Looks much better than the last time I was here.

Service:
As always top notch.

Price:
The Awadhi food festival is available as a part of buffet for dinner and it is priced at Rs 1500 + taxes.
This food festival is on till the 25th of October 2015.

Disclaimer : Invited review.

PS: Thanks to Chennaifoodie for the food pics.

Taj Connemera is located on Binny Road next to Spencer's Plaza.

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All veg dine-outs are becoming popular of late. One such amazing shops is the Fusilli Reasons which has opened its doors at Kilpauk. Though it has been here for a while, I have never had the chance to click proper pictures, as I have failed to carry my DSLR with me. Thankfully my Samsung S6 is doing the trusted duty. So here goes the story.


Food:
A short foodies meet up. So we decided to share, yes SHARE! Nachos, Garlic Bread with Beetroot Mayo, Pasta both Pesto and Cheese types and last but not the least Ice Tea. Nachos was bloody brilliant, loaded to the brim with cheese. Never been a big fan of Pesto, so the Pesto pasta was just flat for me.


The Cheese variant was much better, yummy yumm yumm! To finish it off we had the Garlic Bread toasts with Beetroot Mayo which was simply superb. They do have different toppings for the garlic bread, but we just know that beetroot mayo works the best. To wash all these dishes down we had the smooth Ice Tea.

Ambiance:
A small cafe kind of setup which seats around 12 people at a time. But jam packed all the time.

Service:
Self service.

Price:
The total cost for this meal was Rs 240/-. A very pocket friendly meal.

Food - 8/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Price - 9/10

PS: Pictures shot using Samsung S6

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

Fusilli Reasons is located on the road opposite to Vaishanavs Kitchen on Ormes Road.

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Plan - B, yet another resto-bar which I have been wanting to visit for a long time, mainly for their juicy, tasty burgers, finally happened last night. Chennai Foodie and myself being TEETOTALLERS had fun with mock-tails yet again, while the only the non-teetotaler friend had fun downing some spirits.

Food:
We kick started the proceedings with mock-tails, Fluffy Duck and Crazy Colonel. Fluffy duck was lychee based drink which had a nice sharp kick to it, while the Crazy Colonel was orange juice based drink which was nice too.


For starters we had Chicken Loaded Potato Skins, Fiery Chicken and Beef Chilli Cheese Fries. I definitely can't single out which one of these would be my favourite. Each great in its own right. My only grouse was with the Beef Chilli Cheese Fries. I was expecting the beef to be served on a bed of fries but it was the other way around. More meat and less amount of fries to be used as a dip. Nevertheless it was amazing!



For mains we had the Tenderloin Steak which was medium done and the Juicy Lucy Burger. The steak was served on a bed of Mashed Potatoes which was fabulous, no clumping what so ever with a slight hint of sweetness to it. The mushroom pepper sauce gave a nice spice balancing effect to the potatoes. The meat was soft and succulent, a perfect dish I must say. Reminded me of the steak I had at Cheesecake Factory in Abu Dhabi. Definitely returning for this.

The Juicy Lucy Burger on the other hand was nice, but just not the kind I was hoping for. I was hoping for a really juicy and greasy burger, but this fell a little flat being more manageable and clean.

We finished our meal with the best desserts I have had in a long time - Chocolate Tart and Chocolate Trio. Absolutely decadent!

Ambiance:
Lovely music played on one of the best setup acoustic systems I have come across. Loved every bit of it. If you are a person who loves HOUSE, CLUB, ELECTRO music and also loves to have a good meal, this is a place to be.

Price:
A meal for two should cost around Rs 1500 to 2000/- depending on your order.

Disclaimer - Invited Review.

Plan B is located on the road opposite to Sea Shells on Greams Road.

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Food:
The proceedings started of with Macaroon as the Chennai Foodie just loves them. Not the traditional Tuticorin kind, but the imported Frenched up Macaroon. I have never been big fan of bite sized dessert portions, because I fail to understand why they should cost a bomb. Coming to the taste, I thought it was pretty decent, but the foodie seemed to love it. Maybe someone who loves these kind of stuff will be able to appreciate it better.




Next we had a English Cheese and Egg Sandwich which was refreshing. Albeit a cold sandwich the filling and the bread gave it a great taste. Then we had Chinese Steamed Pau, the food that KUNG-FU Panda loves. This was the first time  that I have had a steamed bun. But I must say it was spectacular. The chinese filling was amazing, the chilli sauce and the steamed bun combination was WoW!!! Loved every bit of it. Will definitely return just for these. Since we were still kind of hungry we decided to get the Pesto Pizza Roll which was very average.



Just to satisfy our sweet tooth we had a Orange Chocolate Dome and the Chocolate Cheesecake. The Orange Chocolate Dome was decadent, with orange peels in it. Orange gave a nice zing to it. On the other hand the Chocolate Cheesecake was sweetness overload. I was done with just two spoons. The caramel was really sweet, with nothing to balance out the sweetness. Food overall was a mixed bunch, but the Steamed Pau and the Sandwich are just enough to tip the scales and lure me for another visit.

Ambiance:
A typical cafe kind of dining. Nothing over the top here.

Service:
Spot on!

Price:
Now this is where it scores big in my book. Our actual bill was Rs 549/- not a big amount, we did have decent food. But then we used Graaby Rewards and got our bill down to Rs 349/- Big value for money.

Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Service - 8/10
Price - 8.5/10

PS: Pictures shot using Samsung S6

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

Nicky's Cafe is on Ethiraj Salai right next to Ethiraj College.

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The bar scene in Chennai is quite different to the other states in India. To have a bar in Chennai, you had only two options. One had to go down the route of TASMAC. If not, it had to be tied up with a hotel which had a minimum of 20 odd rooms. Finding a good 2nd option was really tuff. Thankfully the bar scene is improving along with it the bar-food scene as well. The recent entrant into the bar food scene was the Big Bang Theory - Bar & Kitchen.

Food:
I was here with a small group of friends for lunch. Since we were all TEETOTALLERS we had our fun with Mock-tails. They had a enticing package of 3 course meal combo for Rs 395/- nett including  choice beverages which runs between 12pm and 3pm. We were all interested in the lunch combo which seemed pocket friendly and had quite a few nice dishes on the choice menu. We decided to get different dishes so we could sample each others dishes.




For starters we chose the Buffalo Soldier, which was essentially a crumb fried chicken, Tommy Yummy - crisp fried chicken in Tom Yum sauce  and Gosht Rider - minced lamb kebab. Of the lot I liked the Gosht Rider, but the portions were really small, just two pieces, definitely not meant for sharing. The mocktails were decent. I had a cranberry based mocktail while the rest had Virgin Pina Colada and Pineapple based drink.




For mains we had Moscow Love - basically Chicken Stroganoff, Italian Job - Penne with beef Bolognese  with garlic toast and Mughals - a Chicken Tikka Masala Biryani. Of the lot my pick would rest on the Chicken Tikka Masala Biryani which was quite nice. Tikka complemented the biryani and was yum. The Pasta was nice, but had a severe buttery taste to it, while the Stroganoff was bland. It was quite apparent, the kitchens strong point rests in Indian dishes.


For desserts they had a choice of ice cream or a BBT Sundae. We chose the latter - Vanilla ice cream with small pieces of Brownie and Jello which was decent. Overall the food was decent if you knew what should be chosen. The portion size is kind of minuscule but the price paid was decent. I vaguely remember having bigger portion sizes at similar outlets, but just not sure.

Ambiance:
The resto-bars decor seems to be straight lift out of the sitcom Big Bang Theory which I feel looks funky. For the people who follow the sitcom it would look really cool.

Service:
This seemed to be their biggest minus. Our starters were served a good 1hour after we had ordered. Seemed like they had forgotten our order, which definitely killed our appetite.

Price:
Lunch combo priced at Rs 395 /- nett which includes a choice beverage was well worth it.

Food - 6.5/10
Ambiance - 8.5/10
Service - 4/10
Price - 7/10

PS: Pictures shot using Samsung S6

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

Big Bang Theory is located inside the Brown Star Hotel on Dr. Ambedkar Road, Kodambakkam.

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*A review about a place holds good only for 6 months as there can be a change in quality and quantity of the food, the service and the staff, due to reasons best known only to them. So kindly consider these factors while visiting the places.

**Want instant reviews follow me on Instagram!!