Chennai Soru: Taj

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15/07/2019

Golden Dragon, Taj Coromandel, Nungumbakkam, Chennai

Shadir 13:13:00

The Golden Dragon at the Taj Coromandel is one of the oldest restaurants in the hotel. The restaurant was launched around the time when the hotel was opened to business in 1975. The Menu here has stood the test of time with a few additions and deletions whenever a new Chef had taken over the reins. But few dishes have been immortalized on the pages of Golden Dragon Menu such as Kung Pau Chicken and Peking Duck.

In a bid to re-invent itself, the restaurant has brought in a new chef. Master Chef Lian. He is not much of a talker, but he lets his food do the talking. I must say I was floored with his cooking. Dish after dish was a home run.

Food:

The first dish to be served was the Dimsum - Duo of Asparagus, a dumpling with very subtle flavors, this makes you wonder that a dimsum can be tasty even with light flavors.

The next to be served was the Qiling Fish with Sichuan Toban Djan Sauce. I would recommend this dish to anyone who is to dine here. It was just divine.

Next came the Lotus Stem Chengdu Style, which was slightly different from the usual super crispy version. This was mildly crispy yet loaded with chili.

Next was the North Atlantic Steamed Scallop with Pickled Chili. I sure loved it. The steamed scallops were just perfect. The sauce rich in pepper and chili had a unique flavor. A word of caution is to not bite on the chili. They are quite spicy.

Following the scallops we were served the Crispy Tiger Prawns with Chili Butter Garlic. OMG! this is not to be missed. The prawns are gigantic and crispy fried. Its a pure melody. Another dish which should be surely be tasted. I am pretty sure this is gonna become a sure dish on their menu.

Following this we were served Spicy Mahti Chicken which was infused with Sesame and was mildly spicy.

Next was the veg version of the Steamed Scallop. The scallops was replaced with mushroom. The mushroom were cut into long threads like a noodle. It was just as good as the scallops version. Again a word of caution on the chilli. They were quite spicy.

Next up was the Crispy Lobster Chili Butter Garlic. The meat was made into small morsels and crispy fried, and served with the shell which tasty and eye catching. A brilliant dish!

Finally the last of the appetizer. This was the duck served katti roll style ( Aromatic Duck). The pancakes are taken first and coated with the sauce. Next up the veggies are loaded following which the duck is placed and you wrap it into a roll then dig in. A Chinese take on our katti roll. Simply Yumm!

Finally we got to dig into the main course. Vegetable Hakka Noodle, Jimling Style Jasmine Seafood Fried Rice served along with Chicken in Peanut Sauce, Stir Fried Tofu and Steamed Okra in Soya Garlic Sauce.

If it was me I will be content with the Chicken in Peanut sauce and Steamed Rice. The combination was heavenly. The noodle was simple and neat but the flavor were elevated with the Tofu. Something the veg eaters will love. Seafood fried rice was another hit among the group.

We finished our meal with Sticky Toffee Pudding and Basil Ice Cream. Through decadent dessert which is not to be missed.

Ambiance:

It is a mix of old world with Chinese design with a Taj Twist.

Price:
A meal for two would cost Rs 5000/- and upwards depending on the number of specialty dishes ordered.

Disclaimer : Invited Review

Golden Dragon is located inside the Taj Coromandel.

If you like what you are reading, Please share it with others.

*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.

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18/07/2016

Taj

Prego, Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai - New Menu

Shadir 22:34:00

Yes! I am Back! after a short hiatus. This time around I took a small break and I got married. Now once more I have this itch to get back to the blogging. Skipped many bloggers table. Also skipped posting many restaurants which I had visited. Now that I am here, it is back to bringing my blog up to speed and up to date.

My most recent restaurant visit was a blogger table at Prego at Taj Coromandel. The last time I was here I was totally floored, so when I heard that they had a new chef with a all new menu, I just could not refuse.

Chef Alessandro Bechini is at the helm of things at Prego this time around. The man behind the Maritime by San Lorenzo at Taj Lands End, Mumbai. So my expectations ran high. A brief chat with the Chef gave us an idea as to what we could expect. Back to basics - Fresh ingredients, fresh produce, keeping it simple and true to Italian taste.

I had a glance at the menu for the evening and it was quite a spread. For a second I thought we were being served the entire menu, and then when I had a look at the new menu I was awe struck as it was really very very extensive. Now coming to the meal which I had just enjoyed...

Food:
The meal started of with a Amuse Bouche - Feta Cheese wrapped in a slice of Carrot and a Salad - Insalata di Indivia, Pere al Vino Rosso e Gorgonzola which was a Endive and lollo rosso salad with red wine poached pears, walnuts, lemon gorgonzola dressing. I loved em both. The simplicity of the dish with amazing and the fresh flavors wowed me. Loved the way the Pear was pouched in wine and the texture of the other ingredients.

This was followed by the soup course. The veggies in our group were served the Minestrone Casalingo which I also got to sample, was full flavored and rich bodied. The non-veggies had their pick between Brodetto alla Marchigiana which was a Seafood Bisque and Stracciatella alla Romana - a roman style Egg drop soup. Both good in their own right. Simple yet flavorful, light yet refreshing.

Next course was flooded with Pastas and Risottos.
Fusilli al Profumo dell’Orto - Twisted pasta with fresh herbs and vegetables. A simple yet flavorful dish in which one could clearly differentiate the ingredients.

Fettuccine with Lamb Ragout - Fettuccine in minced Lamb. Rich heavenly flavor packed lamb mixed in my current favorite pasta Fettuccine. How can I not love this?

Risotto Porcini e Tartufo - Creamed Carnaroli rice with wild mushrooms and truffle infused extra virgin olive oil. The risotto was simply out of the world. My kind of comfort food with different textures and of course truffle infused olive oil.

Branzino ai Ferri con Panelle e Salsa Puttanesca - Grilled Chilean Seabass on spicy red sauce with capers and olives, with chick pea fritters and sweet/sour fresh herbs relish was my star pick. Simple grilled fish and sensational anchovies sauce and crispy polenta to go with. Simple dish yet filled with complex flavours.

Crespelle Senza Uovo con Broccoli Croccanti - Eggless crepes, filled with zucchini, eggplant, ricotta and parmesan, broiled with Provolone cheese, on tomato sauce. This dish is one of kind. Kinda reminded me of Ravioli, cheesy and darn tasty.

Finally we entered the dessert course
Tiramisù Senza uovo - Eggless & Kaluvaless Tiramisu which was simply sensational. On quizzing the chef, about the reason for this, he was happy point out that he wanted vegetarian patrons plus the kids to enjoy the dish.

Delizia al Cioccolato - Dark chocolate fondant with strawberry sorbet. The strawberry sorbet was absolutely delicate and the dark chocolate fondant combination was just the rich knockout punch we needed.

By the end of the meal one thing was quite evident - the philosophy of keeping dishes simple and going back to the roots can produce some sensational flavors which your taste-buds will love.

Ambiance:
Typical Prego affair with style, class and lot of panache.

Price:
A meal for two should be possible for around Rs 4000/- and upwards depending the spread which is ordered.
If not you can tell your preferences and the budget - let chef weave the magic for the special occasion.

Disclaimer : Invited review.

Prego is located inside Taj Coromandel on Nungumbakkam high road.

If you like what you are reading, Please share it with others.

*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!!

25/09/2015

Taj

Karavalli Celebrations @ Taj Club House, Mount Road, Chennai

Shadir 10:39:00

I have been to couple of buffet in the recent times, all in star hotels and returned home disappointed, as they were very average. The high price one would pay just does not do any justice to the meal being wiped up. Most star hotels seem to have hopped onto the bandwagon of showcasing the number dishes and lost the key ingredient, that of quality. But this buffet I had at the Taj Club House which showcased the items of the famous restaurant Karavalli at Bangalore as a part of Karavalli celebrations was totally the opposite. I can say that I throughly enjoyed my experience.

Food:
The meal kicked off with Crab Milagu Fry, served along with the shell. Thankfully we had the shell cracker at our disposal. My Oh My!! It was just fantastic. I can't seem to the remember the last time I enjoyed crab to such an extent. I ditched the fork and spoon and ventured in with my bare hands which just made the experience even better.

Then there was a fried fish, served as a part of the starter which was decent. Then I went around sampling the items of the buffet. As the Club House restaurant's basic concept is an English Bistro with an Asian twist, the buffet had the usual suspects, such as the breads and assorted cheese and some terrific salads. I skipped on the soup and went straight ahead to the mains.

Firstly I loved the Kori Gassi which is an Mangalorean speciality chicken cooked in coconut gravy. It made a stunner combination with the Neer Dosa, Idiyappam and the Kerala Parotta. Yes, yes they just kept going into my belly.

Next up was the Meen Mapas, an Kerala speciality dish cooked in coconut milk was absolutely brilliant. Fish was tender and went well with another Kerala fav the Red Rice. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Then there was the Kadala Curry, another stunner and worked well with the Idiyappam.

There were some not so great dishes as well like the Mutton Sukka which was cooked in Tomato Masala. The chunky mutton pieces were a tad hard, but the mutton pieces had Kheema served along with them, which was brilliant. Another disappointment was the Coorg Fried Chicken, that too was a little hard. Apart from these two dishes, the entire spread was a stunner.

Finally for desserts, we were served some Goan speciality dishes such as Dodol, Bebinca and Coconut Ice cream. Yes they are the same dishes which I had had at Hyatt. But these were definitely a notch better than them. Apart these the buffet had some stunning desserts. I did not stray too far as I was stuffed.

Ambiance:
A contemporary twist to the usual taj flavour.

Price:
The buffet is priced at Rs 1799/- per head.

This was by far the best buffet I have had in a long while. Reason - quality had taken focus, or it could be because the flavours were close to home cooked food.
Karavalli Celebrations at Taj Club House are on till the 27th of September. It is available as a part of buffet and also as al carte menu.

Disclaimer : Invited review

Taj Club House is located on Club House Road which is diagonally opposite to Spencer's Plaza.

If you like what you are reading, Please share it with others.

*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.

10/07/2015

Taj

Festa Della Pasta @ Prego, Taj Coromandel, Nungumbakkam

Shadir 20:27:00

One of my all time favourite cuisine is the Italian cuisine. My love for Italian cuisine started with the humble pizza back when I was in 4th standard. This love blossomed and grew every time I had an Italian meal and this meal at Prego, Taj Coromandel strengthen that love.

Things have been different ever since the relaunch of Prego with Chef Luca at the helm. A whiff of freshness, boldness and definitely courage to strive and better something which was already great. So the invitation to sample Chef's latest creations at the Festa Della Pasta was a one not to be missed.

The magical gastronomical journey began post Iftar, with Master Chef Luca giving us a master class demo on how the best in-house pastas are made. The proportions used definitely gave us an insight as to what goes into making the perfect hand made pasta.

Food:
The treat for the taste buds started off with the Watermelon and Green Chilli juice, which was sharp and tasty. This was followed by some amazing varieties of breads which were simply brilliant. A drizzle of olive oil and vola! new realms of taste.

Moving along we were served a mouth amuser in the form of Potato beignets, goat cream cheese, tomato coulis and caramelized cherry tomato. A bit of all the ingredients in a small spoon was enough to push the taste buds into an over-drive.

Next up we were served an one of a kind soup - Truffle scented provolone and leek soup with Ortolana and Feta Cheese. My experiences with Truffle were close to zero. But this soup was just enough for me understand the importance of Truffle and the reason behind it to be an essential part of Italian cooking. I have had experiences with Leek soup before which have been great, but this soup heads straight to the top of the list. The richness and the creaminess and the layer of flavour built by the different cheese was just sensational.

Following the soup we were served a thin crust pizza with heavenly flavours of cherry tomato, zucchini and mushrooms which was a delight. A drizzle of olive oil and a dash of parmesan cheese pushed the flavours even further.

Next came the Tomato and Chilli flavoured Papperdelle with seafood and mushroom sauce also the Tomato flavoured Tagliolini pasta tossed with fresh Basil sauce. Papperdelle served with Seafood might be the only miss of the night. It had a strong seafood aroma due to the shrimp, which was not evenly compensated by tomato. On the other hand the Tagliolini had the fresh basil aroma which worked splendidly with the roasted pine-nuts.

Moving along we were served with one of the best Beef Bolognaise Lasagna I have ever had. Taste just divine! This dish was filled with numerous pluses such as the thin lasagna sheets, brilliant beef bolognaise and the amazing cheese which gave the crunchiness to the dish. Highly recommended. For the vegetarian friends there was the Cencioni with sweet Pepper sauce, which was again a stunner!

For the final main course we had an option between the Fish and the Chicken. Me being a solid seafood lover chose the Fish in Pistachio Crust with lemon caper sauce while the land lovers had the stuffed chicken. Appearances can be deceiving.

The chicken looked enticing while the fish looked dead on the plate. A sample of both changed my perception. Fish was a mouth watering while the chicken was pale in contrast. Nevertheless it still was a great dish. The Stuffed chicken was served with layers of potato which for an unassuming person can look like a puff pastry, but a more detailed look will help one decipher its terrific taste.

The veggie companions had a Zuchini and tomato timbale with balsamic reduction which was delightful as well. In between all this we had a sample of a Ravioli of sorts filled with different varieties of Cheese. Drop it in your mouth and wait the flavours to explode - Symphony to the Taste Buds!

Finishing of this fantastic meal we had the Chocolate Lasagna with Ice Cream and Luca's Tiramisu. Chocolate Lasagna, Yes!!! you read it right. It was genuinely something different. I was expecting a bitter dark chocolate lasagna to be compensated with sweet vanilla, but that was not the case. It was a different approach which was nice. While the Luca Tiramisu is the best tiramisu I have ever had. Period! A deconstructed version in which the ladyfingers have been replaced with a soft cake and the coffee flavour added by means of a rich espresso drizzle on top.

The entire meal showcased the advantages of fresh ingredients and Chef Luca's preparation techniques. On a side note Chef had pulled out a meal fit for the Kings!! and he is just 27 years of age. What have I accomplished in the last 27 years... Yikkeees!

Ambiance:
Typical Prego affair with style, class and lot of panache.

Price:
A meal for two should be possible for around Rs 2500/- and upwards depending the spread which is ordered.

Festa Della Pasta is on from the 10th of July to 19th of July.

Disclaimer : Invited review.

Prego is located inside Taj Coromandel on Nungumbakkam high road.

If you like what you are reading, Please share it with others.

*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.