Chennai Soru

13/07/2015

Beach Club, Neelankarai

Shadir 21:20:00

Good food and a fantastic time with friends can put a big smile on one's face. This is true of the great time I had at Beach Club, Neelankarai recently. Met up with my friends for our weekly get together at Beach Club, post Iftar. On entering we were all floored by the ambiance it had to offer outdoors. While the the indoors was just plain jane in comparison. Unfortunately for us, we group of six could not get a table outdoors and had to settle indoors.

Food:
They had a nice buffet set up for dinner which looked really inviting. So we chose to go ahead with it. The meal started off with Corn soup with Chilli Chicken being served on the table. Interesting use of Chilli chicken being shredded into pieces for the soup. Yummm! it was. Moving along I tried my hand at 'Make your own Salad'. Went about adding lettuce, cucumber, black olives, loads of cheese, croutons and finally from their selection of sauces, the yoghurt sauce. It was one tasty salad, thanks to the yoghurt sauce which was fantastic.

Moving along we were served with a welcome drink - Lime Mint Cooler which was really nice. The main course was spread across the hall. I tried sampling as much as possible, but failed to do justice to the spread as I felt full rather quickly.

The standout dishes were the Chicken Biryani, which was fantastic. One of the best star hotel type biryani I have had in a long while, Stir Fried Fish which was simply spectacular, Crispy Chicken Wings which was good as well. Finally the Pomphet Fish gravy which went well with the Kerala Parotta and white rice. I did sample a bit of the veg dishes as well, but the things which stood out were the Baked Veggies and the Veg Spring rolls.

Finishing the main course I was too stuffed, but I tried sampling the desserts. Vanilla Ice Cream was served on the table while the rest were to be picked from the buffet counter. All in all a very decent fare.

Ambiance:
I cannot talk enough about the outdoor ambiance as I am out of words. It was simply fabulous. We were all floored. If one were to look to take your female companion for an amazing date, look no further.

Service:
Since it was a buffet, not much to complain here.

Price:
The dinner buffet was priced at Rs 800/- including taxes, which I feel is terrific value for money.

Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 8.5/10 (outdoors) 6.5/10 (indoors)
Service - 7/10
Price - 8/10

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

Beach Club is located in Neelankarai on the street parallel to Vasan Eye Hospital.

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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.

12/07/2015

Snack

GoodFud.co

Shadir 22:20:00

Snacking has become part of the culture we live in today. Gone are the days were parents treat kids to Indian savoury food items. Nowadays all I see kids binging on are Chips and Tortillas and Nachos. Average Indian kid seems to be more well versed with unhealthy supermarket style snacks and rather than native food. This list of people affected by this lifestyle should include me as well.

But on occasions when I get the chance, I do enjoy our native food stuffs such as Mixture, Ribbon Pakkoda. All nice fried items which can be unhealthy when had in large quantities.

Recently I have had the chance to sample the GoodFud.co's tasty box thanks to its founders. Brilliant taste sampling box which contained Millet Thatai, Ragi Ribbon Muruku, Millet Cookies and finally Multi Grain Laddu. All regular native items prepared with a healthy twist. Millet seems to be forgotten hero in this day and age which has been utilised quite brilliantly to put up some tasty items. Also on a side note for people allergic to Gluten, can enjoy these treats thanks to the saviour MILLETS!

My pick from this sample box was the Millet Cookies, which was tasty and at the same time it could be considered healthy. Apart from it the Millet Thatai and Ragi Ribbion Muruku were good. A word of mention would be for the Thatai as I had made the food shots a day earlier and had forgotten to replace them back in the air tight packs they were supplied in. I had my doubts the following day when I had sampled em for the crispiness, but they retained a decent amount of crispiness which needs to lauded. Finally the biggest plus was the date of expiry being mentioned on these food stuffs which I have seen to be missing in these kind of food stuffs which have been prepared the conventional method.

Kudos to the people behind this venture for bringing healthy foods right to the doorstep.

If you wish to order a tasty box head over to www.goodfud.co and pick your box right away.

Disclaimer - Sample sent by the founders

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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.

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.

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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.

07/07/2015

Igerschennai

Cream Stone, TTK Road

Shadir 21:55:00

Amadora has been on the favourite loop in my friends circle for a while now. So a change of venue into Cream Stone was a welcome relief. Post the mediocre meal at TGIF we headed to Cream Stone to enjoy some divine ice cream.

Food:
Our order - Magic Pop, Ferrero Rocher, Nutella Brownie and finally Make your Own. Magic Pop as the name suggests was ice cream on a waffle plus a dash of magic pop. The sample which I had transported me to my school days, when I used to have magic pops frequently. The Nutella Brownie and Ferrero Rocher were similar, save the toppings. My pick between the two would be the Ferrero Rocher despite the fact that they essentially had the similar base flavour - Hazelnut. Only one of my friends ventured to have the 'make your own sundae', as he has had cream stone a couple of times at Hyderabad.

Few points I liked about Cream Stone when compared to the other cold stone ice cream concepts out in Chennai.
- Nice ice cream flavours i.e. - chocolate felt chocolaty!!!
- Sufficiently staffed to man the huge crowd they had
- Terrific waffles!

Ambiance:
Nice well done interiors in pink and purple combination. Should seat about 50 people at a time.

Service:
For the most part spot on, inspite of them being terribly crowded.

Price:
This deal of four ice creams set us back by Rs 691/-

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

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

Cream Stone is located in Alwarpet next to Vasan Eye Care on TTK Road.

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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.

05/07/2015

Ribs

TGI Friday's, Ramee Mall

Shadir 21:52:00

Met my school friends after Iftar recently. I Introduced them to some Muslim food stuffs such as Nombu Kanju and Haleem. Post the small snack we headed over to Double Roti at around 8pm hoping to get a seat. One look at the crowd waiting at Double Roti, we knew it was not going to happen. So we contemplated on other options and headed over to TGI Friday's at Ramee Mall.

We walked in to the restaurant through the mall which was mostly deserted. The only other shop to be functioning in the mall, was TASMAC elite. Anyways we entered the restaurant and found hardly 3 tables occupied, which did not deter us as we just wanted to have a go at TGIF.

Food:
After a long look at the menu we settled on Ultimate Fridays Nachos (veg) and Spicy Chicken Wings (12 pcs). Nachos were served with monstrous load of toppings from black lentils, cheddar cheese, tomatoes to chillies. I was afraid that the toppings would make the nachos loose their crispiness, but that was not the case and it tasted just alright.

While the Spicy Chicken Wings had the flavours of Atomic Chicken Wings of Gallopin Gooseberries licked. My God! I would have definitely had atleast 4 of the 12 pieces. To quench our thirst we ordered Virgin Mojito and Strawberry Lemonade which were fine. Sadly the other mock-tails on the menu were not available.

For mains I picked the Ultimate Jack Daniels Tenderloin Burger - minus the bacon, while my friends had the Half Rack of Texas Spiced Ribs, Jack Daniels New York Steak and Shrimp and finally a Miami Cubano Chicken Stack - minus the bacon.

I had huge expectations for their signature burger but I have to say it left me disappointed. First I did not like the bun as it absorbed all the juice and began to break away. Secondly tenderloin, though being soft and large, had a funny taste which could be down to Jack Daniels Sauce, which was sweet. The only redeeming points were the fries and the Cajun crusted onion rings. I skipped having the Texas Spiced Ribs and had a bit of the other two mains.

The Jack Daniels New York Steak and Shrimp was by far the star dish. The Jack Daniels sauce complemented the preparation of the chicken and the crispy fried shrimp was fantastic and the mashed potatoes it came with was simply smooth.

Finally the Miami Cubano Chicken Stack which was breaded chicken breasts with cheese, mushroom and lemon sauce was served with Paella rice The lemon with the breaded chicken was the kicker. It was fantastic. But the same cannot be said about Paella rice which was more like a lemon rice with tomato garnish. My friends who consumed the Texas Ribs were singing praises about the softness of the meat and taste.

Ambiance:
I think this could be one of the places were one would get a table easily as the mall was not a happening place to attract people. Thankfully the ambiance is quite nice. But a nightmare to click decent foodshots.

Service:
Quick, clean and efficient.

Price:
I went through the bill split up just to have look at the way they had charged us. Our total bill was Rs 5001/- of which food cost us Rs 3801/- while the rest went away as various taxes and service charge. Shocking. But we paid and walked away. Would I try again, just maybe.

Food - 6.5/10
Ambiance - 8/10
Service - 8/10
Price - 6.5/10

Disclaimer : I paid for the meal.

TGI Friday's is located inside Ramee Mall on Teynampet.

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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.

02/07/2015

Ramzan

Haleem Wars Part 2 - Chaacha's Kitchen

Shadir 20:43:00

This Ramadan season has seen various new introductions. One such new arrival was the Kitchda from Chaacha's Kitchen. I have had Nombu Kanju and I have had Haleem. But this was all new to me. I was quite surprised that I have never heard about Kitchda all this while. I was quite intrigued when Maaria of Adoniya put it across.

I got cracking few spoonfuls to decipher the Kitchda code. It felt like a bridge between Nombu Kanju and Haleem with many varieties of dhal mixed in them and a heavy dose of ghee. So people looking for a cross between the two should try this. Firstly very filling - rice and mutton, secondly very heavy yes thanks to the mutton and ghee. I quite liked the flavour. But still my love rests with Haleem.

Kitchda (350 to 400ml) costs Rs 150/- and can be picked up from Adoniya.

If there are any other different Ramadan specials out there, please let me know through mail or via a comment.

Disclaimer : I was given this as a part of food trials.

Chaacha's Kitchen is a part of Adoniya located at Spur Tank 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.