Burger Buzzing at Burgerman!

Burgerman was a kiosk based entity serving burgers at reasonable prices and it used to be quite a rage back in the hey days more than a decade or so ago. After opening around 130 outlets all over the country they are now back in a renewed vigour with a complete new look and make over. The place still dishes out burgers but it's no more in the kiosk form but in a stand alone joint spread across 2 floors all for themselves. The burgers are more premium and they've added a lot of sides and being located in the ever buzzing beach side of Besant Nagar, they are sure to get good crowds thronging in at regular intervals.

We were here for the pre launch to try some of the stuff dished out. Burgers being their flagship, they have a number of variety of them both on the non veg and vegetarian side. It was interesting too see lots of options and the most appealing thing was they were starkly different from each other and you could feel the distinctiveness. The burgers are all made of brown bread and the patties inside are grilled and with the requisite sauces, toppings and ingredients proved to be a quite a good foil. Smoked BBQ had the fiery black sauce base, the panneer Makhni had the delectable gravy spread and the other versions all were different from one another. The buns were super soft and it was a delight slurping them over. I saw a small gap towards the edge of the bread which meant the inside portion wasn't overflowing and pretty easy to consume without getting too messy.

Other than the burgers, they also have a few starters, salads, toasts, shakes and ice cream. The cottage cheese nachos was very nice and so was the toastie. The shakes and ice creams weren't bad but you would expect a touch better.

The ambiance is predominantly of black and yellow colours and gives it a very trendy feel. The seating arrangements are more pointing towards the fast food culture and overall the setup paints a rosy picture. The service may be bit of an issue on heavily crowded days for which they can take some measures to mend the gap. The pricing seems apt and reasonable. For the quality and size of burgers, they don't seem to be overpriced on any count.

There is already an inherent buzz about Burgerman and having a bite of their burgers, it's perhaps safe to conclude that this outlet is here to stay and pull in major crowds going forward. Wishing the team of Burgerman all the best and hope they embark on a smooth journey in the shores of Chennai.

Turyaa - A Rooftop paradise

The rooftop scenic view of Samasa amidst the night lit sky and blow of the breeze is a spectacular sight to behold. You feel the serenity in the air and the serenade of the music. It ignites an eternal private feel and this is a one of a kind setting if you're looking for a peace oriented dinner getaway amidst life's usual hullabaloo.

There is an open seating arrangement at the top as well as a nicely done up pent room which is all dressed up and looking really royal. The decor is done up so well and this is an ideal place if you're planning a special surprise for someone.

The food comprises of varied cuisines consisting of North Indian, South indian, Italian, Mediterranean and Continental. We were here on an invite and got to savour some of the special stuff served in the restaurant. Given below is a brief on the mail experience :

Welcome Drink & Appetiser : we got a chill Cranberry cooler as we arrived and this was a perfect thirst quencher. And for condiments we got buns and bread but with a twist as they gave us 4 unique versions of dips as side on. Also a delightful dollop of pesto butter to soak in the bread sticks.

Soup : This was served in a tray comprising of 3 cute cups with the extremes containing the soup and the middle having bread sticks and a pizza layer garnished stick bridging the 3 cups together. The soups were absolutely delightful and the essence of flavours were hitting on the mouth and pointed to the positive on all directions.

Starters : On starter front, we got plenty of stuff. The Indonesian kalimirchi vegetable kabab was deep fried and crispy. The Awadhi smoked Broccoli was well played with it being nicely marinated and served tawa style like a sizzler. The bharwan mushrooms were one of the best. They were small cute buttons with succulence in abundance and having a rich creamy taste. The chettinadu panneer tikka marinated with southern spices and cooked in a clay pot somehow missed the beat and felt a little extra burnt thus taking away the taste. The malwani style tofu served in satay style was well presented and hit the thumbs up on the taste front too.

Main course: Though I am not too fond of dry pasta's, the fusili pasta with butter gravy vegetables was kind of different and decent in taste. And the Dal Makhni was of high standard and went well with both the rice and roti.

Desserts & Drinks : The standout here was the dessert platter comprising of 1) Mango Exotic Pastry 2) Molten Milky Bar and 3) Sri Lankan Wattalappam. They were super duper delectable and melt in the mouth material. With the mango season in full bloom, they also got us an assorted mango platter which was refreshing. And in the drinks side both the cookie man being the chocolaty kind and the cranberry cooler being of the refreshing type were both appealing and apt.

The service was spot on and they really made us feel very comfortable. The pricing is not mentioned as it was over an invite. On the whole, if you're looking for a lovely laid back leisurely evening to spend with your near and dear one's over food and drink, Samasa at Turyaa can certainly be a good consideration.

Up North - Traversing across the allied regions of Punjab!

'Up North' brings forth a glorious portfolio of cuisine traversing across the upper tier of India to give the real and authentic taste of the traditional food from Punjab and allied regions. It was a wondrous experience as what you get to consume is hard core staple food as being eaten in the rustic villages cooked also in local style but amidst a serene rooftop atmosphere in a city down south such as Chennai. The whole concept is to feel the flavours of the North which is so rich yet diverse. You get the feeling of being transported to Amritsar and treating yourself to a typical heavy 'Dhaba' style meal in all it's true colours.

The menu here is a simple slider. It's a one pager comprising of all the dishes in many unique avatars. They have a truck load of varieties of Dal and they are tweaked and suited according to the requirement. Panneer, Aloo and few other options are also immense and come in various forms of potpourri.

I was here on an invite to savour a handpicked meal comprising some of the best of the best of Up North. I began with a refreshing ginger based mocktail which was ideal for this heat. Next up was the tomato dhaniya shorba. This was light and garnished with coriander and you could feel the essence of the flavour hitting on every spoon. It also beautifully set up things for the lavish feast to follow.

Then it was time for the starters which were simply spectacular. A veg platter was served comprising of multani panneer, malai panneer, peshawari subz kebab, bhutiyaa de kabab and bharmi aloo. Virtually each of them contested with one another for top stakes and I thoroughly enjoyed the royal aromatic taste lingering in the mouth. The multani panneer was a rectangular chunk with a red paste and so rich. The malai panneer melted waftly in the tongue. Peshawari kabab was super soft and minced with veggies. The bhutiyaa de kabab added a slight sweetness by being tangy and the bharmi aloo was a total show stealer with exotic english vegetables slathered generously on the layer of potato. It was such a delight gorging on all these starters.

When I felt the starters were top notch, the main course literally took my breath away. It was flowing like an avalanche and absolutely delectable in taste. The Bharmi Aloo kulcha was just stellar and in the curries almost every gravy stand alone took the cherry. I immensely enjoyed the Maa Ki dal which is slightly different from Dal Makhni made of kidney beans, rajma and black lentils. Seldom have I ever tasted such a lip smacking dal. The Aloo dum made in true blue punjabi style was another winner and so was the kadai panneer which was infused with just the right amount of spices to give the perfect punch. The Aloo Bhukhara kofta added the sweet touch and sarson ki saag brought about the regal flavours of spinach. The other roti's viz missi/makki roti, lachcha paratha etc were also well made and went jocularly well with all the fabulous gravies. The pan biryani also hit the bulls eye with each morsel being full of flavour and so yummy to have just as a stand alone dish.

And then it was the finale in the form of Nungu ice cream made in nitrogen style. This was a remarkable dessert presented in a cooling pan with pistachio soil, macaroons, banganaballi mangoes and frozen berries. It was a beautiful blend of sweetness and crunchiness and with the smoke of the chilling effect of Nitrogen looked very appealing. It was a surreal way to end the meal which only kept getting better and better till the final finish.

The service was spot on. I was amazed with the knowledge possessed by the waiter who seemed to know about the items from the menu in and out. That was very impressive and definitely aided in the eating experience. I must also mention about Chef Amandeep Singh who personally took time off and engaging me as I was uncovering a ravenous experience. He shared lots of interesting tit bits about the cuisines of the Northern Frontier which was very informative. The rates are not discussed as the visit was over an on the house. The ambiance gives a very calm, peaceful and languid feel. Overlooking the entire city with the winds blowing across and dishing on sumptuous creamy Punjabi food, you really can't expect for more.

Overall, it was a fascinating experience. I've always had a penchant for North Indian cuisine and after dining at 'Up North', the appreciation and love for Punjab, it's culture and food went up a further notch higher in my eyes. If you want to try true blue local authentic punjabi cuisine with all it's richness and heritage, 'Up North' is the best place to head to.

What's the sound at this time - Enna Satham Indha Neram!

If you're wondering what's the sound at this time, it's Enna Satham Indha Neram. This iconic song was composed for the movie Punnagai Mannan by Ilaiyaraaja and rendered masterfully by SPB. It is based on the Sindhu Bhairavi ragam and I just simply love the way IR plays with the notes alternately juxtaposing between both the Rishabham's and Gandharam's not diluting the essence one bit. Your fingers have to undergo a convoluted shift to play this and there are good chances of going wrong but the love of the blues of the melody makes you attempt a shot. The composition also traverses effortlessly back& forth with some jumpy notes across octaves providing a sparkle and the charanam acts as the perfect bridge connecting the pallavi. It's been an immensely long time since I touched the veena which has been lying in the home abandoned. Just tried an amateur version by playing this number, hope it wasn't too bad. 

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If you're wondering what's the sound at this time, it's Enna Satham Indha Neram. This iconic song was composed for the movie Punnagai Mannan by Ilaiyaraaja and rendered masterfully by SPB. It is based on the Sindhu Bhairavi ragam and I just simply love the way IR plays with the notes alternately juxtaposing between both the Rishabham's and Gandharam's not diluting the essence one bit. Your fingers have to undergo a convoluted shift to play this and there are good chances of going wrong but the love of the blues of the melody makes you attempt a shot. The composition also traverses effortlessly back& forth with some jumpy notes across octaves providing a sparkle and the charanam acts as the perfect bridge connecting the pallavi. It's been an immensely long time since I touched the veena which has been lying in the home abandoned. Just tried an amateur version by playing this number, hope it wasn't too bad. #ennasatham #indhaneram #punnagaimannan #1986 #IR #SPB #melody #veena #sindhubhairavi #song #composition #charanam #pallavi #iconic #random #amateur

A post shared by Rajiv Shankar (@rajiv_revel) on May 17, 2017 at 6:39pm PDT

VB Signature - Fusion Redefined!

Vasantha Bhavan is a well known chain known largely for their south indian cuisine and have plenty of outlets scattered over the south of Vindhyas. VB signature is also part of the same tutelage but with a redefined twist. With VB's, they look to completely change the definition of dining by syncing fusion with food and the result is quite spectacular. It paints a completely different picture from what you would usually associate of Vasantha Bhavan. The place is all chic and uber cool and gives an upmarket broadway kind of feel. Except for the surveit leaflets and smidgeons of appearances of the Vasantha Bhavan brand, you would feel like there has been a revolutionary makeover.

One could always argue the fact that why you want to try something drastically different when things ars already smooth. In VB's it's about innovation in food and they've made quite a daring attempt at that. It's just not about trying to be different but they have dug down deep rooted and explored various possibilities and combinations. The menu also is being revamped again to add new items to the fray and from our visit to try a sample of the latest varieties, it must be said the food was resoundingly good.

Listed below is a brief take on the stuff we tried on the night.
Soup : Here we got to try 2 types viz the Broccoli&cheddar as well as the Sutta Makka cholam soup. The former had a lovely frothy aroma to it and condensed with rich flavours and garam masala. The latter was a corn based soup and a surprise with pop corn added along with corn kernels and curry leafs. Both of the soups were immensely enjoyable and set the tone for things to follow.

Appetizer and Salad : We were served 6 different varieties of papad's with 5 unique kinds of chutneys. There forte was very much visible here and it was great to have bites of the papad's dipped with the chutneys. In salad we got a watermelon and feta cheese based one. This was a pretty standard fare and not really the kind where one would be raving about.

Starters : On this front VB's showed their acumen and how. This is an area open for experimentation and they lorded this area big time. My single biggest prize winner was the pesto bharwan panneer tikka. Designed in the form of a portmanteau with pesto drizzled in the interval, these chunks of cottage cheese when dipped and eaten with green chutney & white cream sauce makes you feel the nirvana biting in the tongue. The sweet vada pav was another win. Panko crusted with perfect crispiness, this street food favourite in a redefined avatar was great to bite into. Then adding a radical twist were the Hyderabadi potato and water chestnut 65. This was quite a spicy and crunchy combination in the Indo-chinese genre. The szcheuan momo's were also well played with a light tanginess with the momo's being rather different than usual in look and feel.

Main course : We got to have soft fluffy idiappams with the soaky yellow sodhi made of coconut milk and a traditional favorite of Ceylon. I loved making my idiappam all soggy by pouring adequate portions of sodhi and customised the style according to my taste by garnishing with varied toppings to give the zip. The chur chur paratha again was different from the usual being crispy and flaky in texture being flavoured with ghee and ajwain. Naan also got a face-lift and came dressed up in the form of sun dried tomato and a cheddar mix. The essence stuck on in fine fashion with the aroma lingering heavily. And for the side dishes, we had the ever favourite dal makhni. This is VB's signature black dal and they lived upto expectations by being very good. The lentils simmering in a bowl with the right mix of butter, cream and spices. And the other one we had was the spice oriented Panneer Taka tak. These were stir fried juicy elongated pieces of panneer cooked in tawa style inspired from the streets of Old Delhi. With onions and capsicums added along and garnished with the requisite spices, this is a kick ass side dish perfect to have along with rice or roti.

Desserts & Drinks : Another section which hit the jackpot. The Boost ice cream was one of a kind and the kind you would like to dig into. The chocolate job version 2.0 was another scorcher with loads and loads of chocolate in alliance with oreo and the result was magnificent on the mouth. And last but not the least, the oreo peanut butter cheesecake. Oreo biscuits crushed and crumbed in collaboration with peanut brittle in a creamy layered base of peanut butter cheesecake. A totally delectable and droolicious dessert. For drinks tried the Bovonto Mojito which was a wonderful chilled out drink and the oreo cream shake which was to devour.

The service was very hospitable. They were always willing to help us with the orders and more than ready to divulge minute details about the dishes served which was very engaging and interesting. As the visit was over an 'on the house', I'm refraining from commenting about the pricing. Would just add a one liner saying they are competitively priced. The ambiance and decor paint a rosy picture and gives a trendy feel in consonance with the kind of vittle provided.

On a holistic picture, VB pressed the buttons right at every hook. The level of detailing was remarkable and the taste of the food is ample testimony to show the efforts involved in experimentation and innovation. This was not some random job to bring newness to the table. The sincerity and homework definitely shows and I have to commend them on the work undertaken. They have stood out from the crowd and created a niche for themselves. This is perhaps one of the best restaurant's indulging in fusion based cuisine in the city.

Monte Nero - The World on a Plate!

Gone are the days when Chennai was looked at as a hub cardinally serving traditional south indian rice & curry and a piecemeal of tiffin variety. It has expanded it's wings not only across the country but also the globe in bringing together diverse cuisines from different parts of the world. Though there are a number of restaurants serving a good spread of global vittle, 'Montenero' is perhaps the first one to bring a variegated portfolio of exotic dishes all under one roof in it's newly opened outlet located in the vicinity of Nungambakkam.

Montenero comes with the caption "the world on a plate" and has an oeuvre of food items traversing across the length and breath of the atlas and brings to the table much sought after delightful delicacies. There are items hitherto you would have heard and it was indeed a pleasure consuming stuff which I've never really tried before. As an ever craving food lover always on the exploration prowl, I must confess Montenero ended up being extremely pleasing.

The stromboli which could be categorised as one of the avatar's of a pizza was the star of the day. This is basically a shaped piece of dough stuffed inside and topped with pizza ingredients. It was beautifully presented in a wooden pan flannel with french fries by the side and it was absolutely lovely to munch this softish piece of dough oozing with cheese and veggies. In the soup section we had a shot at the Broccoli and cheese as well as the almond asparagus. Both of them were sumptuously creamy and rich on flavours and it was quite a joy slurping them up spoon by spoon. The salad in the form of a flame roasted one contained a bunch of ingredients viz garlic, onion, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, cucumber, tomato ketchup, oregano, crushed pepper. This was spruced up and curried along wonderfully and the warm tinge proved to be the ideal confluence and the delivery pointed right on all counts. Another major surprise was on the tried and tested usual jalapeno poppers. I didn't expect much from this but they were breaded to brevity with just the right texture and it was all mouthwatering with cheese and jalapenos oozing out sinfully from those cute little cutlet balls. It also had a great companion in the mode of a fry sauce which is made 'in house'. And on the continental side we had a shot at the spinach ravioli with cream sauce. This was another show stealer. It had the right zip and this yellowish cheesy molten layer drooling on top of the greenish spinach was quite regal to say the least and just melted jocularly in the mouth. On Indian, we went for the panneer tikka satay. It was pretty decent but the cottage cheese lacked the punch and felt a little short on taste especially considering in relation to all the wondrous delights we encountered over the course of our dinner. We finished with the lava cake which was immaculate. The crumb pieces of chocolate went so well with the cake which was super soft and to boot a lovely scoop of vanilla ice cream.

On the whole it was a marvelous dinner living up way beyond expectations. The rates are par for the course and will definitely not make you slouch over especially considering what you get in return. The service was amicable and they were very much willing to assist and help us go about with our order which was very welcoming. The ambiance needs to be pepped up a bit. It looked a touch too gloomy and some shades of colour and brightness will certainly help the place boom. It's a small set up and would be good if they pack it up and get the best benefit from the seating arrangement.

They are still in the nascent stage and just taking my initial experience into count, I would without blinking an eyelid say that this was one of the best meals I've had in recent times. Right now they are in soft launch phase and about to be open full fledged very soon. Going by what I've encountered can confidently say that they have already sounded the alarm bells ringing and things only look set to get better with time. It's highly appreciative that they are trying something unique and I wish the team all the very success in making a mark in the Chennai food scene. Nungambakkam is studded with restaurant's in all corners and with the addition of 'Montenero' it's image as the food paradise of Chennai just got usurped a notch further.