Reef - Igniting the Buffet Vibes!

It was our second visit to the Sheraton Grand Resort after having first gone there to experience their fine dining restaurant C Salt. This time we wanted to engage on the buffet in the restaurant titled "The Reef". It was an evening rendezvous with the restaurant being quiet and giving a peaceful yet inviting vibe. We were one of the first to arrive and were greeted to a sumptuous buffet spread.

This one ticks the box on almost all counts. Apart from having various multi cuisine options, there were also live counters ringing in the fray with respect to options such as Dosa, Chaat, Pizza and Pasta. Though it's set up at a distance away from the beach the blow of the breeze just outside the restaurant gives a comforting feel. The ambience inside is cozy and dim. It's quite a large enclosure with well spread out tables and the pastel shades of the seating ignites a comfortable vibe with the interiors being quite tastefully done up.

I've been to a bunch of buffets at star properties within the city as well to these resort type settings. It's quite a call as to where to place this one but this definitely can be said to be belonging in the top tier category. The first thing you look for at a buffet are the options at hand and this one was lavish virtually catering to all sections at hand. I enjoyed the Greek fare with variety of Hummus and pita bread. The salads had a large offering with plenty to choose from. The starters alone could have been a tad better. They had some nice cutlet tikki type entres but we missed the good old Panneer and Gobi which has kind of become a staple.

A few dishes stood out being on the unique side. The first one among that was the Hasselback potatoes with saffron sauce. The potatoes felt jocularly joyful when submerged in that yellow saffron gravy. Another item which stood out was the poached pears with ricotta and nuts. This looked pretty appealing with the pears engraved in red cut over and inserted with pieces of nuts and smudged ricotta. The apple & pear waldorf salad also passed the colours in fine fashion both on looks and taste.

On the main course side, I got myself a nicely done up podi dosai. They had various kinds of podis available. Apart from that went for a standard veg pizza and pink sauce pasta which tasted decent. Also had a small shot at a Dahi Papdi Chaat. On the North Indian front, got myself a cheesy garlic Naan and to accompany was Paneer Butter Masala, Dal Makhni and an Aloo Dum gravy. The dessert section did see it's share of finely curated pastries and sweets.

The service was par for the course. Just felt the replacement of plates & refilling of water could have been done a tad quicker. The pricing is definitely at the high end but we did get a flat discount yet we still ended up paying 2200 bucks per person.

Overall the experience is worth it. It's a lovely sea facing resort where you can relax and laze around. Also at the restaurant it infuses an insouciant vibe which makes it laidback, appealing and comforting. It's a lovely space to spend some quite time with family with a bristle of calmness around that you don't get in most of the city buffet restaurants. If you're heading over this neck of the woods and on the mood to gorge on a delectable spread, "Reef" can certainly satiate that to your heart's content.

Swirl - Indulging the Buffet Bite!

It was our third consecutive long drive road trip in as many weeks and this time we headed over to Welcome Hotel Kences which is a part of the ITC group. We sat in the lawn for a couple of drinks and were welcomed by the blow of the breeze coming right from the sea side located just across the side. It was a sight to behold and the sea breeze made it a soothing experience.

After our tryst near by the sea with drinks for company, we decided it was time to eat and headed over to their restaurant called Swirl. The last two weeks were greeted with Ala carte options which were not so resounding. This time we preferred to go the Buffet way hoping that they'll be laying out quite a lavish spread.
                                          
The setup of the ambiance was pretty nice from the outset. The outside environment greeted with a nice rich look of a small water area surrounded with plants aplenty. On the inside it appeared cozy and comfortable with plenty of seating space and the items of the buffet placed at a central space.

Normally Sunday buffets in places such as this tend to usually have a massive spread with a magnanimous serving of broadened cuisines. That however was sorely missing. The spread seemed pretty pedestrian. Things you normally associate such as a Live counter wasn't witnessed. Options of Italian, Mexican or Mediterranean were hardly available. Neither were there South Indian tiffin fare such as Dosa, Idli etc or the Indian chaat variety of pani puri, pav bhaji etc. We thought there would be something special served to the table but that wasn't the case. The kitchen area was used only for the Indian bread variety to order for and nothing else.

Though the spread was limited which was quite unexpected but however whatever that was available and tried had nothing really much to complain about. There were couple of starters in the form of a panneer 65 and corn fritters. The panneer chunks were flavorful with a dash of spices added in and the corn was crunchy. There was one pasta item with mushrooms along with a moussaka which was decent and so were the noodles. On the main course, the panneer gravy was signature and so were their Black Dal which added as able folly to the Roti and Naan consumed.

They had a drinks counter placed right at the entrance serving butter milk, mint nannari and rose litchi. Had a small shot at them all and each of them had brownie points going for them. The salad counter however was pretty plain. They had 4 varieties of ice cream in the form of vanilla, chocolate, butter scotch and mango. Filled my dessert plate with one of each and ended up finishing the meal on a high.

The service side was helpful and greeting. However they seemed a little lacked out on manpower as many a time the used plates were taken away only after we had reloaded the new ones and had to ask them many a time to clear it. The pricing at roughly about 2k bucks inclusive of taxes per person seemed on par with other buffets of similar properties.

On the whole, it was a reasonable experience. They should definitely stack up their buffet with plenty more options available. Well one could always argue as what's the point by loading up dishes all of which would be hard to be consumed by the customer. But the point is not just that as having an extensive spread gives way to more variety. The one's visiting such places are spread across all age groups and hence more options can make it more enticing and appeasing. Also gives way for a more laidback and sombre time where one could at his peril be spoonfed with options to pick and choose.

Spice Haat @ Hyatt Regency - Buffet igniting the Blues!

I recall coming here quite regularly back in the day to enjoy their sumptuously large buffet. To be frank nothing much has changed and even now they conjure up a remarkable spread.

I was here for an official get together and they provide a great deal of food and drinks at a fairly reasonable clip. The interesting bit is that the drinks provided are unlimited.

There isn't much to complain about the food. In the starter section, the panneer is to drool and the cheese nuggets is a good add on. They also have a live chaat and pasta counter to customise and serve as per your requirement.

The main course is lavish and well spread out. There is enough and more for both the vegetarians and non vegetarians. The gravies taste really good and go wonderfully well with the Indian bread. There are options of rice and noodles as well.

The dessert section is again packed to the rafters. Various pastries and cakes of all sizes and shapes adorn proceedings and if you're a sweet lover you'll just look forward to polishing up what they have in store.

The service was friendly and the requirements are met as required. Spice Haat is a great option for a get together lunch or dinner and there are very little chances that it won't meet your expectations as most of the bases are well covered.

Cafe Marina @ Welcome Hotel - Splendorous feast of a buffet!

Cafe Marina at Welcome Hotel, Alwarpet serves up an absolute splendorous feast of a buffet that is sure to tingle your excitement. They offer a plethora of options and they literally pamper you with the choicest of offerings. This is an exclusive Sunday brunch and worth every bit of it.

It's quite an experience as you're taken by the pool side where you get to use the swimming pool as part of the brunch deal along with crunching over some delightful delicacies in the form of a variety of chaats, skewed grillers and a swirl of drinks both mocktails and cocktails. It's like the perfect setting on a Sunday afternoon sipping your drink by the way side of the gushing waters along with munchies to go along and you really can't ask for more.

After the outside escapade, you are led into the cafe which is well spaced out and contains an eclectic mix of varied cuisines. You have your usual soup, starters, salads, main course and desserts laid out in an elaborate manner and you can still continue to have your drinks, chaats and grills too if you want.

I was quite full with the initial largesse but from whatever I tried as part of the brunch was worth relishing. They had a lilting chole & aloo curry to go with Indian bread. The main course gravies were mostly good and they also had a big pot of biryani to satisfy both the veg and non veg lovers. The salad and snack counters also had lots of interesting options such as a cheese platter, a concocted mix of mango & cheese which was riveting, a packed up slice of sub and so much more. There was a coastal angle too with appams being made in the live counter and to accompany stew & egg curry. There were also your usual pasta's and a few continental dishes also added to the fray.

The desserts were no less and had an elongated passage and most of which I consumed seemed to be delicious. The chocolate gateaux was a masterpiece, the pineapple tart had class written all over it. There were some Indian touches to it too in the form of besan ladoo & Gulab Jamun. Apart from this there were also different flavours of ice cream for that final thwack.

On the whole, it was an exhilarating experience. The service was wonderful and always willing to help. They were always at our beck and call and made every effort to ensure that we have a good time. The rates are a huge plus point. The entire spread which allows you to indulge in a lavish buffet along with enjoying your time at the waters with barbecue, appetisers and unlimited drinks sets you back by just a shade under 1600 bucks. It's totally worth the value.

If you're looking for a wondrous laid back Sunday brunch experience where you just want to spend some easy chilled out time relaxing as you please and gorging on a bonanza of delectable's, Cafe Marina should definitely be at the top of your list.

Melting Pot - Magnanimous Sunday Buffet!

The Sunday brunch at Melting Pot, Intercontinental can be considered hands down one of the best buffets I've ever encountered. It virtually had everything you could think of and much more. They had literally laid out a feast for the food craving denizen in all it's splendour. Consuming this kind of a spread also requires some carefully worked out strategy as there is just so much on the table and you're completely spoilt for choice.

I wouldn't go in to the specifics of each of the items as it would end up being a thesis but instead will highlight a brief on some of the stand out stellar stars of the day. One counter which caught our attention happened to be the 'Mediterranean' where they had stacked it up with various hummus dips ranging from the usual plain one to a beetroot based to a spinach slurp to a cream cheese layered to so many more and all of em which I had a shot tasted absolutely jaw dropping. Even the pita breads were of different kinds and they did full justice to the region of Mediterranean by bringing out the best of each of the nations. Also it was beautifully presented with some nice diagrams showcasing a culinary trail.

Another area where they lorded big time was on the continental front. This was a sumptuous feast of epic proportions. I tasted perhaps the best ravioli I've ever had and it was not just one version but a couple of varieties with cheese floating along like a marmalade and the pockety pieces of pasta floating on a deck of cheese sauce both of the red and white variety with cream and herbs infused was just simply out of the world. On the baked section, the Lasagne was a total stunner. Softish squares in a prancing red sauce was simply sinister (pun intended). The Mac'n'cheese pasta was enveloped with cheese flowing from all sides like an avalanche and even the most hard core cheese lover would be taken by surprise with the way it was melting along with gay abandon.

The Indian side of things was no less. From exotic curries delivered in sterling style be it the panneer makhni, black dal, malai kofta and much more. And we had the roti's, naans and biryani to back them up really well. The Pan Asian section too did justice with a potpourri of stuff worth all it's weight to make you go gaga.

The dessert front ignites the cheshire cat instinct making you smirk with merryfull excitement. An entire tray was laid out with exquisite delectation, with which just a mere glance would make you all sugary eyed. The mounded up toothsome delicacies is sure to make the mouth all mushy with ghee and tongue wag with glee abandon. From ice cream cones to cookies to sweet pulps to cupcakes to lollipops to cotton candies to pastries to many more variegated sweetened avatars, this stall right royally packed a punch for the sweet craving aficionado.

It was a sunny afternoon raided with all kinds of food to make the heart quench with satisfaction. I seldom have seen such a lavish spread where items kept overflowing like a volcano. It was a marvellous feast of epic proportions. This is a kind of brunch that I have never experienced before. It was one thing packing the brunch with stuff aplenty but the other and more important thing which they nailed was getting it right on virtually everything that was put forth which happened to be truly laudable giving this place a huge huge win.

The service was more of self serve being the buffet kind but they were more than willing to aid us whenever required extending their hands on all occasions we needed them. The pricing is not mentioned as it was over an invite. I must say that even though it may seemingly be high, the kind of takeaway that you get will not be a debar in spending for this celebration fit for a king.

The whole experience was one of a kind by being very engaging and pleasant. The place is pretty far off from the city but if you're the one looking forward to chillax a Sunday afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of the city and wanting to spend a laid back relaxed day with fantabulous food for company amidst the scenic ambiance of this gigantic waterside property, you just cannot think or even dream of a place better than the Melting Pot, Intercontinental.

Waterside - All day dining!

The Waterside is the 24 hour all day dining restaurant as part of Feathers, Radha Hotel located in Manapakkam. The outlet serves both Ala carte and Buffet and we as a bunch of foodies were invited to have a shot at the Sunday Brunch.

The place appeals instantly with it's wonderfully carved out woodwork which gives a very pleasant and soothing feel. The lighting is abundantly bright and the showpieces stacked across ignites a magnum presence and showcases itself to be a royal and ritzy affair. It's also well spread out with a large dining space and the musical duo belting out classics only adds further to the rendezvous. The water front at the passerby area adds to the surrounding environment.

Coming to the spread on offer, it traverses the length and breadth of divergent cuisines from across the globe bringing to the table an extensive and elaborate multi cuisine deal. They played the game safe by ensuring that something or other is available amongst North Indian, South Indian, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Greek, Arabian, Middle eastern cuisine etc. The positive was it didn't seem like just making up the numbers and there was really a generous fare prevalent to please everyone's palette and appetite.

Listing every item in store would end up meaning to write a dossier and hence I would like to mention some of the key dishes pointing to the affirmative and a bit of the let downs which perhaps requires a tinge of amelioration. I must confess to immensely taking a liking to the Mexican Fajita rolls which were delivered beautifully and packed a punch with the right dosage of Mexican ingredients. The pita breads and the hummus dip along with other condiments too was a huge win. The Pizza's which were part of the live counter also hit the brownie points by being done up really well with the mix of exotic toppings on a thin crust base. The red sauce spaghetti pasta was amazingly flavourful and creamy and the continental based Mousakka also won the accolades by having the right content in taste and stuffings and satisfying expectations. In the starter section, the panneer tikka was top notch being served on a pan with plenty of juicy pieces which were super succulent and extremely delicious. The Arancini veg balls too were well presented with a dash of red marinara sauce sprayed along judiciously. The dessert draw was a complete masterpiece with virtually every item on the shelf being of high quality. The red velvet cake as well as the chocolate opera and the pista based chocolate pudding were delectable. There were also a reasonable mix of Indian sweets too to entice for the sweet cravers.

On the flip side, the opening encounter viz tomato and vegetable soup was a bit pedestrian. It was too watery in content and loaded with a bunch of veggies and the tomato in the name was just the flavour added and nothing more. It wasn't a great start to be frank but the things which followed more than made up for it. The starters were generally good but the jalapeno cheese balls could have definitely been a touch better if served with some kind of dip preferably of the chilli mayo kind. One other disappointment was largely on the North Indian curries which really didn't seem appeasing both on looks and taste. One surely expected more on this front considering the oeuvre was quite larger compared to other cuisines in the fray. And on the Italian side though the White sauce pasta looked tantalisingly classy and creamy, the taste was a bit sour lacking on the salt content and lack of flavours.

Overall however the good side of things far exceeded the negatives making it pleasing dine out at the end of the day. Despite disappointments, some items stood out shoulders above the rest forging us to go repeat on the same. The service was amiable and hospitable. At all points of time they were by our side and easily accessible and acceding to our requests. As the event was over an invite, pricing goes out of the question. However this is a solid buffet spread for the price which you wouldn't be cribbing too much upon.

Taking the large picture into equation, it ended up being a good little brunch meal ticking most of the boxes which you would usually expect. Most bases are well covered and some additional care on certain nitty gritties will only elevate the experience in dining out at the Waterside in Feathers Hotel.

Asia Kitchen stirs up a Chinese Buffet!

There isn't much to fault with Asia's kitchen by Mainland China. The ambiance is chinese centric with a powerful presence of red and black colors, lovely little woodwork with chinese script inscribed at places. There are also beautiful portraits showcasing Chinese culture in all it's splendour. The lighting is mildly dim and just perfectly apt for a dine in restaurant of this kind. Being situated as part of a hotel, you also have the advantage of having a shot or two of cocktails. Apart from this the seating arrangement is very comfortable with a number of 6 seaters placed exclusively for families and the open kitchen with the smelling aroma adds a beautiful buzz to the surrounding.

We were here on a weekday afternoon and I had a swish at the lunch buffet priced at 565 bucks. The options were plenty in number and it felt pretty reasonable consuming high quality chinese food for this rate. The soup which was a 8 treasure Island one was more in line with the sweet corn one but with much more veggies to the fray.

The starters which were served directly on the table was my most favourite of the lot. The veg spring rolls were wonderful to eat with the sweet chilli sauce, potato kafir lime which were loosely fine thin french fries based with a dash of lime was delightful. But what took the cake was the crispy vegetable chilli plum which had such a delectable confluence of a tangy taste with a bit of sweetness infused to the mix. Equally jaw dropping were the basil dumplings which I thoroughly enjoyed which had a beautiful veg stuffing inside those soft and juicy greenish momo's.

The main course section was kind of decent. They had a veg hakka noodles which was nicely flavoured and a usual veg fried rice which was more run of the mill stuff. The sides had a nice variety with the broccoli corn water chestnut in chilli garlic sauce and the vegetable dumpling chilli soya sauce. On the less spicier side there was stir fried chinese greens.

The desserts were a good way to end the meal. There was darsaan, hot chocolate rolls, cake, mousse, fresh fruits and ice cream. The darsaan had a nice sweet tinge to it. The rolls were cute and stuffed with chocolate sauce. The cake and mousse was par for the course and in ice cream they had 3 different flavours - vanilla, butterscotch and strawberry.

On the whole, it was a pretty good meal and very much worth for the price. The service was quick and they did a good job in refilling the plates. They were always available at our beck and call. Other facilities like parking is not an issue as they have valet facility.

Overall, a good place for trying out Chinese cuisine. The buffet especially is a very good choice for those looking to hog a lot without striking a hole in the pocket.

Bazar @ GRT - An absolutely riveting encounter!

The all day dining restaurant at GRT has received a tremendous facelift and has been rechristened by the name 'Bazaar'. From the moniker it can be easily gauged that the theme must be in relation to the local influx of culture and folklore. But it's much more than just that. A significant amount of homework has been done studying into the potpourri of diversity of the bazaar streamline across India, middle east and the Turkish region.

The ambiance amazes and how. They have captured many intricate details and brought about the rusticity in a very arty form. There is a lot of kitsch associated but you don't feel it to be overdone one bit and only ends up being suave and sophisticated. The usual buffet restaurant's at the star hotels tend to be one dimensional with bright lights and opulent interiors. But Bazaar, GRT bucks the trend by creating a niche trend of it's own which is beautifully appealing and appealingly beautiful.

Some particular anecdotes worth mentioning include incorporating elements from the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. The 5 different kaleidoscope tile pattern have been imported from Cairo. And adding India to the fray, wooden casks have been used for the ceilings just like how it tends to be in a market. The walls were inscribed with items from the field belonging to the GRT group. The decor overall seemed very impressive with a swirl of colours of different proportions making up the surroundings.

The spread on offer was replete with an oeuvre of delectation spanning across various cuisines predominantly oeiental, Indian and continental. They had various sorts of add ons and specific counters for salads, desserts, chaats and an area to dish up one of their specialities namely the 'superbowl' which is apparently a nutrient filled diet rich food constituent made in the ad lib style. Another interesting thing was on the largesse main course section, they separated the stands and there was one exclusively for vegetarian and another for non vegetarian. Along with all these, we also got a crack at some of their special fusion based ala carte cuisine.

It would end up being a dossier if I had to list each of the items and give a description. Briefly to put it in place, the Moroccan soup was mildly spicy containing plenty of ingredients and felt flavourful. The pizza was an absolute delicacy with a string of exotic veggies over a thin crust layer suffused with a tantalising layer of cheese. The sandwiches and burger somehow seemed a little too plain for the liking. The dosa however presented in an immaculate fashion in the form of newspapers were wonderful to consume along with 3 varieties of chutneys and an esculently tasting sambhar. The Panneer Tikka starter was super succulent and packed a punch. The other one's on the day were pretty good too. The superbowl concept however seemed a bit too far fetched. It was massively advertised but felt more like a new age wine in an old bottle. Wouldn't really term it as unique as I have tried similar stuff having different naming convenient elsewhere.

The main course section had a lovely varied spread and most of the things which I had a shot at seemed pleasant to taste. It was of immense proportion and there were options galore. I loved most of the Indian and Continental stock whatever I got to taste. A whirlpool of chaats were another great add on to the mix. We also got to have shots at various mocktail creations. The strawberry banana shake served in a tall glass was lovely. A chocolate shake with pieces of orange peels on them tasted a little odd. The other drinks and Mojito though were immensely refreshing. The dessert draw had quite a feast on offer with a melange of Indian and western sweets and pastries. The service was hospitable and rates are par for the course.

Adumbrating on the whole, it was a fascinating experience visiting Bazaar with it's all encompassing extravaganza and attention to detail on all fronts totally bowling us over. Highly recommended choice for those looking for a grand upscale one of a kind fine dining escapade.

Residency @ Crowne Plaza - Inducing the good ol times!

From times immemorial, the Residency at Crowne Plaza (formerly Park Sheraton) is known for their penchant of putting up lavish and extravagant spreads. They are tagged by the moniker "Ferrari of all buffets" as it happens to be one of the first places to serve a widespread buffet on a daily basis for both lunch and dinner. The restaurant has lived up to it's reputation over time and continues to be a popular destination for an up scale fine dining buffet spread. They are known for their variegated cuisine spanning across Indian, oriental and continental.

On the occasion of the Indo French chamber of association celebrating 40 years, they decided to come up with a unique theme celebrating the rather unchartered territories of Re union islands and unravel the cloak surrounding the mystery of these islands located in the Indian ocean. It may be pretty intriguing to note but the Re union islands have a huge influence of the South of India in it's culture, lifestyle and even food. Plenty of people from down south migrated to these islands and the influx of tradition has inherently been carried over. Turmeric, cumin, coconut, masala, spices and other predominant ingredients which form a feature of south indian recipes are part and parcel of the food dished out in these islands.

The concept sounded interesting and it wasn't like a showcase to prove that they were trying to be different. Though it was radical, it came across as being very natural and warming. I really found the whole thing to be unique and inventive. They brought in a chef exclusively from the islands and put forth a rather interesting fare of delicacies proving the authenticity in a righteous manner. Another remarkable feature was the music being spiced out with the native band members swooning away on those 'off the cuff' rustic instruments bringing a refreshing sound. The music was a little louder for the set up but it just pepped up the whole atmosphere and it was fantastic listening to the baila like dance form of music from the heart of the land of Re union.

On the food they didn't divert completely to have everything Re-union but instead played safe by keeping the tried and tested Tandoori, chinese and continental along with having an equal measure of cuisine from France and the Re union islands. I felt this was well played as they played to the gallery by ensuring that everyone's pallet goes well suited. I managed to taste most of the veg stuff from Re union islands and must say I found the experience interesting. The coconut vegetable soup was an eye opener and top notch. The sweet potato based dessert was one of a kind and very enjoyable. The french style savoury crepes were another hands on winner. The potato based stuff were immaculately good and the lemony tinge with shredded onions seem to be a usual part of the food from this region. I also did try my hand at a bit of North Indian and the gravies be it the shahi panneer and rajma masala were marvellous. The chinese side of things too were pretty good with the tofu curry being a delight. Apart from all these they also had a large salad counter with a special section for cheese and a sprawling dessert draw. A bunch of starters and chaat were also served on the table along with a refreshing multi coloured welcome drink.

The food was truly pleasing and it was indeed a feast gorging on an array of delicacies amidst the high octane lively music. The decor comprising of ivory coloured cushion seating was really comfortable. The ambiance is another big plus point. It mirrors a confluence of the old and new by retaining the old world charm in the midst of the newness surrounding the interiors. As the event was over an invite, pricing goes out of question. It is no doubt though on the higher side but this is an experience you wouldn't mind paying a hefty sum once in a while as what you get in return will ensure that you will not go home without taking back 'something to remember'. The service was spot on and the hospitality shown towards us was welcoming.

This was indeed a meet to remember. They just 'upped the ante' via this theme of 'Reunion Islands' and delivered the result with elan and finesse. It was a pleasure to participate in the celebrations. I believe there are more interesting themes to come and just taking the Re union food festival as an illustration, it is certain that more good times are here to come for the Residency at Crowne Plaza.

Absolute Barbecue - Get Set Go G(D)rilling!

I have been to Absolute Barbecue many a time in it's 1 year of operation in the city. But, I am going to place focus specifically on 2 of my visits - My first sojourn when AB's just started it out on Oct 2014 and my recent outing in Oct'15 as part of a team of bloggers for the 'Al Karamba' Caribbean festival where we were served some special offerings from the island nation.

After a being a thumping success in Bangalore & Hyderabad, the Chennai crowd has well and truly lapped up the brand of Absolute Barbecue's. It has been a runaway blockbuster hit and continues to attract the houseful board and if one has to attribute 2 reasons for its super success, one is the wide variety of food on offer and the second being the superlative service. AB's has always been a step up on the ladder and its clearly visible with all the extra efforts taken by them to enhance the customer experience.

T Nagar seems to be the preferred location for Barbecue restaurant's in the city and this one's located in GN Chetty road somewhat in the adjoining space between Accord Metropolitan and Residency. From the outset you just see a board and there is nothing spectacular about the building hosting this place but the real surprise is when you step into the 3rd floor to get inside the restaurant.

The place is cool,chic,stylish and really happening. The design is done up tastefully and feels like it can accommodate hordes of people. It is well lit up and glistens with an interesting palate of colors. Seems even quirkier seeing the waiters dressed up in bright yellow shirts normally and on festive occasions you witness a change according to the 'T'. There is loud old english music playing in the background giving a buzzing atmosphere overall.

To say that there are plentiful items in store to satiate your appetite is really an understatement. The spread is so gargantuan that even an ogre would not be able to do complete justice. In the veg buffet starter barbeque section there are usually versions of Grilled kababs, Panneer, Potato, Mushroom, American Cheesy Potato and Crispy corn. Behold these are just the items mentioned but apart from that they happen to be very magnanimous and also provide extra's such as Grilled Cauliflower , Barbeque / sliced Pineapple's and Barbeque Watermelon. The barbeque's are cooked to perfection and tempered with the right juice and punch giving a flavorful feel to the mouth. And for the Caribbean festival, they tweaked quite a bit of their signature starters to bring the flavors and taste of the West Indies.

If you thought this was all in the starter's part wait till you hear this. They have a unique concept called the 'Wish Grill' where you get to make and eat them ad-lib style. It is a 4 step process where you first get to pick your veggies or meat (Everything you name and more is there). Secondly you get to top your ingredients with rice or noodles and once this is done you get to check with the chef for the choice of sauces (You are allowed to taste sample's for your preference) and on top of the sauces (so many choices) you get to load them with condiments comprising of Chilli flakes, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil etc. And voila you watch your taste wish get fulfilled. I really loved my wish grill which was nicely cooked and tender with the right blend and mix.

Once you are done with the Barbeque's and Wish Grill, you really wouldn't have the wherewithal to try anything else. However, the main course is in no way any lesser as you have a wide oeuvre here too. From the little I tasted found the AB's special Dal to be simmeringly delightful and the Paneer sheesh mahal with a coating of spinach inside oval shaped cottage cheese to be delectable. They also have a host of other gravies and curries to go along with their Veg Dum Biriyani, plain rice and Indian Bread. And you always have a soup which is decent and to boot some accompanying salads. Also you get a mocktail to choose from a span of several of which i chose the Black buck - a blackcurrent based drink on my first visit and a pineapple passion on my recent foray which came delightfully in a decorated real pineapple with a straw inserted at the side which tasted absolutely ravishing.

They also have a truckload of desserts with live counters of Indian sweets and a number of pastries to choose from. And on the ice-cream front they make you coldstone icecream of your choice of flavor and topping. It was really a sight watching them make it in front of you dashing them in the cold stoned rectangle and regardless to say i loved my ice-cream which was soft , mellow and meltilicious.

It turns out to be an absolute wow barbecue experience every time you come here. You have plethora of food erupting like a lava making you pack your stomach to the rafters. It feels as if you've had 3 meals in one go pampering and spoiling you like crazy. Go give your decadence a Hi-5. Such is the variety and quantity of food in store that if you start to explain each and every item it would very well end up being a dossier.

The waiters are very prompt and the chef is very sweet in personally coming and asking for feedback and taking suggestions of how to further give their best. It really feels like they value customer feedback seriously.

There is hardly a negative bone at AB's. Its heartwarming to see that they have continued to maintain their service and quality over the past year attracting more and more customers and building up a huge fan base. Here's wishing them well to assert their supremacy further as they head into their second year. Go Grilling!

P.S: Sharing below my second review to this place as and when it opened its doors in Velachery.
Absolute Barbecues entry to Chennai with their T-Nagar outlet hasn't been anything short of path breaking with record crowds thronging the outlet time and again like a deluge. It has seen phenomenal rise over the last 2 years and is one of the unprecedented success stories witnessed in the food scene of Chennai.

After regaling and enthralling the barbeque lovers, it was time to expand the radar and they have now opened their second outlet in the Taramani Link road en route to Velachery. Strategically this is a brilliant choice for location as the surrounding area is in close proximity to a glut of IT and business parks and a ginormous amount of folks work right round the corner. They have essentially placed themselves easily accessible to the Corporates and it's a given with AB's reputation already soaring high that this will be lapped up with open arms.

We were here on an invite on a Saturday evening and it was no surprise that it was completely packed to the rafters. There is an inherent buzz about the place and the atmosphere is electrifying. There is always some sort of action happening at AB's and the pulsating vibe here is pretty infectious. You will see the servers on their toes converging the area acceding to customers requests. The rumbling sound of the utensils, the constant chatter amongst groups of people, moving about in a helter skelter manner to refill your plate, the loud music playing at the background et al add to the experience of dining at AB's.

AB's is one restaurant which is designed to showcase your gluttony instincts to the fore. Their starters are a class apart tempered with the right texture and punch and it's hard not to gobble them up piece by piece and repeat the same again and again. You never really get bored of their grilled stuff and they also innovate by bringing newer things to the table adding to the excitement. In the veg category, you usually have your panneer, mushroom, babycorn, potatoes, pineapple etc. They also have special starters directly served and is amazing how willing they are to provide you with a largesse fest. On this occasion we got the delightfully soft beetroot cutlets and the honey pineapples pierced right in front of us from a giant sized pineapple fruit. The wish grill is another sphere which entices the customers as this is based on the ad-lib style of choosing your ingredients from a mass list and adding your sauces and sprucing up the masala to create something of your own.

These kind of grilled based restaurants work on the pareto analysis of roughly 80-20 portfolio with 80% occupying the barbeque starters and perhaps 20% making up the main course and desserts. However on quantity main course is pretty widespread standalone. But it's just that you won't be having the wherewithal to try your hand too much at these considering you're already detonated having stuffed yourself to the brim with the starters. From whatever little I tasted though, they seemed to be pretty good. The desserts section has a mix of western pastries and Indian sweets with ice cream to boot.

It's really hard to pinpoint issues at AB's because they happen to be so bloody good and they virtually ensure that all bases get covered. They have played it safe here and seem to follow the path of the former AB's in T Nagar to the 'T'. There isn't anything off the cuff or radically different and it makes sense because you don't try to fix something which is already running super smooth.

The service was exemplary as usual with the staff at your beck and call and taking all efforts to ensure we have a good time. Though our encounter was over an 'on the house', the pricing can be termed reasonable for the mind blowing feast on offer. Other factors like valet parking is rightfully available which is a plus one.

It's always a pleasure to dine in at Absolute Barbecues and our recent visit was no different. It was a fun evening of food and frolic. This new Absolute Barbecues at Velachery has already embarked on an earth shattering start and you have to be a brave man to bet against it soaking in record breaking crowds going forward.

Barbequed at Barbeque Nation !!

This is a place where you can eat till you drop. Its their starters which pack a punch and you are served an overdose of them which keeps getting refilled like an avalanche as you keep polishing. The barbeque's taste awesome and seldom go wrong tempered with the right blend of juice , texture and tenderness. This is a place where you get the best of both worlds - veg and non veg. The veg afficianados are always guaranteed of a Paneer , Mushroom , Aloo , Corn etc and likewise the non veg lovers get their share of Chicken , Fish , Lamb and Prawn.

If you have to mention one signature starter which stands out - its the Cajun spiced Potato. Infact i like coming here just to gorge on this Caribean style melting potatoes floating over a simmering creamy gravy which just wallows in your mouth making your taste buds to crave for more and more. This item is unique and have never tasted something like this anywhere else. Interestingly , this is the only really liquidy thingy amongst all the starters.

In Barbeque nation , it is the starters which stake claim for being the main course and the real so called main course occupies a distant secondary position. To be frank , atleast 80% of your meal will be consumed on just relishing the barbeque's and the rest barring the starters just make up for the remaining numbers. That said they have quite an elaborate spread consisting of soup , roti , rice , salad and a plethora of curries and desserts. I usually find the curries having the same ingredients as those of the starters where you get your quintessential paneer/mushroom gravy , aloo curry etc. You never really get to do justice to this portion of the meal due to the over indulgence in consuming the Barbeque's. From what little I have tasted would say it just borders along the decent and nothing really great to write home about.

Coming to the ambience , you feel a lot of brownness all over perhaps adhering to the Barbeques which are also more or less Brown in colour. :) Lots of brown colored brick walls and brown seats converge the surroundings. The chairs are a little uncomfortable and it would be good if they raise the height a wee bit. This is a place where you cannot expect to have a quite meal and its more ideal to visit as a group. Its a bit noisy and added to that is the loud english music playing along.

The service is excellent and really quick and rest assured you will be taken care of all your needs. The barbeques were refreshed promptly and never felt the need to request for anything particular. Here their ideology is Customer is King. Found this really impressive as they are always overcrowded and yet they strive hard to serve each and every customer to the best of their ability. The prices are little on the higher side. I remember paying only half the rate when i used to frequent a couple of years ago.

Despite the minor shortcomings , they have managed to keep their fan base intact and only enlarge it over a period of time and the popularity they command stands a true testimony to the quality of food and service of this restaurant.