Bay 6 - Decked up at the beach side!

It was an extremely hot summer afternoon when we decided to venture out towards the ECR side and eat some food at Bay 6. The ambiance instantly wins you over as you can witness the waves of the sea right at the onset as you're gorging across your food. It's very simple by design but they have captured the view of the sea in all it's glory. Though the weather outside was shining bright as ever, the zephyr blowing over kept us really soothed making it a calming influence. 

It is located in one of the many tiny streets that leads you up towards the ECR beach. This one is right at the end and it appears that it's a house which has been constructed into a restaurant and what they've crafted out comes across as just the most cozy place to welcome an insouciant lunch or dinner. A lot of brown adorns the place with a touch up of white to give it an appealing texture. 

The cuisine is a melange of continental, Italian and a skosh of North Indian. The major page filling up the menu happens to be small plates and that's what we mainly dug at during our encounter with this place. The Kabuli Panneer was a certain win. The minced mix of chole interspersed inside fresh rolled out chunks of panneer gave it a delectable taste. The Malai Brocolli & Pineapple was a decent fair. Brocolli florets and cut pieces of pineapple were dunked into cream cheese but somehow the cheesy bits weren't that evident. The button based stuffed mushrooms however had an enticing taste with the char grill taste flashing out. The best of the starters were however the Hara Bara Kabab which was nailed to perfection. The mix of carrot, peas and spinach came out jocularly well and were lip smacking for the taste buds. 

On the main course, we tried a pesto based penne pasta. This was kind of nice with the flavour of the green pesto ruling supreme but however it didn't feel like a spectacular dish overall. Just quite a little nice pasta but nothing really to rave about. Their signature Bay 6 pizza was quite a win. It looked amazingly alluring with a bunch of toppings that felt perfect for a summer afternoon. On the North Indian side just had a shot at the Paneer Butter Masala which was quite creamy and pleasing. Didn't have the stomach for a dessert and just settled in for a pineapple juice which was purely plain jane. The sugar element was somehow missing and this was a pass. 

The service was neat and quick. They were honest with their suggestions and open for feedback. The rates appear a tad bit on the higher side but on expected lines. 

Overall it was quite a delightful experience. On the food side some hit the bulls eye but a few were quite off the mark. The scenic spot makes it an attractive juncture for tourists with the location and atmosphere perhaps their biggest take away. Some minor work around on the food side can help elevating the experience a further notch.

Cafe De Bangkok - Inviting Travel Vibes

Bangkok is a known to be a foodie's paradise apart from being a frequently hunted travel destination. It is known for it's mélange of cuisines ranging from Pan Asian and spreading across to continental, Pizza's and a host of bakery products.

Cafe De Bangkok is a new venture bringing the best of the world of Thai to the shore lands of Chennai. The place is located on a main road and the ambiance depicts a swirl of Thailand drawings with a diaspora of cute flower bouquets for infusing the vibration. Palettes of white and blue mostly adorn the surrounding.

The menu boasts of a mix of varied cuisines. I began proceedings with a broccoli soup encapsulated with shrivels of cheese which seemed to be a pretty good way to start on a cold evening. For the starters we tried the loaded fries which was basically potato fries topped up with salsa and cream. The fries were crunchy and the texture was just about right and it went well with the mix up. We also tried a bao in the form of cottage cheese & sundried tomato. This was one of my favorite dishes with the buns being juicy soft and stuffed inset were spicy rectangular chunks of paneer and dried tomatoes with the combination working very well. Another cottage cheese starter was attacked this time in the form of a skewer. This was of the Cajun variant and the pieces were fresh and somewhat in line with the traditional Indianized version of paneer tikka just that it was served in a different format. We also had a shot at the Thai spring rolls which went jocularly well with a lively tangy dip.

On the main course front, we went with the double cheese margarita pizza. I wouldn't say this was top notch. It was decent enough but somehow not melt in the mouth stuff that I expected it to be. The khow suey however was well dished up having a lovely aroma inherent to it. All the condiments added on made it quite an item to remember. This apart, a pink sauce penne pasta was also attempted. This one was creamy with the right stuffing and seemed well cooked and also tasted yummy.

They do not have too many options on the dessert front as of now. They had a chocolate danish and a blue berry cheese tart which seemed strictly average at best. I believe this is an area they are still working up to stack more options in the fray.

Overall it was a pretty pleasant experience. The waiters were friendly and the items were brought in at regular time intervals. The pricing seems par for the course. The ambiance and vibe works quite well especially if you're the kind who is looking forward to a pleasing experience. This cafe can definitely be tried for it's diverse epicurean cuisine.

Black Orchid - The Bustling Black Beauty!

Black, beauty and buzz are perhaps the 3 keywords adorning this place. The color black infuses royalty and a svelte like class about it that exhibits beauty in all it's aura and the buzz it creates is a sparkling spectacle. Black Orchid is a fine dining cum resto-bar restaurant located in a sprawling constructed property in R A Puram.

The place is abuzz with flashy decor, blooming lights and crafty woodwork. It's a three tiered massive structure with the basement allocated as a party hall, the ground portion consisting of a fine styling restaurant cum bar and the upper stair case portion leads you to a permit room where you can eat and drink to your heart's content with easing lounge style music.

We were here on a weekday evening and the place instantly spiraled it's atmosphere as set foot inside. It is more of a casual dining outlet but they have brought in some interesting features to differentiate itself from the crowd. It brings Japanese cuisine such as Sushis and Tepanayaki which gives itself a unique signature and apart from that you also have portions comprising of North Indian cuisine, a bit of continental and also Italian.

The appetizers form a major part of the menu and overall the food was very well curated and we had a ball of a time. We began our foray with a mixed veggies Tepanyaki. This one was grilled well with a variety of veggies giving us a crunchy beginning to our proceedings. The grilled panneer with peppers served in the form of skewers were amazingly flavorful and went very well with a barbecue sauce which had a mild sweet tinge to it. The lotus stem starter was perhaps the best of the lot as it had everything going for it on the taste angle and it was jocularly good to polish them with the creamy mayo and soya accompaniment that came along with it. The cassawa rolls which resemble sweet potatoes also was very good with the chilli dip enhancing the flavors all the more. We also had to try a sushi considering it's their specialty and hence we attempted the Greenland Maki one. It was dressed up royally in yellow consisting of veggies interspersed inset.

On to the main course, the corn and pepper bake was excellent. It was extremely cheesy and coated up with a smoked baked dressing. It was overflowing with goodness and ended up being such a toothsome delight. The vegetables in curry with saffron pilaf also turned out to be a sure shot winner. The curry made in coconut cream was esculent and the saffron flavored rice complemented it really well. Apart from this we also tried a bit of Indian with Tawa Paratha and Panneer Mutter Masala. The gravy was rich and creamy and it was nice to consume with the Indian breads.

The dessert section saw us having a crack at the Black Orchid cheesecake. It came with a fleck of gold foil and was very mushy and mellow consisting of a dense chocolate taste. It felt more like a rich mousse cake as cheesecake is normally associated with a biscuity crumb holding it which was missing in this case. The chocolate in a jar rum was also had and this concoction worked really well with the taste of rum being evident in each spoonful and the combo of rum & chocolate did indeed prove to be magical. Another thing to note here is they have some really unique but limited ice cream choices. We went for the lemon grass and enjoyed every smack of it. The slithery hint of lemon grass was felt in every bite.

The service was fast paced and we got all our items in quick intervals of time. The staff were also friendly and provided some valuable suggestions helping us order the right stuff. The prices seem up market but competitive considering they are setting the bar high.

All in all, Black Orchid happens to be a fascinating new addition to both the restaurant as well as the pub scene. The ambiance is serene and the atmosphere is electrifying. There is a lot you can indulge here apart from taking a bunch of happy memories. Can easily be classified as a fantastic option for food & drink.

Quattro - A melange of Mexican and an interim of Italian

'Quattro' was impressive in parts. They are one of the forerunner restaurants when it comes to whipping up a fest of a gastronomic food adventure mainly utilizing Italian and Mexican cuisine.

We were here on a hot weekend afternoon to look forward to a slurp feast of the best that Italian and Mexican can offer. We started our journey with a Jalapeno Queso. We asked for a small portion and it contained 3 batter fried balls submerged with cheese and spread with a Jalapeno cloud. It was cheesy and smacked flavour fully on to the taste buds. Next up was a crack at the Quesadillas. Went for a Chipotle cottage cheese filling with Mexican beans and a slice of sour cream and Mexican rice for company. This one was well stuffed and punchy with the hard hitting taste.

For main course we tried the Primavera pizza. This frankly was quite a disappointment and seemed more like a run off the mill stuff. It was just that the stuffing were well covered but did expect a more sumptuous offering. However things evened out with the spectacular Mexican cottage cheese sizzler. This one was a belted being heavily loaded with veggies and chunks of cottage cheese cubes with mashed potato and a molten dripping layer of cheese sauce to boot. It was indeed a relishing and wholesome dish.

On the dessert side we polished off a chocolate Saturn and hot chocolate soup. This had all the ammunition to win you over with effervescent essence of chocolate bowling you over. The touch up of orange, mango and jelly enhanced it further.

All in all it was a decent experience. The presentation was lovely and we also had our servings in quick time. One grouse however is on the quantity. Except the sizzler all the other items felt too minimal on serving. You do expect a little more portion and it was a tad disappointing to see such granular portions. Rate wise they are on the higher side.

Quattro on the whole can be termed as an exclusive fine dining restaurant and one of the real better one's when it comes to food experience.

Bharat Bistro - Agmark Premium Quality!

There are some restaurants where you don't mind paying a premium and Bharat Bistro right royally falls in that list. Whatever little stuff we had was exceptionally good and that made the experience very pleasing.

We just had 4 items and all of them bowled us over. First the paneer tikka with 2 versions of cheese was simply superlative. It lauded up both on the taste as well as on the presentation side.

On the main course, the Amritsari Dhaba meal comprising of roti herbed rice, hara bara kabab, bhoondi raita, paneer makhni and pindi chole was just out of the world. We relished every single bite of this glorious dhaba styled meal. The picture itself will definitely depict a beautiful tale.

The other one we tried happened to be the Dal Makhni trio. I simply butterly fall for lip smacking Dal Makhni. This lissom lass conjured up in a trio of flavours certainly possessed the lilt to lure me in. It was all sorts of love and we were simply floored.

On the dessert section, we went for the delectable gulab jamun cheesecake. As eclectic and exquisite as it gets, this cake was interspersed with layers of Jamun and coming along side finely cut pieces of jamuns, strawberry and a motley of rose gulkhand ice cream. This dessert was truly mouth inspiring.

On the whole, it totally lived up to its worth. The ambiance is kind of nice with lots of new age interiors and giving itself a bright stark greyish touch. It's more like a crossover Indian restaurant modelled as a cafe. The rates are a little pricy but found it agreeable to the magnanimous spread and taste. The service however could be spruced up a bit. There was waiting time with regard to providing menu cards and refilling of water. However the little nitty gritty accounts for nothing when viewed on the wholesome effect as we left Bharat Bistro having had a delightfully crafty meal that pleased us to punch.

Pumpkin Tales - Surely tells mouth watering stories!

Pumpkin Tales struck the right chords and how. Located in a quiet little shrub off a by lane in Alwarpet, the place appeals with it's nicely done up interiors. It gives a very good vibe and the alternating colours of orange, yellow and red makes it appear aesthetic. The space is well spread out and there is a sure shot buzz around it. A bakery is perched at the bottom where you get to purchase exotic stuff and in the top tier is the restaurant.

They have an elaborate breakfast menu as well to go on top of the fine dining spread they serve for lunch and dinner. They serve a diverse potpourri of eclectic cuisine touching upon American, continental, European, Singaporean in addition to a large fare of bakery products.

We were here for dinner and began our sojourn with the roasted fennel and tomato soup. This was delightfully done up with an abundance of flavours. Certainly a good way to begin proceedings. The cheese mood was prevalent in our meal and for our appetisers we went with a flat bread pizza and a calzone. The former was a roasted veggie version bunched up with zucchinis, roasted tomatoes, floored up by tomato sauce and consisting of a delectable squishy layer of cheddar and mozzarella. The calzone we tried was one containing spinach, mushroom and mozzarella. This one too was decked up with cheese and it was nice consuming this juicy mix of ingredients and the bread was super smooth.

On the small bite section, we had the garlic sherry mushrooms. These were very nice too with the crunchiness of the garlic going well in tandem with softish button pieces of mushroom and the slightly liquid texture also seemed enjoyable. Apart from this also tried one of their bakery products namely the cheese sticks. This was definitely a good bite to crunch along with the aroma of cheese hitting in hard.

For the main course, we tried the rainbow pasta. This was colourful to look at with a flurry of veggies being part of the fray with cheese smeared in giving it a lovely creamy texture. This was quite rich with the addendum of ricotta cheese, cashews, mushrooms, spinach along with red and yellow pepper making it like a swirl of colours and hence aptly titled the rainbow pasta.

On the dessert side, the display had some enticing creations and we decided to go with cheese cake and not one but two of them. First up the chocolate hazelnut was as lovely as it could get with the mellow of the soft cream with nuts luring you in. And then it was time to test the vanilla and strawberry bean one. This too was top notch and pressed all the right buttons.

On the whole, our encounter with Pumpkin Tales happened to be pretty pleasing. The service was quick witted and our dishes barring the calzone reached our tables well on time. The pricing seems a little high for the quantity served. However the quality makes up for it not making you slouch too much. This was a place of plusses and I would love to check out their breakfast fare quite soon.

Kipling - The evergreen perennial favorite from ECR

I have been residing in Chennai for over 2 decades but somehow never got a chance to go to this popular eatery close to the seaside at ECR called Kipling Cafe. A Sunday plan was made and finally I got heading there. First up, the ambiance is lovely and though it isn't the most ideal during lunch hours, they have lovely cottage kind of set ups for families to come and have a laid back meal. The presence of a fan underneath definitely helps.

Their menu is largely continental and there are also options on Thai. This is one place which also shouts of a good liquor spread and if you want to have something to gulp down along with your food, you do have options aplenty.

We started off with appetisers in the form of cheese garlic bread and ricotta cheese fritters. The former was a good way to start proceedings. Nothing exceptional but the bread was buttery soft and possessed a dollop of cheese on top. The ricotta cheese fritters were very good. They were breaded rolls comprising inset a mixture of ricotta, mashed potato, cheddar and chives with a wonderful mustard parsley sauce for company.

On to the main course, we tried the Mediterranean Pizza which was loaded with different veggies such as olives, broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, zucchini and spinach over a pesto base. The flavouring was very good and it was nice to have a bite of this pizza. We also had a penne pasta made up of pink sauce which was fairly nice and creamy possessing of the rightful ingredients. I just also had a shot at the Thai basil fried rice which was packed with abundant of flavours.

For desserts, we just had a Tiramisu. This was the usual kinds and mushy on the mouth. A good ender to the meal after all the savoury stuffs taking predominance all the way till the end.

The service was fairly quick and our food arrived at regular intervals. The re filling of water and clearing plates however could have been a little prompter.

The prices are definitely a bit on the higher side. This happens to be one of the elite outlets down this alley and it's really not a surprise.

If you want a lovely little place to chill and relax over a getaway weekend with good food and refreshing drinks for company, Kipling should certainly be within your plan radar.

Summer House Eatery - 80% continental and 20% everything else!

The Summer House Eatery is a well crafted cafetaria which has blossomed on the by lanes of Alwarpet in a really peaceful locality. The outlet is constructed out of a residential home and shares a co working space with a couple of other ventures. There is sufficient parking space available and the place oozes fanciness in terms of it's decor and on the quirk factor.

The space is well bifurcated and there is also a lawn passage outside seating arrangement. It infuses the perfect ambiance and this looks like the kind of getaway spot to head to for cozy laidback lunch offering. It induces the rightful insouciance and appeals on every angle with the way it's done up.

The food, from the monicker can be easily made out to be continental but to widen the radar, they have added along some fusion with an Indian touch as add on. So primarily can be summarised as 80% continental and the other 20% has a mix of Indian, Mexican, Thai et al.

The outlet as such is opening very soon but we were here for an invite to savour some of their benefactors. They are still on an experimental mode and as the days pass along, you can expect a lot of interesting stuff in store.

First up on the appetiser section were the Arancini balls. These were big in size, juicy on the exterior containing dumplings of risotto rice and veggies on the inside. It was presented quite well too over a spreading of a delightful chilli mayo dip. Next up were the Avocado and corn crostini bruschetta. The bread was super soft and slashed along was an interesting slurpy dip called the mexican goddess which is made up predominantly with avacado and other dressings. Sauteed corn was garnished and this one was a winner. And then arrived the Truffle fries. This was a bit of a damp squib as the flavour of truffles didn't come across at all. Felt like eating normal crispy French fries with powdered cheese coated along. The cauliflower taco with thecha and sour cream was passable. They are still working on this one and it'll be served with a salad in the upcoming days.

On the main course section, we got a bite at their delightful savoury crepe options. Both the creamy mushroom as well as the caprese crepe with tomatoes, pesto and mozzarella were done up in sterling style with the taste of the ingredients coming out very well embedded on those loose egg beaten sheets. One area which totally ruled the roost were the pasta's. Virtually each one of them were so enjoyable to consume. If you're a pasta aficionado, the Summer House is like the ideal outlet to gorge sumptuous drool worthy pasta's to your utter delight. They have some really rare creations such as spaghetti with thai chilli jam and shitake mushrooms. This one was a bit of fusion but worked really well with the essence coming out wonderfully. The cacio e pepe spaghetti was another starlet with the garnishing of pepper and parmesan doing the magic. Their aglio e olio was easily one of the best I've ever had. The roasted garlic flavour was beautifully well played. Other than the set of pasta's, we also had a coastal based vegetable in goan coconut curry with steamed rice. This was strictly decent and nothing of the kind to get excited about.

On the dessert section, we tried a number of their sweetened crepes. Going along in line with the savoury based one's, these also passed the test with flying colours. It was just about rightly presented with the spreading of the assortments underneath the layering coming out top on taste. The nutella as well as the caramel one was much sought after. We also had a shot at a few shakes viz peanut butter, salted caramel etc. These were quite normal and lacked a bit of thickness. This is just a selective stock house of desserts and many more will be coming up really soon.

On the whole, it was a lovely lazy sunday lunch with delicious victuals for company to go along with a classy environmental sunlight surrounding. The prices have not yet been finalised and hence will refrain from commenting on that front. On a holistic picture, The Summer House Eatery is a fantastic add-on to Chennai's bustling food circle. And from initial feelers and the way things are already set up, this eatery should surely be enjoying a rosy ride from it's customer base. Wishing the team of 'The Summer House Eatery' all the very best.

Sitcom - The cafe enticing Friends & Food

Sitcom with the caption 'The Drama Diner' is one of the latest cafe's to hit tinseville. From the name it's rather apparent that it borrows heavily on the theme of tv series and this is where they cash in with their set up. It's located on the lengthy stretch of ECR in the Neelankarai road in a complex occupying 2 storeys. The downward side is predominantly a bakery cafe consisting of plenty of stuff like puffs, pastries, quiches, mousses, eclairs, sorbets and a host of other items in the attic. And on the upstairs is where the real dine out cafe action takes place.

The ever popular Friends and Big Bang Theory are the 2 serials which make a big impression on this place. They have quirky dialogues from the sitcoms plastered on the doors apart from having posters depicting characters and footage from the show. In tune with the drama culture, they have also placed sufficient tv screens playing episodes of these shows. I believe these large screens will also cater to sporting action as and when they occur. The decor feels laid back and relaxing with those bent orange couches igniting the comfort factor. It looks like an ideal place to come as large set of folks to spend quality free time and in the process also do some binge eating.

The menu touches different borders with American cuisine being the most significant. Whatever an outlet tries to showcase through it's ambiance, there's no denying that food plays the numero uno part and everything else takes a backseat. In that line, I must say for a new place the food served appeased quite a lot especially with the starters being of the highest order.

We began our dinner sojourn with a french onion soup which was wonderfully presented in a large bowl with a circular piece of soaked bread immersed right over floating on top of the soup. The sprinkle of caramelised onions was well played and this one was really flavourful and a good way to begin proceedings.

The starters totally lorded the show. First up, I fell in love with the Mozzarella cheese sticks. The orangish cheese sticking inside that hollow tunnel covered on the exterior by a breaded texture was all gooey and drool worthy. Dipping it with some chilli mayo added to the excitement. The cheese stuffed mushroom croquettes were not far off from the show. Just childishly poke these balls with a fork and you will witness cheesy awesomeness enveloped all over juicy chunks of mushroom. The outer layer comprising the breaded texture was super solid and the interior had a molten perfect liquid material oozing out providing for a delicious confluence which can be felt when inserted in the mouth. To add a crispy touch were the onion rings which was a great snacker to consume along side the white cheesy dip.

They have an interesting combination of momo's and we tried 3 veg versions viz spinach & corn, mushroom and the sticky rice dumplings. The former two were lovely to munch with just about the right bunch of ingredients and being delicious in taste but what really stole the headlines were the sticky riced one which was quite a revelation. They almost looked like a porcupine with thorns holding up firmly on all sides of the momo's and when picking them up they were so soft, floaty and loose that you almost wanted to play with them. It had a nice curried veg taste to it with the ingredients melding and mingling well. This was truly one of a kind and very interesting and innovatively made.

In the main course section, it was the pizza that was top notch. The 7 cheese pizza was messy with variants of cheese meltingly flowing across all directions but the joy I tell you of biting this cheesy delight was another level. The Sun-dried tomato pizza may not have had the same level of attraction as it's predecessor but it was strong on the base and that's what mattered. It was really delivered well and gave that feel of eating a good thin crust pizza. On continental, we tried the Fettuccini with Basil. I kind of felt this was slightly short on expectations and pretty pale on flavour not really embarking the desired taste. We were also served a thai green curry which was remarkable. It was a little darker than the usual one's I've had but the aromatic presence of coconut cream was hovering all over and it was lovely to eat with plain rice.

They have an extensive array of desserts and we just tried a sample few. The Peach flan was soft and creamy. The Mississippi mud pie was one amazing chocolate based cake. The choco caramel mousse could have been a tad better as the caramel taste was hardly prevalent. The Tiramisu was strictly okay and I've surely had much better ones. We also had a bite at few exotic pieces of little chocolates in various flavours and they were all nice. We ended the evening with sorbets where both the raspberry and blood orange hit the bulls eye. The iced chill which you get complementing a fruity sweetened essence is quite a surreal feeling. It was like the perfect tonic and it doubly sure ensured to end the show on a high.

Looking at it from a holistic picture, it was a very satisfying and engaging dinner with majority of the items denoting a plus point. The ambiance can be spruced up a little more as there are lots of empty grey spaces where lot more can be done. It felt a little gloomy and a dash of colour could invigorate the place all the more. From the little sample that we savoured, the food can be termed a real win. They have lot more stuff such as burgers and steaks which I'm looking forward to try. On the whole, Sitcom is a lovely little cafe in this neck of the woods where you can shower in a bit of nostalgia with the place invoking you snippets from memorable tv series from the bygone era and which also serves some appetising food to rejoice to your heart's content.

Chocolate Haven - A heaven for the chocolate aficianados!

The Chocolate Heaven prides itself in serving a plethora of stuff based predominantly on chocolate. Their menu is large and a majority have a presence of this brownish substance and the title of this outlet having the moniker 'chocolate' comes as no real surprise. Apart from the diverse variants of waffles, pan cakes, shakes, desserts etc, they also have reasonably good stuff on the savoury side much akin to a cafe style playbook.

The ambiance is fairly straightforward. It's a pretty small joint covered up with a nice green patch depicting the words inscribed "India's ultimate chocolate cafe". Apart from that there are wall arts highlighting food pictures and a few quirky quotes. The decor is colourful with mild alternative colours and the brick art which is mostly brown goes well in sync with the surrounding. The subdued dim lights also hold good stead.

We were here on an invite and tried pretty much most things on the menu. It is a pretty large one at that running into a number of pages. We loved most of the one's with overdose of chocolate in them. Immense liking was towards the waffles and pancakes. The Nutella one was just gooey and lickalicious. Absolutely insane it tasted. The waffle with mud biscuit pieces were no less and one other with layerings of 3 different versions of chocolate - white, dark and milk was totally sinister. The monster shake was an avalanche of chocolate with lovey dovey bits flowing across all directions. Even the other shakes be it the Ferrero Rocher and the kitkat was terrific. Chocolate is well and truly their forte and they got it bang on right on almost every item which had it's manifestation.

Contrary to the chocolate brilliance, the other items were a tad average and could have been better. The fries were the usual with the masala version not being special in any way with just powdered chilli rolled on. The pizza's were decent but felt like they were home made with the cheese rightly giving it away. The Mac'n'cheese lacked flavours and the salt content could have been managed better. The other cream farfelle pasta though was fairly good. The sandwich and the burger were par for the course but nothing really exceptional to mention about. The signature cheese fondue didn't really appease with neither the cheese being really flavourful nor the sides being good enough to back it. Nachos were topped with oodles of cheese with the bottom portion being exposed. And more so, the taco chips lacked crispiness. The drinks were overall okay but some had an extra sweet tinge which didn't go along well.

On the whole, the chocolate stuff reigned supreme and it's fair considering that's their flagship. And also with 80% of the items having it's influence, it can be easily said that it was a pretty satisfying experience. The other sides though can be aced up a wee bit in order to make the overall experience even better.

The service was fast with stuff coming to our tables in rather quick fashion. They were also helpful in going about with our orders and always willing to address our concerns. The outlet as such is located right on the dot at TTK road and it's difficult to miss . Parking could be a bit of an hassle but with streets adjoining here and there, shouldn't be too much of a problem.

If you are a lover of chocolate, there's no second thoughts that you'll end up falling in love with the Chocolate Heaven. This cafe is designed for the out and out chocolate loving aficionado.

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.

Kobe Sizzlers - Storming Up!

Sizzlers as a food item isn't really popular and seldom is this dish even served in most restaurant's. Kobe Sizzlers is one place showing it's expertise on this front by having a plethora of different varieties of sizzler's. The restaurant does serve a skosh of Italian and Continental but is predominantly known for their hot and smoky variants of sizzler's.

There are 3 outlets of Kobe Sizzlers in the city and we were here for a tasting session at the outlet located in Phoenix Market city, Velachery. The ambiance seems a little dark and gloomy and akin to a pub sort of feel. The red lanterns kept across each table adds a little bright touch to the proceedings. The interiors are simple and the place is well spaced out.

We had a crack at the following items:
Mocktails: We started our foray with the Strawberry Margerita which was a really refreshing drink. The sprinkling of salt around the top layer of the glass gave it a nice effect. The lemon mint cooler was how it should be and had a nice twang going for it. The Pacific blue made of Blue Curacao with crushed ice was another winner setting tone for things to follow.

Starters: For starters we had the chilli panneer made in a chinese manchurian style having plenty of spices and tasted decent. We followed that up with the cottage cheese balls which scored heavily on the night. The balls were big in size, juicy and layered over with an interesting mix of herbs and on the inside had a slight sweet tinge and certainly turned out to be one of the best dishes on the night. We rounded our starter course with the Tacos Ensalada. This one had cheese oozing out of it along with a bunch of peppers, olives and capsicum. It looked more like a mini pizza with toppings and the crunchiness which you expect on a Taco was missing here.

Main Course: This side of the draw was a mixed bag. The most expectant of them all - the gargantuan "Veg Exotic Sizzler" lived upto expectation and turned out being quite an extravaganza. It was loaded with plenty of veggies with the rightful amount of smoke billowing across and turned out to be a sumptuous fest. The replacement of the usual potato veggies with baby potatoes was well played. The other items which we had a shot at included the white sauce based veg penne pasta. It was a little too simple and felt more like that of a home made version. The cheese on top didn't seem to blend well and it also lacked somewhat on the creamy side. The Veg curry burger again didn't really please the taste buds. There was no extra curry as claimed and it was just the paste inside the cutlet which was reddish and resembled a curry of sorts. Again felt it to be a little too plain for the liking.

Desserts: On this side, we had a Rose Falooda which had a lot of ingredients but didn't feel thick enough. It was pretty good but a stretch away from being amazing. The cream caramel was pretty good. It wasn't too soggy and felt more mellow and soft to eat.

The service was fairly quick with the stuff coming to our table in quick time. They were also helpful in going about with our order in suggesting items to try. As were on an invite pricing goes out of the window but in a one liner can be said to be in line with similar multi cuisine restaurant's.

On adumbrating the experience, Kobe Sizzlers can certainly be classified as a good bet. Just considering the sizzler standalone, it was really impressive. A little upscaling into the other areas can help establish their presence a notch higher. Highly recommended for smoking hot sizzling sizzlers.

Down Bessy side at Cafe Downtown

Downtown is one nice little up street cafe. Located right on the intersecting Besant Nagar road in a 2 storey duplex, this one ticks all the right boxes from what you would expect normally at a cafe. There is a nice easy feel about the place and the food is great with a plethora of options in store. This is one place where you can yak yak leisurely to your heart's content with fellow like minded companions.

The ambiance is done up based on a lot of wood work and the decor is simple with brown wooden furniture. There is some comforting music playing at the background and the yellow cubicle bulbs gives it a gloomy touch. It's not hard to configure that this cafe points towards the right direction when you are especially looking to chill and relax with some beverages and nic-nacs for company.

The color palette is done up tastefully with a lot of cream and fabric making it look elegant and professional. There is nothing over the top and they haven't done anything extra to elevate on the kitsch factor. They have kept the surrounding minimal which works well here.

We were invited for an 'On the House' meal where we got to savor a host of stuff from their attic. We were a big crowd and happily ensconced to the top floor and as we were the only one's there, turned out to be a double whammy. We had a shot at their different coolers, beverages. smoothies and milkshakes of which many of them stuck the right chord. The shakes were very thick and large in size and will surely make you feel heavy. After the dosage of drinks, it was the turn of the Waldorf Salad comprising predominantly of apple chunks laced with a tad of walnuts and capsicum and glazed with honey. It had a creamy tangy taste to it. Next was the turn of the Quesadillas which resembled triangular chappathies stuffed with veggies. The filling was to the brim with an assortment of vegetables and it tasted good. Then marked the arrival of the much raved about Rice balls. They were in the form of cutlets and had the perfect combination of being crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside. Was unique in taste and surely one of their signature specialties. The only blip was the accompaniment sauce was a little wee bit on the quantity front.

Once the starters were done, we moved onto the main course where we first got to have a bite into their boxed panneer burgers. The burger was simple with big square chunk of cottage cheese interspersed inside the bun along with your usual lettuce and tomatoes. It wasn't outstanding but nevertheless tasted fairly decent. The pizza was nicely made with lots of cheese intermingled with a few exotic veggies. It was pretty good however there was a heavy overpowering of tomato ketchup which could have been minimal. The pink sauce spaghetti pasta coated with cheese and basil was a winner though it also had a slightly high tomato puree taste. It will be better however if they replace their burger bun with a slice of garlic bread to go with the pasta. And for sandwiches they gave us a Mexican/Club sandwich combo with one tier being curried and the other more in the european style. Biting into both the layers together was an epicurean treat. Would have surely gobbled another piece if I had the wherewithal to do so. The food more or less made our tummies packed to the rafters but we had to also give the desserts a shot :). Got to taste the special fudge brownie with ice-cream which was kinda disappointing because the brownie was a little chicky and didn't blend well. But this was just a one off as the crepe with nutella was marvelous. The waffles were nice too and so was the caramel cake which was a delight.

It was a great roster and they made sure we got to have a crack at virtually most of the items from the different segments. And most of what we tasted was surely a win. A little amelioration can help in making it even better. The service was exemplary and the managing partner was very sweet in hearing our views and taking suggestions. The rates are akin to similar cafe based chains.

The Downtown cafe caters to the best of both worlds. If you're the one looking for insouciance and cooling your heels over a cup of coffee you will get that. And if you're looking to come as a big crowd wanting to confabulate nineteen to the dozen with your set of friends as we experienced, that's also possible. This cafe is surely one of the better upmarket cafe's worth recommending. It was indeed a pleasure to dine in at the Downtown.