Nostalgic Memories of Stepping Stones in Professional Career!

This date from 18 years afar on 10th Sep 2007 evokes really significant memories as I embarked on my professional career with Price Waterhouse as an article assistant with M/s Lovelock & Lewes in accordance under the Chartered Accountants Regulations Act of 1949. It is pretty special as it was the first ever experience of working anywhere and also earning your first ever buck. I recall my first stipend received of Rs 4900/- (7000*21/30) credited to HSBC Bank, R K Salai branch with no TDS deducted as yearly salary back then was under the minimum threshold slab of Rs 1,00,000😀. I also know for a fact that I had pizza for lunch at the Pizza Corner Nungambakkam outlet with couple of fellow article-ship mates on that memorable Monday from donkeys years ago😋.

It was my only stint with Audit in life but nascent memories always stay close to your heart. PwC has moved so many offices within Chennai since then but there'll always be a soft corner for that particular space located on:
#32, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 006, Phone 044 42285000

It's pretty insane to think that 18 years has just flown like a dream. As I ended my foray with this illustrious organisation back then in 2010, I penned a limerick on my last day expressing my sincere thanks to the folks that I worked with in an "AABBA" style as follows:

As I step into the twilight,
Experiences to remember till the end of my light,
Its you the people who've made it really possible,
By making this journey of mine truly memorable,
Thanks a ton for making my light shine bright !:)

Gosh, time flies but the memories linger forever!

When Fitness tees off with Food - LoCal by Dumbbell

Fitness and food seem poles apart and they don't generally seem to go in a like for like fashion. But Lo Cal by Dumbbell addresses this issue very well by curating a menu dedicated for the health conscious and also ensuring that foodies continue to have a feast.

It is quite novel in it's approach with the items dished out in such a way that the calories are well and truly in check. They have a large stacked up menu and in a way also prove that healthy food can also end up being quite delicious to eat unlike how it's normally perceived. Another interesting feature is that the items give a count of the proteins, fat and carbohydrate content in each of the dishes.

They are located in a compound off Nungambakkam. The ambiance showcases fitness related stuff like climbing bars, jars of whey proteins, cycle pedals, dumbbells and a whole lot more. They also have these attractive cardio cycles where you can do your exercise and also consume lo food calories at the same time.

We tried a number of items off the attic with first the soup both the broccoli based one as well as the roasted tomato with basil one being quite delectable. It was more thick than creamy but the flavours were evident. To munch we had a lovely zucchini wrap stuffed with veggies made up in a slurpy mixed brown sauce. The sandwich in the form of pesto boconcini open sandwich was really nicely stacked up with burrito and cherries but however felt the bread could have been softer as it was a little too crusty for the liking. The multi grain rainbow brochette was also loaded with interesting toppings. The broccoli grilled fritters was well plated and presented really colourful. The deviled eggs with a slather of guacamole was comforting.

In the main course, the show stealer was well and truly the whole wheat beetroot penne pasta. It had all the ammunition going for it and every bite on the taste buds gave the cravings wholesome enjoyment. We loved it so much that we had a second shot at it. From the texture to the creaminess to the taste everything seemed on point. We also tried another veggie based pasta which was quite nice as well. We also tried a Mexican bowl with panneer. This one was quite decent but felt a little too bland. An addition of a fee ingredients or sprucing up the rice could have made quite a difference to the overall dish.

We tried a couple of desserts too. The sweet potato brownie was a nicely made brownie but however I must admit the sweet potato essence didn't come out very strong. Nevertheless the taste of the brownie was wonderful. Some apple based caramel desserts were also had which we relished. Apart from that you always have customary shakes with milk of your choice with whey protein added in giving it a slightly mild taste.

All in all it was a refreshing experience. The prices seem competitive enough and fits in with the quantity served. The service was quick paced with not really too much waiting time. This is a good initiative bringing out a balance between food and fitness and hope they are able to sustain it in the long run by adhering to the requirements.

Aadhirai - Shining South Indian!

Aadhirai is a new restaurant which has cropped up in a quaint location off Nungambakkam constructed out of a olden day vintage property. The first thing that strikes you is that it infuses the homely feel evidently. The handicrafts and wood work largely give it a very regional as well as authentic feel. The cuisine is largely South Indian and predominantly bordering into Chettinadu.

We were here on a weekend afternoon to soak in some of their special offerings. We started our foray with a delightful thirst quencher in the form of a Panagam Granita. The icy instincts didn't condense the taste one bit and this sweet traditional drink was as delicious as ever with the ice essence just adding an extra twist to this ever popular summer special. I had portions of the drink all through the meal and it acted as the perfect beverage.

On the soup side, the Malli Rasam soup was delightful. It had a subtle hint of flavours which worked very well. In the starter section, we were served a yam loaded nachos. To be frank I'm not a fan of Yam but this was done up in a renewed manner with salsa sauce and cream in the form of a nachos. It was bang on crispy and turned out to be a great opener. The karuvepillai panneer was simply sterling. This one was tossed and diced up in this traditional leafy powder and the essence it brought out was sensationally slithering.The Gobi ghee roast was again quite an eye turner. The pieces of cauliflower were cooked in ghee and a chilli based masala and were served on thin coin like pieces of paratha thatched with a touch of honey to slightly lower down the spice content. If you're a spice lover you'll love this and more so some of their special offerings loaded with abundance of chillies and spices. The Vazhapoo Vadai was one more starter which we tried. This was however more of the usual stuff and the paruppu flavour out did the vazha poo. Nevertheless it was crispy and bitesome.

In the main course we tried paratha with a well made up panneer peas combo gravy. Apart from this we had a crack at the trademark pulliyodhare which they served us tied in a green leaf potalam. The aroma and smear of this Puliyodhara is something I tell you. It was simply a delight to just feel the flavours hitting on you as it's slitheringly opened up from the green leaf enclosing. The Thogaiyil just enhances the taste. Seldom have I sampled a lovely version of this temple delicacy served in any restaurant.

The ending was in the form of a bucketful of desserts served in malayali style Nair wala tea glasses. 6 slurpy mousy desserts that simply butterly dutifully induces the instincts to dig in
1) Pomegranate Payasam
2) Coconut Souffle
3) Falooda
4) Kubani Ka Meetha
5) Black Forest Akkarivadasal
6) Karupatti Panacotta
Each of these not only looked appealing but had a lissom lusture to it and riveting in taste and texture. Such toothsome delights in small portions were indeed the perfect meal-ender enabling our sweet tongues to punch in pure excitement.

The service was quick with the items reaching our tables at regular intervals. The staff were very courteous explaining each dish in detail and also helping us with our orders. I must also mention the vadam which they serve with 4 different side dishes which complements so well namely a tomato thokku, mirapakaya pachadi (green chilli infused), Avakai Mayo and a garlic dip. From a holistic picture, if you're looking for exquisite south Indian cuisine done in traditional style yet throwing up innovations but not compromising on the taste, you should certainly check out Aadhirai for a rich home grown South Indian meal.

Goddy's - The Entertainment Cafe!

Goddy's is a new resto cafe that has emerged in the ever happening Nungambakkam area in a complex off Haddows Road. The outlet is done up nicely and looks sporty and elegant. There are some couches to sit upon, a space for jams and open mic arena. It is believed that it will soon be a music cum food cafe with music being belted out by various bands in the evening hours.

Another point to note about this cafe is that it is open throughout the day starting as early as 7 in the morning. There's plenty of breakfast options in store apart from a very large main course as well as a dessert variety. They have 3 different menus with one each being reserved for starters, main course and desserts. It is stacked up with items aplenty. You are really put on a quandary with the varied spread running into pages and pages.

We were here during a sub afternoon time to savour in some breakfast as well as lunch options. The food was largely good with no real complaints. We tried a couple of avocado based toasts with one being the Californian bunched up with corn and Bell peppers. The other one was termed 'Avacadough' submerged with hard boiled eggs sprinkled with salt & pepper over a bed of avacado spread. Both of these were thoroughly enjoyable. With respect to the starters the cheesy bread pockets were of the melt in the mouth kinds. We also had a shot at four versions of their fries with all proving to be delicious with the honey chilli fries especially claiming top stake. They also gave a number of dips of various kinds which made the French fries eating experience all the more better. On the eggs side, the sunny peekaboo was slurpy to say the least with the eggs being super fluffy with the yolk right at the center.

In the main course, we tried the baked mac'n'cheese. This was well done up stuffed with a pop corn mixture spread over the pasta to give it a crunchy twist. The item of the day for me was however the mushroom pocket waffle. This was lip smacking to say the least with the waffles being engulfed with a rich creamy mushroom sauce.

On the dessert section, I tried my bit at a refresher popsicle which came interspersed with plenty of fruits. It was icy and decent but not something to take your breath away. The red velvet pancake was soft and juicy. A mock tail which we had with a tinge of coconut cream was kind of bitter. The cherry milk shake however was very well delivered and they got the taste bang on. We ended our sojourn with a binging waffle called the Dutch storm. It was of the bubble kind and loaded with chocolate enswirled on all sides making it truly a delectable delicacy.

All in all the majority of items seemed impressive. The pricing is a little on the higher side. The service needs to get a little quickened up as we had to wait a long period of time to receive our dishes. On the whole however it has a peppy sportive atmosphere and with music being central to the theme it gives itself an appearance of being a pretty happening themed cafe.

Holy Grill - Rousing Smoke!

The rousing smell of firing coal hits you as soon as you enter Holy Grill. This is another of the truck load of barbecue restaurants which are much in prominence these days. Come to think of it, it's easy eating as you really don't endure a long waiting time and get to attack straight on. And once you're done with packing your stomach to the rafters, you even have the luxury of main course being brought directly to the table. Most of these kind of restaurants serve a mix of both meat and veg but at Holy Grill it's exclusive out and out vegetarian. It ain't a bad ploy as there are always pesky sets of people who have issues dining at a place anything to do with non veg and in such cases this is an ideal foil.

The ambiance is done up decently within the available space. There are graffiti wall arts which are rather nice. A quote inscribed on the love for food is also catchy. The wood setting is apt and the black sofa seating is comfortable. The zig zag patterned lights adds a bit of fillip. On the whole, it's par for the course and nothing really over the top.

We were here for the  "THE EAT STREET BY HOLY GRILL" festival where they dished out a few additional kababs than the usual which proved to be top notch. A special word of appreciation for the 3 items listed below;
- Dahi Chilli Kebab : I immensely enjoyed these lip smacking Dahi Kebabs. You fork it and you'll see oodles of hung curd inside. The breaded balls were baked with the right texture and with this mixture of curd and chilli, it indeed proved to be a great starter.
Hazrate Hare Ulte Tawa ke Kabab - This minced veg cutlet based starter with strong essence of green peas and a dip of mayo coated over on top was quite a winner.
Crispy Fried Yam : Perhaps my favourite starter from the street food festival taking place at Holy Grill. This crispy fried yam did encomiums to it's name by being truly crispy and having a delightful taste. A chilli mayo starter would have done it even more wonders.

Apart from the special items, the food on the whole was pretty good. In the starters, the panneer tikka stood out and by some distance from the rest of the pack. It was supremely succulent and felt like a moisturising cream and it was a delight wallowing and feeling it across the month. The pineapple one was pretty good too but the others failed to pack a punch and were just about decent. The small pieces of potato especially was a complete damp squib. The potatoes weren't even roasted properly and just for the heck of it was slathered with a sauce which felt more like a chilli mayo.

However some of the let down of the starters was made up big time by the main course. All the curries were wonderful. The panneer gravy was very creamy with soft chunks of cottage cheese, the veg kofta was very well played with the touch of tanginess and the Dal Makhni was top notch. The Pindi chole also was great and the side dishes went really well with the Indian bread. The biryani too was really flavourful and great on taste.

The dessert side was pedestrian. There was a mousse which got over even before I could have a shot of it. The gulab jamun and gajar ka halwa were quite nice. The mango ice cream was of the usual kinds. The shorba soup served in the beginning had a nice almond flavour to it. And the mocktails were pretty refreshing sans the milk based mango smoothie which needed some tightening.

The entire fare costs a touch under 700 bucks tax inclusive which isn't bad considering the widespread items on offer. No real complaints on the service as they were quick and accessible. The main course was immensely enjoyable and so were the special starters served but they should up the ante on the barbecue bit as that is supposed to be their forte. And a bit of amelioration on the dessert side will be a plus. Overall a good choice for a North Indian dine in.

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.

Etc - Quite an experience!

Introduction:
Etc has a lot going for it. The place is designed to excellence and makes you wonder at the level a place can be raised by the way it has been done up. It exhibits class all over and showcases vigour, vibrancy and vivacity. A vibgyor of colors envelop the surrounding and at no point of time you feel anything to stick out like a sore thumb. It's beautifully appealing and appealingly beautiful.

There is also a lot to reminisce and takes you on a trip down memory lane to the vintage years of 90's as they have a slew of artifacts and paraphernalia making you cherish and sweeten your childhood memories. It glistens with suave and swankiness and has a captivating atmosphere about it. Having been one of the early bird visitors to this cafe, this is one place which I can confidently recommend to my near and dear one's to try out. It's surely the most photogenic cafe's I have ever been to and if you're an avid shutterbug this is one place to call and place the shots.

Ambiance and Design:
It is located in a massive space on the posh Rutland Gate (5th street) area in Nungambakkam. It is a 2 storey building with the basement comprising of the restaurant and upper portion consisting of the cafetaria. The restaurant and cafe are further polarised into different enclosures of which there is a games room with a couple of tables depicting 'Ludo' and 'Connect the Dots' for you to play with, a snake&ladder drawing engraved on the wall, an area stacked up with books, board games and a fancy wind chime with kitschy bottles hanging in an angular direction, a cave like setup with a fountain, a kerala style tea kadai setup, a fish boat with net, chairs made to resemble olden style scooter shields, cycle with milk cylinder, aerated drink bottles placed as holder to plants, racquets and cool looking skateboards adorning the walls and attractive hanging paint boxes for splashing light and what not. The glass windows is another splendorous sight. There is no end to creativity here and you would not see one area left untouched. The design team totally deserved the plaudits.

                             

The Food:
On the food side, they predominantly serve North Indian, Chinese, Continental and of course a dash of desserts. We were invited as part of a bloggers group for the sea food festival currently taking place. Being vegetarian, I had my limitations but they were magnanimous enough to serve quite a sumptuous feast for the green folks as well. Listed below is a brief summary on the food side of things:

Soup:
For soup, I took a shot at the Cream of Mushroom soup which was well made with a aromatic flavoring of fungi. It was really creamy, suffused with a tinge of basil and basically set the tone for further things to look forward. 

Starters:
On the starter section, they were magnanimous enough to give us 4 varieties of starters;
- Crispy Corn Pop - A conical papad shaped cup holding crispy corn aplenty. The corn were fried well and gave a lovely crispy taste however the tortilla cups holding the same seemed a bit raw. The cups need to support by being crunchy which it was not but with a slight tweak this one can work wonders.

- Bharwan Panneer - This was deep fried and made to resemble a sandwich and was riveting along with the green chutney. Acts as the perfect foil for an evening snack.

- Olive Bundle - This looked pretty appetizing to look and the top half did melt in the mouth with an olive bunched along a layer of cheese. However the lower half of it had some sort of pasty mix which really didn't gel well.

- Malai Brocolli - Their signature creation and it really lived up to its billing. The presentation was delightful and the taste matched the looks to the 'T'. A little more judicious coating of cream can elevate it a notch further.

Main Course:
The main course had quite a number of items. The garlic naan was soluble, fluffy and well made. And the accompanying Malai Kofta was one of the star's of the day turning out to be a brilliant side dish. Just the right dose of cream and sweetness made it a delight to eat along with the Indian bread. We also got another gravy in the form of a Mangalore veg curry with a heady dose of coconut cream. Not many may prefer this coastal kind of dish to go with the naan but I fairly enjoyed it. It had the right mix of veggies and was pretty unique but acted as a nice substitute to the typical north Indian curry which you would otherwise usually get. Also got a shot at the kous kous rice with a brinjal based curry which was pretty good but however the last of the items the grilled tofu turned out to be quite a damp squib. It was pretty bland and tasteless and just didn't usher any excitement 
whatsoever.
                                   

   

                                             

Desserts:
The desserts are one area where ETC has a strong hold and boy they showed their class here. We were given 3 pastries - chocolate mousse, a sweetened puff roll and a white chocolate pastry and all of them competed among each other for top stakes. It was indeed a sweet way to end a satisfactory meal.

Pricing and Service:
The decor is comfortable with long elevated cushioned seating giving good space for the back to rest. Though this was an On the House meet, the prices seem on par with restaurants nestled around this locality. For the quantity served can be considered quite justifiable indeed. The service was exemplary with the staff wearing a smile on their faces and adhering to all our requests.

Conclusion:
On a pan optic view, Etc expanded as Etcetera wins on most counts. Go here especially to experience the superlative ambiance and the variegated cuisine.