The Cycle Gap - Instantly Buzzing!

Adyar has a lot going for it but one striking missing link was that it was devoid of a hep and happening resto-bar. The Cycle Gap however fills the void with it's grand opening in a big complex right in the middle of LB road. The place instantly ignites a buzz feel about it with lot of local swag and designs with the color yellow coming out rather predominantly.

The music is hard hitting and it gives quite a fizz about the atmosphere. It just invokes the feel that will be enjoyed by youngsters who can congregate and drink to their hearts content with plenty of food by the side. The music also rekindled the good ol growing up days of 90's and it was a lovely little experience going back in time hearing the vintage classics which one has grown up and been associated with.

Their drinks menu is stacked up pretty well and they have a bar right at the center which is where all the action happens. The seats are all laid out particularly for large sets of groups to come in. They have lots of imported based stuff also on the attic which adds to the proceedings. We were here to thulp and see how their liquor fares out and overall it was more than impressive. The drinks had really interesting Chennai based local names and a number of them had interesting concoctions intertwined in them.

On the food side of things, we had some crispy and crunchy corn minced with chinese spices to begin our foray. The chinese tinge continued with a succulently delivered spicy panneer. To add some sweetness we also tried the Panneer tikka with slices of pineapple laid in between. The Hara Bara Veg kebab were decent and the Vol-au-vents which are basically puff pastries intermingled with cheese & mushroom were delightful to consume. One of the stand out appetizers happened to be the Chilli Bhajji which looked as local as ever but bulky in size and inset containing a delicious layer of potatoes and cheese and along with the red chutney it was simply jaw dropping in taste.

In the main course, I quite enjoyed the pizza's. They are all made in house and both the plain margarita as well as the one topped with veggies set our taste buds tingling. We also had a try at an Idiappam Parotha which was well made but the sterling stealer of the show was the beautifully made Vegetable Pie. A circle of cheese swarmed over the dish and as we unleashed the layer, the juicy cheesy vegetables were indeed spectacular. The desserts were also interesting and the fusion of mixing traditional Indian sweets with ice cream worked wonders.

The service was friendly and ever willing to help. The rates seem par for the course. On a holistic view, they've got the drinks side of it quite well in place with truckload of varieties and really interesting options. The food also is taking up shape with lot of interesting options muddled in.  On the whole, The Cycle Gap has all what it takes to attract. Though it's still very early days, one can well and truly expect them to see a surge in customer base very soon.

P.S : Review of Anna Nagar Outlet
Anna Nagar is flooded with cafes, restaurant's and eateries but one major missing link was not having a good resto bar. Cycle Gap however fills the void with it's presence in the by lanes of the Anna Nagar main road. Its situated in a complex and occupies the upper floor. The place instantly has a buzz feel about it with lot of local swag and designs with the colour yellow coming out rather predominantly.

The music is hard hitting and it gives quite a fizz about the atmosphere. It just invokes the feel that will be enjoyed by youngsters who can congregate and drink to their hearts content with plenty of food by the side.

Their drinks menu is stacked up pretty well and they have a bar right at the center point which is where all the action happens. The seats are all laid out particularly for large sets of groups to come in. They have lots of imported based stuff also on the attic which adds to the favours.

We were here as a big gang to thulp down and see how their liquor fares out and overall we were quite impressed. The drinks had really interesting chennai slang based names and a number of them had interesting concoctions intertwined in them. Even the beers were not your usual KF's and Brititsh empire but they also possessed Corona, Hoegarden etc which was a plus one.

On the food side, I just felt they were little short on few of the items. Their menu is still being designed and worked out but the vegetarian side of things didn't really brim upto expectations. They had aloo tikki, onion rings, sauteed baby corn, potato wedges, panneer tikka, veg tempura, veg nachos, veg tempura, creamy cheesy brocolli et al. Though no real complaints, they were a drift away from being extraordinary. The best of the lot was easily the cheesy cauliflower & brocolli. I wish they come out with interesting signature starters of their own than the usual run off the mill items.

On the main course, I quite enjoyed the white sauce pasta. It had the necessary ammunition to hit the bulls eye. However exact opposite was the curried pizza which was a complete damp squib. It lacked any sort of flavours whatsoever and came across as bland. The curried hot balls and rice were passable. We didn't try much of desserts.

We ended our sojourn on a high note with shots of baileys and tequila. This was the star piece of the whole afternoon and it was a euphoric way to finish proceedings. The service was amiable and ever willing to help. The rates seem par for the course. On a holistic view, they've got the drinks side of it quite well in place with truckload of varieties and really interesting options. The food however can be spruced up a wee bit. Once this combination takes shape, they'll surely be a fantastic resto pub to reckon with.

Triple B - Boats, Bessy & Beach!

There are very few stand alone resto pubs in the city which is not affiliated with a star property and Boats Beach resto bar happens to be one of them. Boats has a lot going for it. It is located centrally with a view facing the ever popular Elliots beach. Though the area is converged with eateries and restaurant's aplenty, there is not a single place nearby offering drinks. There is a leeway staircase to enter and Boats is located in the first floor of the compound.

The place seems a bit small but the atmosphere is quite electric. It was packed on a weekday evening and definitely seems happening from the looks of things. There is a dim dark aura about the place with lots of black engraving the surrounding. The glass set up is kind of chic and ignites a peppy feel. The sofa seating is comfortable and gives itself a positive vibe. It feels like a place where a good set of people can congregate, loosen up their spirits and have loads of fun.

Ambiance and decor apart, it's the vittle (food+drinks) which is key in deciding the stakes of any outlet and Boats did a fine job at it. The starters were not only presented well but also tasted great. I took immense liking to the panneer tikka, mushroom tacos and the cheesy potato blocks. The panneer was super succulent just rightly charred and totally of the melt in the mouth kinds. I found the crispness of the mushrooms inside the tacos to be a win. The crispy potato blocks with cheese overflowing generously like a lava was sinister. The Nachos weren't bad, just that the downward portion of the chips felt a little alienated. The top part though was cheesy and consisting of all the usual mexican veggies that you'd expect. I just had a small crack at the spinach corn dragon bites and found them pretty good.

In the main course section, we got a giant sized burger called the "Green Grocer". I felt it to be decent but difficult to consume as it was too tall and hard to bite. They absolutely nailed the Alfredo veg pasta which was suffused with cheese and abundant flavours. A good pasta always does wonders. The Kung Pao Vegetable dish was pretty average. It lacked the desired punch.

Coming to the desserts and drinks part, the roasted peach and cream was lovely and so was the cream brulee which was like a soft moth of chocolate covering. The mocktails were of high standard and the outright standout was the Bessie Beach Masala - a mango based drink with a tinge of chilli sprinkled along just aiding as the perfect refreshing tonic. They also have hard liquor and it's fun eating the kind of stuff Boats serves along with a chilled long shot glass of beer.

Viewing it as a holistic picture, Boats painted a caricature which looked appealing on most fronts. The service was spot on with not too much time interval in between stuff. The presentation of the items were of the highest order. There is also vibrant feel good music being played along adding to the excitement. The rates are not being mentioned as the meet was over an invite.

Boats is surely a place that is pulsating and of a gregarious nature where you can certainly have a ball of a time with a widespread mix of dine and drink options.

Sudaka - Time to get peppered!

Sudaka is the new resto-bar in town having a zingy vibe about it. While every other place tries to showcase itself as different from the other, Sudaka brings to itself the South American influence as it's predominant theme. It's inherently visible as when you immediately walk in you would notice the Latin American phrase "Carpe Diem" which means "Seize the Day" and "Quam Minimum Credula Postero" that denotes "Put Very Little Trust in Tomorrow". And as you walk up along the stairs to the pub, you can't but notice the splendor of South America through portraits hung up highlighting its monuments, architectural edifices and glimpses of it's culture and tradition.

Once you're inside you get the quintessential pub feel screaming right in front of you. It has a darkish touch to it but at the same time you will appreciate the bright color shades with especially hues of purple engulfing the surroundings. The space is quite vast and well spread out with the bar counter at one end and sufficient seating capacity with good amount of distance from one table to another and it feels like an idyllic pub for large sets of people to congregate and have a ball of a time. The DJ spot towards the end is pretty funky with scores of instruments and inscribed musical notations at the backdrop. The South American trait comes to the fore via it's miniatures, quotes, portraits depicting postal stamps and other variegated influences. It doesn't seem to be overdone one bit and the whole setting just about feels perfect and a big thumbs up on both the decor and overall ambiance front.

We were invited for an on the house meal to savor some of their signature drinks and food. Our sojourn started with a bunch of mocktails and cocktails of which a majority were greeted with grim reaction. One of them had an overdose of alcohol in it, another had a heavy sweetened syrupy taste to it. However the one with the chilli's on them was fairly enjoyable. I wouldn't want to be too critical here as people at a bar usually go for the tried and tested drinks based on the taste they've acquired and anything off the hook may not be much to the liking.

On the starter section we were given 3 options for veg and the one which morphed all the competition and stole the show were the Breaded Humitas (Veg Empanada) which was simply ravishing. They were small patties with a pasty mix of cheese and corn which went jocularly well with a herbed sauce with fritters of basil. All of us were bowled over by this one that made us repeat this several times over. Quite contrary to the encomiums showered on the former, the other starter - Chilli Tamali ended up being a damp squib. Just didn't gel well with any of us. It was even difficult to eat and added to that was loaded with spice in abundance. The only saving grace was the dollop of beetroot sauce helping mildly on the presentation angle. We also got a crack at the peri peri potato wedges which came along with a thick creamy dip which seemed pretty decent to have along with your drinks.

The main course side was more of hit(s) than missed. The item which stood apart from the rest were the Pesto Spaghetti which was quite delightful with a strong creamy pesto base, a tinge of oregano and puddles of parmesan cheese grated over giving a lovely flavorful taste. The Lasagne looked a bombshell from the outside and on the inside it showed the calibre it was made of with a bunch of veggies underneath the layer of sheets. It surely was an absorbing Lasagne and lived up on both presentation and taste. We also got to have a risotto dish which somehow did not stick well with me and a Pasta Arabiata with Penne which was passable but nothing really to rave about.

And of course we had to end it all with a scoop of desserts. I can't exactly relate to how they all tasted but the soft lime cake which came along with a scoop of ice-cream and crumbled pieces of chocolate was delectable. We also got to savor a chocolate based one and pancakes which were all pretty good and nothing really to pinpoint at.

The service was amiable and the items were brought to the table right in the nick of time. The chef was also very sweet to personally explain about their special dishes and they were very willing to take feedback which points towards the right direction. Parking isn't a hassle as it is located inside the Legends Hotel with valet parking conveniently available for four wheelers and sufficient space for parking two-wheelers. The pricing at a cursory glance looks a touch on the higher side which will be a pinch. Introduction of combo's can help somewhat. Also I felt, they should be having a little more options on the starter veg side which seems a bit limited.

Overall Sudaka has embarked on a positive start. There is a lot to like about the place and it already has the makings of a uber cool up-market resto pub perfect to spend some quality easy time. They are still new in the market and once they ameliorate the nitty-gritty areas, looks well on course to drive towards a smooth journey forward.