Restaurants, eat outs, signature restaurants and speciality restaurants in Chennai

[madrasi7777]

Guys watch the Todays Banner it is Mumbai. Dheekshit's picture was selected. It is a great picture.

[தமிழன்]

An ode to a Drive In

It was Chennai’s favourite hangout place, a landmark of the real Madras. A typical day at Woodlands Drive In usually unfolded with the mellifluous voice of M.S. Subbulakshmi mingling with the aroma of filter kaapi.

Gangs of friends, couples, celebs and artists thronged those lush green environs. But what was Drive In’s magical ingredient?

Started in April 1962 by hotelier K. Krishna Rao, who was earlier selling sundal at the Marina, Woodlands Drive In was like a home away from home to many.

Says businessman-poet Srikant, “I was such a regular at Woodlands Drive In that the waiters would give me tips on what to eat and what to avoid. The food was fresh and tasty. People used to turn up to catch a glimpse of celebs, like singer P.B. Srinivas and Charuhasan.”

The well-known singer recalls how he once fell back during one of his performances and was rushed to hospital. “When we were passing Woodlands, I asked the driver to stop,” says P.B.S. “I got down there and told them to leave.” he says, leaving the others in a daze!

P.B.S, who was always welcomed at the old Drive In, is received with equal warmth in the New Woodlands Vrindavan. The landmark is missed deeply, as much for its kaasi halwa as for its welcoming air; a Facebook group of 800-odd people bearing testimony to that.

Cut to Singara Chennai today, where cappuccinos rule the kaapi, the new Semmozhi Poonga, built on the ground that once used to house the Drive In, has found many takers. Fitness freaks and morning joggers swear by the place. Samyukta Easwaran, a student of visual communication, says she and her friends go there often. “We do a lot of photo shoots. The park is beautifully done, complete with a small pond and ducks. It's fun here.”

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tablo.../ode-drive-847

[murlee]

The Ming thing

Oh dear. Hotel President? Not that I want to sound snobbish. But President? The only time I was there it was more by accident than design.

My friends and I were at Marina beach, watching a spectacular air show. When it ended we got swept up in a sea of sweaty humanity. Jostled, pushed and prodded, we tried to hail an auto, only to have all the drivers thumb their noses at us. Since I was baby sitting a neighbour’s five-year-old son, my friends decided the only responsible thing to do would be to eat. “At least we won’t lose the kid in a restaurant,” one of them muttered. “Taj?” the kid chirped. Everyone glared at me. “Clearly, he’s been hanging out with you for too long.” We ended up walking to Hotel President. And sitting in their sleepy café, ordering plate after plate of omelettes and toast. The hotel was old and tired. The lobby, large and impersonal. The omelettes, flat and oily. Nevertheless, it was an oasis that day. And the coffee was pretty good.

Still, it doesn’t seem like the kind of place you’ll find a trendy new Pan Asian restaurant. Which is what makes Her Name Is Ming such a charming surprise.

V.V. Giri, best known for introducing the city to a trendy new style of luxury, courtesy The Park almost a decade ago, now runs the hotel. In the style of a boutique hotel, the lobby’s more intimate, and opens into their new bar, The Purple Room and the Twenty Fifth Hour, built in the style of a Singapore café-in-a-mall. Slick and chic. They’re offering a buffet lunch for Rs. 777. I’m distracted by a tray of plump gulab jamuns. Then, I notice a bar set up in front of Her Name Is Ming (which I will hereby abbreviate to HNIM, even if it does sound like a high street retail store specialising in reasonably priced skinny jeans.)

“Shooters?” ask the waiters behind the bar. Tequila seems too louche for lunch. Even for me. Fortunately the restaurant is more art movie than MTV. Dramatic, without being ostentatious, it’s designed like a Renaissance oil painting. Soaring bird cages filled with warm yellow lights. Bamboo shoots set in towering glass cases against a deep red background. Sunshine pouring through tall wooden slats.

The meal begins with a crunchy horseradish salad, featuring crunchy lettuce overwhelmed by mayonnaise. And a line up of skillfully constructed dim sum, delicate, translucent and steamy. We eat dimsum filled with finely chopped vegetables spiked with garlic. Chicken dim sum, laced with coriander. Dimsum with perfectly pink prawns. All teamed with a chunky coriander peanut sauce. The steamed buns are too flat and yeasty, filled with a fairly confused barbeque chicken. But on the whole, this is one of the nicest dim sum I’ve eaten in the city so far. We also try pandan chicken, served in pretty emerald knots. And prawn toast, overpowered by the strong, nutty taste of sesame.

Singaporean chef C. Shivajee, formerly at Hip Asia, runs the kitchen here. He tells us he’s just back from Singapore, where he was mastering the art of “hand pulled noodles,” as we dip into big fragrant bowls of Laksa, the house specialty. Thick, aromatic and soothing, it’s slippery with noodles and speckled with juicy prawns. He insists we also try the Hainanese chicken rice, and although the chicken is a little tough, the fluffy stock-scented rice is addictive. Then there’s rendang: thick, dark and bristling with lemon grass.

On the whole, HNIM offers flavours that are brave and balanced. Instead of kowtowing to local preferences, the menu has a mix of the familiar and the exotic. Make the right choices, and you’ll have a good meal. Ours ends with a pandan-tinged crème brulee. And a quick trip to the Purple Room, their new bar, offering a pint of beer for Rs. 200. Don’t judge us. At least we didn’t start with shooters.

Her Name Is Ming is at The President Hotel And Towers on R.K. Salai. Call 2847 2211 for reservations. A meal for two is approximately Rs. 1500.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle4146553.ece

[madrasi7777]

I have warmed almost all the chairs in Woodlands from the late 1980's to 2005. I know each and every waiter by name and vice versa. I miss the Pongal and Avial. It is the only place one can get Pongal at any time Now it is only a memory .

Originally Posted by தமிழன்

An ode to a Drive In



http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tablo.../ode-drive-847

[kannan infratech]

Originally Posted by madrasi7777

I have warmed almost all the chairs in Woodlands from the late 1980's to 2005. I know each and every waiter by name and vice versa. I miss the Pongal and Avial. It is the only place one can get Pongal at any time Now it is only a memory .

For sales people like me, Drive-in was the office, meeting place, relaxing place, eating place all rolled into one. Very often we cold see celebrities coming there to have a cuppa or masal dosa.

Under the shady trees, we wold have a snooze also during hot summer. We would also eat packed food from home (Lunch) and could only spend for coffee at woodlands.

Only thing which we did not like was the union issue and the servers not serving strictly after the specified hours.

We all cried when Woodys was closed.

[madrasi7777]

Then You and I must have passed by each other many times without knowing each other.. Like you said the place is terribly missed by people like you and me.

Originally Posted by kannan infratech

For sales people like me, Drive-in was the office, meeting place, relaxing place, eating place all rolled into one. Very often we cold see celebrities coming there to have a cuppa or masal dosa.

Under the shady trees, we wold have a snooze also during hot summer. We would also eat packed food from home (Lunch) and could only spend for coffee at woodlands.

Only thing which we did not like was the union issue and the servers not serving strictly after the specified hours.

We all cried when Woodys was closed.

[tamilbala]

Originally Posted by krishnaswamy

there is 1 small Andhra mess behind Ashok leyland office. many times i had lunch there.
superb taste. they started in a small room, now expanded to 2 floors with AC.

Is this behind Nandanam Housing Board bus stand?

Originally Posted by krishnaswamy

Polymer hotel near that Gemini flyover is still there? i heard it was good.with that mindset, i tried chrompet Polymer. it is little bit disappointment..

Palimer at Chromepet? where sir

Originally Posted by sridhar_n

I just love the paruppu podi sadam of saravana bhavan. I once asked them if they would sell some paruppu podi, but they refused.

You can't go wrong with Andhra Meals's Parupu podi, they sell both at TNagar & Virugambakkam branch.

A small Kerala & Andhra mess near Navalur Toll behind Polaris attracts too much of crowd.
There are 2 Kerala Rest., you need to walk into st adjacent Polaris, take a left and then take immediate right and the hotel is in your right, they off variety of Fish item at very cheap rates.

[madrasi7777]

@ Tamil Bala,

Is it possible to get the addresses / tel nos. of the below mentioned restaurants / mess. Thanks

Originally Posted by tamilbala

Is this behind Nandanam Housing Board bus stand?


Palimer at Chromepet? where sir



You can't go wrong with Andhra Meals's Parupu podi, they sell both at TNagar & Virugambakkam branch.

A small Kerala & Andhra mess near Navalur Toll behind Polaris attracts too much of crowd.
There are 2 Kerala Rest., you need to walk into st adjacent Polaris, take a left and then take immediate right and the hotel is in your right, they off variety of Fish item at very cheap rates.

[Kunil143]

Originally Posted by tamilbala

Is this behind Nandanam Housing Board bus stand?


Palimer at Chromepet? where sir



You can't go wrong with Andhra Meals's Parupu podi, they sell both at TNagar & Virugambakkam branch.

A small Kerala & Andhra mess near Navalur Toll behind Polaris attracts too much of crowd.
There are 2 Kerala Rest., you need to walk into st adjacent Polaris, take a left and then take immediate right and the hotel is in your right, they off variety of Fish item at very cheap rates.

You should try Kanagadurga Andhra mess near to the Shiva Vishnu temple @ Natesan street T.Nagar.The Bhavani andhra mess(near Polaris) that you specified is nowhere a match to it.

[krishnaswamy]

Originally Posted by tamilbala

Is this behind Nandanam Housing Board bus stand?

Andhra mess is in the lanes just behind "europa" showroom(next to Ashok leyland building).

Originally Posted by tamilbala

Palimer at Chromepet? where sir

it was below NaiHaa showroom.
I remeber Nalas there too. not sure, it was closed and Nalas took that or both might be stil there.

[shyam_prasad99]

Originally Posted by madrasi7777

Then You and I must have passed by each other many times without knowing each other.. Like you said the place is terribly missed by people like you and me.

During 1999-2002 I was working at CTS right across drive-in. At least, every other day I used to have lunch over there and the most prominent celebrity you could always see more than the hotel waiters is the legendary singer P.B Srinivas.

And the celebrity list goes on - kunnakudi, SV Shekhar, Manorama, SP Muthuraman to name a few....

Good old memories...

[deandany]

Thanks proprashanth, tamilbala and all others for the superb responses ( and some nakkals).

I am planning to take my friend to Amirtham (GSS) since it seems to have 2-3 autentic items , and am also trusting on the great legacy of GSS. :-)

[tamilbala]

@ Madarsi,
I don't have its phone no as of now, but will get you next week or so when I visit there, is there any query from your side for them.

Tried Bombay Bhel Puri(In Rajabather St) yesterday based on your recommendation, tastes good but can't be taken as signature(IMHO, so no offense plz) and bit costly at Rs35.

My next try will be Kanagadara Andra Mess @ Natesan St next week, feedback will follow next week.

The Brilliant Tutorial Road side shops, TNagar are no more RIP those wonderful memories.


- The Chat Shop outside Heritage Fresh next to TNagar Tirupathi is good, filling & economical.

- Ahamadiya Briyani near Broadway bus stand, a signature food with excellent spicy brinjal curry, so recommended once you are in that area.(chick briyani-rs 100)

- Hotel Runs opp Adyar Bus Stand have good Parotta & Egg/Chicken gravy & Tea, again a recommended hotel.(economical)

Must Try in Tambaram Area
- Al-Madena Parotta with Chicken gravy & Mutton Gravy for Rs10(a signature & Soft parotta) in Gandhi Rd, Tambaram , be prepared to wait atleast 30mins before you keep your finger in food.

- E.Sait briyani are a big must try

-RR Salem briyani got mixed response like 50% super like it, the rest go to next shop E-Sait, this briyani is spicy and they are growing day by day

-For Sweets, Gupta Bhavan, these people are eating SKS, A2B,.. in Tambaram area for breakfast, again expanding all over chennai.

[kannan infratech]

Petta (W)Rap:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...cle2201173.ece


Kiosk / Street Food

http://www.malli.in/rest_list.php?ta...F+Street+Food+



Varam Aayiram: Varam Kiosk , Shanthi Colony , Anna Nagar

http://www.eatwitheyes.com/2012/06/v...ram-varam.html



Street Food in Chennai

http://chennai.metromela.com/Street+...i/article/2370



Momos in Chennai Streeets ???

http://www.eatwitheyes.com/2012/06/m...-momos-in.html

[kannan infratech]

Masala Dosa Kiosks


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VykwZoOfx_o



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZoWxmCeYK8

[kannan infratech]

Parotta Master - Super Man...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzIvSt4tvA



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBM8dxWu4zU

[kannan infratech]

You Tube Videos on Chennai Street Food

ENSOY

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc....1.zR3vdGMfKTo

[udhaya]

burmese restaurants in chennai:-
http://www.asklaila.com/search/Chenn...alse&v=listing

japanese restaurants in chennai:-

http://www.justdial.com/Chennai/japanese-restaurants

korean restaurants in chennai:-

www.justdial.com/Chennai/korean-restaurants

malaysian restaurants in chennai:-

http://www.asklaila.com/search/Chenn...chNearby=false

[engineer.akash]

Guys there is this famous noodle restaurant with home delivery service,their veg spring rolls were good....Just not getting its name. It has outlets in prime locations in chennai,i guess there is one near ascendas...

[krishnaswamy]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

Guys there is this famous noodle restaurant with home delivery service,their veg spring rolls were good....Just not getting its name. It has outlets in prime locations in chennai,i guess there is one near ascendas...

Noodle King?