Kumar Mess, Chennai.

Kumar mess originated in Madurai, they opened a branch in Vadapalani a few years ago. The one in T Nagar is relatively new.

If you are looking for a small mess, well it’s not, it is much bigger than an usual restaurant. The term “mess” is deceptive in this case.

The food is Madurai cuisine if you are looking for authentic food. They have some Chinese and North Indian dishes that can be ignored.

We started our lunch with crab omlette and mutton Nalli roast. Both were good and the freshness of the crab was evident in the flavour of the omlette.

We moved on to the main course. The non veg meals was served with chicken, Mutton and fish gravy along with veggies, rasam, curd and buttermilk. Everything cooked and served to perfection on a banana leaf.

The aiyra fish is famous in Madurai and the aiyra fish curry at Kumar mess was good, but my friends who had it in Madurai said it is better there.

The mutton biryani is made with jeera samba rice and this style of biryani is my favourite. It was light and not too greasy.

The mutton dosa was soft and yummy. But too small for the price.

We ended our meal with the famous Jigarthanda from Madurai. Yummy, but again the portion was too small for the price.

Over all a very satisfying lunch. But too pricy.

VA Pho at Ampa Mall, Chennai. A sneek preview to the most colourful food place at Ampa mall.

Asian food with signature dishes from the Asian continent.

Movie at PVR, drink at Sera and dine at Va Pho. Weekend is complete.

The food at Va Pho is as vibrant as their decor.

We started with the welcome drinks. My favourite was the mango, basil, chilli drink. I personally liked the mild basil flavour.

The soup followed, I am a fan of authentic Asian soup.

But this Saigon Pho (soup) stole my heart. This was just like the one I had at Vietnam.

The raw papaya and mango salad was very refreshing along with the chicken salad.

The wide variety of starters can actually confuse you. They also have a choice of teppan now at Va Pho and hence the confusion only increases.

My personal favourite was the zucchini, corn and cream cheese dimsums that was unassumingly tasty.

The southern thai chicken satay was very different from what I have tasted elsewhere and the sauce/dip was yummy.

The Phuket beef satay was good too.

The crispy fish Bao was different and good.

The Signature Va Pho prawns cooked in sambal sauce was subtle in favour.

The chicken wings sizzler was different and we loved the smoked flavour.

The Malay styled squid rings were crisp and blended well with the sauteed sauce along with curry leaves.

From the teppan selection we had the tappam prawns.

As if the starers were not enough we moved on to the biggest main course. The varieties were unimaginable.

Nasi goreng kampung had a burst of flavours.

Meat 9 choice of meat we had chicken with nine exotic vegetables in chefs style. It did reflect the style of the chef.

Va Pho chilli beef dry blended well with our meal.

The Padang egg curry was mind blowing along with steamed rice, a good choice for eggeterians.

Japchae, glass noddles tossed with choice of meat we had it with prawns.

And like we all say the ending has to be happy. End of our dinner was just awesome.

Burmese falooda – rose milk topped falooda, a favourite from the streets of Myanmar.

Tender coconut ice cream stick served with sweetened coconut cream and sago pearls was the cutest dessert I ever had.

The hottest sizzling brownie with vanilla icecream.

The finale was Vapholicious! With the monster sundae we literally wanted to sleep there.

We certainly had lots of fun moments at Va Pho!

Sera has been in the list of Chennai’s first few happening resto bars. They completed 15years of giving fun, entertainment and good food to chennaities.

The excitement continues as they open a new, vibrant, huge, young place in Ampa Mall, chennai. Weekends are going to be more fun with shopping, movie, food and drinks at Ampa mall.

What we had at Sera, was an unforgettable experience. The interior is chic and modern, the spirits flow smoothly with all its flavours and the food is just out of the world. Chef Venkat has been with sera since it’s inception and does not fail to amaze us even today with giving a tough competition to choose between good food and good drinks!

We had most of their signature cocktails :

Pretty pink, that was even pretty than what it actually looked. Beauty and flavour went hand in hand for this pink Beauty!

The Rickshaw

Strawberry Basil Margarita had subtle basil flavour that brought out the best in the drink.

King Maker with the fresh passion fruit was my favourite. It sure was the king for me.

Sera Sangria was loaded with fresh fruits that enhanced the true flavour of the red wine.

The food does need a special mention because very few resto bars serve good food in Chennai. As far as food is concerned this one is my favourite place. They have a good mix of menu when is comes to vegetarian and non vegetarian food. No vegetarian will feel left out for lack of good food.

Waterchestnut in hunan sauce. Had a good blend of flavour and crunchiness of the chestnut.

Hummus with bread batoons were very well blended.

Chicken Quesadilla were made to perfection and presented elegantly.

Grilled chicken tikka was flavourful.

Khakra paneer is the new fad and was done well.

King of food was the sesame grilled beef. Soft, succulent, bursting with flavour and presented in the most cutest form with mashed potato flowers was my personal favourite.

Bacon wrapped chicken sausage was the perfect finger food.

Wing man wings, chicken wings were good was usual.

Chilli honey squid is another signature dish of this group and I always love it wherever I go. This one was well presented.

The cheese cake sure was the best ending to the most happening evening.

Sera lounge at Ampa is opening tomorrow, Saturday.

The colour and Ambience is red hot. Just like the food.

The food is from most part of East Asian countries. Thai,malay, Indonesian, Burmese and Vietnamese. The dimsums are from Singapore.

We started our Sunday lunch with appetizes.

Prawn Hargau- it was soft, the prawn was fresh and looked divine. Like we say the first impression is the last. I was already rating the place with this dish.

Chicken Potstickers – made to perfection with the right filling and fried just as much required.

Sate Ayam Madura – a Javanese chicken Satay with characteristic kecap mania and dry roast spice was served with peanut sauce.

Malay chicken curry puff – is little crisp from outside and flavourful from inside.

Asian Green Dumplings – were the cutest things I have ever seen and they taste good too. These cuties were filled with mixed spring greens and garlic chives.

Corn and spinach Potstickers – pan fried dumplings spinach corn served with Danish blue cheese sauce.

Sate Jambur – oyster mushroom Sate in sambal spice marinate.

Malay vegetable curry puff – deep fried Malaysian curry puff with mixed vegetable Tofu curried spices.

Tom kha- thai soup was with chicken, Kaffir lime and lemon grass.

Larb Gai Isaan – thai minced chicken in fragrant rice powder and chilli flakes, Kaffir lime and chilli dressing.

Main course

Phak Boong Fai Daeng – stir fried Asian greens in spicy yellow bean sauce. Stir fried to perfection with the right amount of flavours.

Chicken in lemongrass and tamarind – Vietnamese stir fried chicken with tamarind , lemongrass and chilli. This comes with orkra and the flavours are mild and subtle.

Beef Rendang – pandang style beef stewed in Sumatran spices.

Nasi Lemak – fragrant rice cooked in seasoned coconut cream and topped with toasted coconut flakes.

Char Kuay Tiew Prawn – noodles are stir fried in light and dark soya in high heat with aromatics of chilli, chives and beans sprout and sambal oelek.

Lotus Root in spicy green peppercorn – crispy fried lotus root wok tossed in green peppercorn, basil and chilli.

Dessert

Soy soi fudge Brownie – fudge brownie with crunchy nutty crust, sesame caramel sauce, peanut crumble, chia seed in mint matcha ice cream. This was to die for it takes you to paradise.

Vietnamese coffee Affogate – sweet condensed milk ice cream, sweet corn pudding, Vietnamese coffee, sago pearls, coconut shavings.

A must visit place for good food, chick interiors and excited staff.

Soy soi is located at kotturpuram opp. AMM school and opens for guest around end of march 2018.

Chipstead at Taj Coromandel, Chennai.

The best pub in chennai and why I say so? because one of the few places that serves spirits along with fresh fruits, fresh herbs and fresh vegetables and this is something that is not common in Chennai.

We were there on the eve of Valentines Day and we could find the place getting all geared up for the special day. One of the specials for valentine’s day is,
The Love Nest that was made with Champagne, vodka, watermelon, basil leaves, lime and sugar syrup this drink is served inside a watermelon, with some round chunks of watermelon.

Green is the colour for waiting and if you are still waiting, this is the ideal drink. Eve’s First Kiss – made with Zucchini, lemon grass, Bacardi rum, lime and simple syrup. Amazing refreshing flavor the highlight was the straw that was made of lemongrass stem.

Flirtini made with Fresh Carrot, vodka, lime and caramel syrup was another of my favorite. And if valentine’s day is just about flirting and you are not ready to get committed, go for it, change in decisions do happen.

Valentine Spice made with Bacardi rum, tender coconut, pineapple chunks, five spice powder. This definitely will add more spice to your relationship, another of my favorites. A very interesting flavor of freshness and spice served inside a tender coconut!

The Lady Killer made with Champagne, vodka, strawberry and mint sure is a true killer. Taste and looks go hand in hand and real lady drink!

The Love Machine made with Jack Daniel’s honey, almond milk, cardamom, mint leaves and saffron was the highlight of the evening. The magic in Arun’s hands totally floored us with this drink. Subtle flavors of every ingredient blended to take us to paradise.

All the drinks are priced at RS.675/-

Chipstead has warm ambiance, service par excellence ( that is typically Taj) food and drinks curated with love and perfection!
Special mention to Mr. Manoj Mishra, Mr. Tilak Mehta, Ms. Manvi Chopra and Mr. Arun. Keep giving Chennai the best hospitality, we love it!

Golden Dragon at Taj Coromandel has launched its new menu and oh my god, it’s just amazing.

There are not many restaurants in India that serve authentic Chinese food. But am glad that Golden Dragon does it and has an expat chef who ensures it’s authentic till his last shout!

The ambience and service I think need not be mentioned at all. Taj is one of those few hotels that gives service the utter most importantance and they take pride in doing so.

My evening started with a warm welcome and amuse bouche- Asparagus and water chestnut with sweet bean sauce.

The soup had to follow. Spicy peanut butter soup, that just slipped through my throat, pipping hot and yummy!

The starters were a mix on veg and non vegetarian, each with its unique flavour, spice, texture and crunch.

Baked Taro with black pepper and honey was a perfect blend of hot and sweet. Extremely appealing to one’s eyes and palate.

Duet of Asparagus with white garlic sauce was very subtle in flavour,I personally loved the flavour.

Steamed Lo Hon ( rice paper rolls) this dish was soft from outside and crunchy inside with veggies. This is available gluten free. I loved the soy sauce drizzled on top though.

The Beijing onion cake is a dish that I have never heard or had before. And boy! it was so yummy, it crumbled like butter cookie and the soft onion’s inside just melted in my mouth. A must try new dish.

Moving to the non vegetarian starters.

The juicy crab dumpling was soft succulent and sweet. The freshness of the crab comes from the sweet taste of the crab. And it was perfect!

The Beijing pan fried chicken was made to perfection and was garnished with garlic, this enhanced the flavour of the chicken.

The fried lamb shanks with black bean chilli sauce, not only looked good but tasted perfect. Crusty from outside and well done inside.

And the highlight of my dinner and my most most favourite dish was the sliced lamb with ginger and kailan. This is a must try if you like subtle flavor. I just fell in love with this dish. Last and the best for a beautiful evening!

The month of February has many events happening at the Taj Coromandel, Chennai. If you are planning to spend that special day with your family? Below are the details of event.

And just when we thought that our holiday was over and we had seen all the places in kodaikanal, a pleasant new year surprise awaited us.

We decided to visit the “Caroselle – The Gourmand’s Cheese “, to get a first hand experience of organic, hand made cheese factory. To start with, the place is located in a very silent beautiful location away from the noise and pollution of the main Kodaikanal tourist place.

We decided not to drive through their private motorable road, but walked to the factory, the trek was fun, with birds chirping, monkeys playing, with the background score of flowing water somewhere in the mountains; Truly we felt very close to mother nature!

When we reached, the Master Cheese Maker Hanneke Tubben along with Patti Tower, the Managing Director were waiting with open arms to recieve us. Since we reached late in the evening we did not get to see how the cheese was made, but we sure got to see their collection of ageing cheese in their cellar.

The speciality of the cheese is that it is made from the milk of cross bred Friesian-Holsteins cows, that are well taken care by them, at the valley.

Hanneke has her own very special varieties of cheese that are made at Caroselle viz. Montasio, Parmesan, Camembert, Gouda, Edams, Cheddar and the Feta.

A little history about the place, Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet founded the Aeon Centre of Cosmology at Kodaikanal. She inspired and encourged Hanekke and together they started Caroselle. Hanekke starts her day at 5am and does not stop till evening. They do not use any machines or hi-technology to make their cheese. They are all organic and hand made, including the cutting and packing.

Caroselle has conducted tours and cheese tasting for guests. If you are on such a tour, never miss The Aeon Center of Cosmology house where they have displayed some of the exhibition materials of their mentor Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet, who passed away in 2016.

Many 5 star hotels, niche/speciality stores across India use and as well as sell Caroselle cheese. But nothing like being there, experiencing the place and tasting the cheese. Any cheese lovers would never want to miss a visit to this place. I would say this is a must visit place in Kodaikanal.

My heartfelt thank you to Patti and Hanneke for your time in showing us the place, explaining the process and the warmth you showered on us!

If you intend to visit this place, here are the details: Office #: +91 90475 67730, email: carosellecheese@gmail.com. You can also locate them using google map. They are located at Pethuparai, via Perumal Malai on Palani Road, Kodaikanal.

Note: The Cellar is a restricted area and strictly restricted to general public and everyone. Entry is at the discretion of / and approval by Caroselle Management.

Yes, Mongolian food festival in Chennai.

Our evening started with some soothing mocktails the virgin mojito being the star of the mocktails.

The lamb soup was light and packed with natural flavours.

The starters were amazing good and totally new and interesting.

Roast lamb salad was absolutely heavenly with minimal seasoning and perfectly cooked lamb.

Khuushuur is a deep fried lamb parcel. The stuffing had a very interesting taste.

Mongolian monster was chicken stuffed huge Bao. Steaming hot and yummy!

Chicken lettuce wrap had a good salad feeling to the whole dish.

The assorted mushroom was a starter with 3 varieties of mushroom shiitake, button and black fungus. The mushrooms were crispy and full of flavour.

The Mongolian beef was cooked to perfection and served on a bed of crispy fried rice noodles.

Mongolian sizzler was served with veggies and meat of our choice (chicken)

The mongo fried rice was subtle in flavour and was a good sum up for the food we had.

The dessert was something I have not tasted before Khan’s delight is a dessert made with crispy pancake topped with banana and chocolate.

I loved the sizzling brownie that was served on a bed of caramelized pineapple.

A must visit if you want to try a different dessert.

Very important note- all the dishes were served to us without msg on special request.

And this might be like  early morning dreams, those dreams that come true!

And you heard me right finally the authentic coorg food is now served in Chennai, at the comfort of the host’s home.

I had the privilege of tasting this food after many years. The last I had coorg food was when I visited coorg and did a home stay 12 years ago. I was longing for this food for many years and it was like someone heard my prayers.

I will start with the host who is a fantastic human being, multi talented and a very warm host.

The house is a perfect place for fun and good times. You can hear the waves of the ocean as you enjoy the food.

The authentic, humble and yummy Coorg cuisine is incomplete without the pandi curry (pork curry with special Coorg spices). This curry is best had with Kadumbuttu ( soft steamed rice dumplings)

The koli curry (chicken curry) blended very well with palputtu ( steamed rice cake sprinkled with grated coconut)

The dessert was the perfect finish for a  lovely dinner. Payasam made of khus khus, coconut and almonds cannot ask for anything more.

Smitha is hosting her first pop up lunch on 9th December at 1pm. To book you lunch, please https://www.authenticook.com/meal/aromas-of-coorg/225/915/

Enjoy!!!

The only best seafood place in Chennai. The marina. It’s more of a fish market, you can choose the fresh fish that you want from the counter, any amount of portion you like, have it cooked the way you want it.

A getaway to Malabar coast is a festival that is going on till the 10th of December.

The seafood was fresh as just out of the sea. The Malabar preparation was as if made in Kerala. The chef is from paragon, Calicut. What else could one ask for!

The special Malabar festival menu was small and beautiful. So one is not too confused on what to choose. And what did we eat?

Started with the welcome drink the Nannari Sherbet with basil seeds. Smoky flavored juice which is such a refresher!

The seafood soup had small chunks of seafood in a thick coconut milk broth. The flavor was a mix of fish and coconut milk!

The starters that we choose were :

Pan fried Squid. The squid rings , pearl onions  and green chillies were sauteed in aromatic coconut oil. Cooked to perfection this was a good start for our lunch!

Kanthari Tawa fry. Mahi Mahi fish fillet marinated in delicate kanthari chilli masala. Spicy and  subtly flavored dish that enhances the taste of the fish and the chilli!

Nethali fry, huge fresh nethali crispy fried with curry leaves. The freshness of the fish lingered on our table!

We ordered two starters from outside the festival menu and is my all time favourite:

The crispy fried honey and garlic calamari, this dish has not explanation, it’s simply the best!!

King fish in butter and garlic sauce. Perfectly sauteed.

Our main course was the yummiest

The prawn moilee was served with hot appams. The huge succulent prawns were laced in the delicate coconut milk gravy with minimum spices.

The chatti curry took me back to the shores of Kerala, the fish, the masala and the flavor of the earthen pot cannot be penned. Your palate is the only thing that will justify the taste. The fish curry with the Kerala red rice was a marriage made in heaven.

No Kerala food is complete with a payasam.

The Ada pradhaman was a perfect end to this super meal.

Pineapple pudding was a bonus, that completed the fishy Saturday lunch.

For the best and freshest seafood in Chennai, please visit The Marina at nungambakkam, Chennai.

The Malabar food festival is on till 10th of December 2017.