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I have been here twice in july 2006. The restaurant has a buffet every night and the food is excellent. It can be termed up-market . The restaurant is very busy on saturday evening and reserving a table would be a good idea. The overall ambeince is good and the food yummy !!! I guess one of the nice places to take your family out for a dinner. The menu has everything from south indian to north indian, mexican, continental etc.... Theme: DinerPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: more expensive than averageAddress: 180 T T K Road Alwarpet, Chennai (Madras), Tamil NPhone: 91-44-24670002
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Sparky has done a fabulous job of providing alternative (American) food in Chennai. His DINER style restaurant is large, well-decorated with American memorabilia and a fairly extensive menu, including Italian, Mexican and Cajun to suit anyone! He has an American BBQ Buffet every Friday night, for only Rps275--about US$6.50!!
Also, in this locale, important to mention that the bathrooms are decent-sized, clean, and fully equipped with toilet paper AND paper towels for drying your hands!! Much appreciated when I was there, I can tell you!!! Theme: AmericanPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: 15 East Spurtank Rd., Chetpet, ChennaiPhone: 044 - 42144206
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There’s a factory-type theme, and the wait staff wear factory style jumpsuits, but the food is definitely not assembly line.
There are two fixed-price menu options – veg and non-veg (meat). Courses are served sequentially, and each one is wonderful. You can repeat courses as often as you like at no additional charge. The veg is excellent and my meat-eating friends tell me the non-veg is as well. And the wait staff will tell you a little about everything you get.
The only thing I dislike, actually, is that when you go a second (and third and fourth) time, the waiters will still tell you a little about everything you get, even if you ask them not to.
Veg fixed-price menu (all of it!).
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One of my favorites – absolutely delicious food. Eden is pure veg, with Indian dishes and a good selection of what’s called “continental,” although I think you’d be hard pressed to find some of the creative items offered here on the menu anywhere in Europe. It’s small, only room for perhaps 40 people, which means it’s always full and there’s usually a wait. It’s worth it though.
The cottage cheese steak is one of them: two slices of fresh paneer in a peppery brown sauce with potato wedges and lightly boiled vegetables. There are several kinds of vegetable bakes that are all delicious.
The deserts have names like “Chocolate Fetish” and “The Last Time I Ever Saw My Waist,” and they’re fine; but if it’s not too late you could just as easily get some desert from Jelly Belly downstairs. Same owners, better variety. Theme: Eclectic/InternationalPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: more expensive than averageAddress: E37 II Avenue Besant NagarPhone: 4460777Directions: Close to Elliot’s Beach If you’re facing the beach, go to the far right end (there’s a church). The main road bends perpendicular to the beach road – follow that, and look for Jelly Belly on your right. Eden is right above it.
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Saravanas are like the McDonalds of Chennai in that they are everywhere. But unlike McDonalds, their food is of excellent quality and delicious. They are also usually quite clean and very inexpensive. Its not fancy and its usually very busy with families, but really where is it not in Chennai?
They serve veg or nonveg foods from South India, but have a few Northern specialities.
As an aside, don't expect to find any real american food in Chennai other then from a Pizza Hut.
Try the Paneer Pakoras, Dosas, Naan, and Gobi Manchurian. My favorite dish is from the north: the biryani (mutton, chicken, or veg with rice and spices), amazing! Also they have fresh juices which are quite good like Sathakudi (sweet lime). Theme: IndianPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: less expensive than averageDirections: You'll find them all over, they have a distinctive sign.
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Certainly the best Italian food you’ll find in southern India. Menu is excellent and varied, ingredients are fresh, wines are good, service is very good. Plenty of veg and non-veg options. There are a couple of locations in Chennai, but the one I’ve been to (several times) in Kottivakkam, south of the city, is just off a nice beach in a quiet area, with most seating outside. Family pets are present, but the donkey is tied up and the dogs are friendly.
The pasta primavera is lovely - rich and garlic-y, pasta is just the right texture and the spinach and mushrooms are the best around. The pizza got thumbs up from a couple of Italian visitors I went with.
The deserts are a little too sweet for me, though, more like Indian versions of Italian deserts. Theme: ItalianPrice: US$21-30 » Currency ConverterComparison: more expensive than averageAddress: Two locations in Chennai, one in GoaDirections: (Beach) 4, Sree Krishna Enclave, Kottivakkam (near Tiruvanmiyur), Phone: 24511130 (City) 140, Nungambakkam High Road, Chotabhai Center, Nungambakkam, Phone: 28330085 (Goa) La Calypso Hotels Saunta Vaddo, Calangute, Baga road, Phone: 0832 2275821
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Getting in is weird. First, the sign is hard to see – it and the restaurant are located on the second floor, and you enter from the side, a long narrow alley mostly filled with two-wheelers and, unbelievably, the occasional car. There’s no indication that you’re going into anything in particular until you climb the stairs, and even then the first impression is that it’s a hotel. Once through the main doors of the restaurant, the main room is dark, smoky, and usually crowded, with powerful fans (tie back long hair). There’s a back room though, lighter, quieter, non-smoking, and air conditioned (although you still need to tie back long hair). It’s an odd floorplan, but there’s an extensive selection of (mostly pretty spicy) Indian and Chinese dishes – decent food at reasonable prices.
We come here a lot after work for the good basic meals and cold beer. There’s a very strict cutoff time of 11pm if you’re drinking, and people waiting to chase you out as the clock strikes. They’re nice about it, though. Theme: IndianPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: less expensive than averageAddress: 21 Sardar Patel Road, AdyarPhone: 4403520Directions: Look for the Stay 'N Tour sign
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Vegetarian only. This is an always-packed, three-story restaurant with excellent sit-down or takeaway options. Downstairs is sweltering and chaotic; upstairs is quieter and air-conditioned. Either way the food is good.
Take out works as follows:
1) Go to the counter behind the circular staircase and place your order (on the right). They will give you a receipt and a token. Do not under any circumstance lose your token.
2) Go back to the payment counter beside the main entrance.
3) The person at the payment counter will take your money and stamp your reciept(s).
4) Go to the small service window at the far end of the restaurant (where the crowd is). Push your way to the front. (It's not rude, really.) Hand your stamped receipt to anyone who will acknowledge your presence. Remember their face. Try not to be trampled by other customers or the wait staff. Eventually the number on your token will be called (in Tamil, unless they see you're a foreigner, so either learn numbers to about 500 in Tamil or else stay visible) and someone will hand you a bag of food in exchange for the token. If after about 20 minutes you don't hear your number, flash your token and look sad at the person who took your receipt, and they will find your food.
Hint - if you order a combo meal of some kind you're less likely to end up with huge chunks of mind-bendingly hot chilli in your food. I've no idea why.
Practical note - takeaway dinner options aren't available until after 7pm. 150 rupees earns you delivery, but that can take hours - better to go and wait.
The northern and southern thalis (samplers, basically) are great; paneer butter masala with naan; paneer tikka. Masala dosa take-away (in a banana leaf).
Note: if you are not a native of southern India and you order a southern Indian thali you will need a lassi*. If you order paneer butter masala takeaway you will probably need one - if not that day, then definitely for leftovers. You will probably survive a masala dosa without a lassi.
*A lassi is a yoghurt-based drink. Sweet = with sugar, plain = watery and kind of salty. Theme: IndianPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: about averageAddress: 7 Gandhi Nagar, 1st Main Road, AdyarPhone: 24426554Directions: Close to Odyssey bookstore.
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This place has good multi-cuisine snacks and light meals, and an extensive cocktail menu. The crowd is mostly younger, the music isn’t particularly conducive to conversation, but it’s busy, vibrant, and fun. I’ve heard there’s a dress code, which seems to mean guys have to wear shoes (not sandals) and trousers.
Any of the tapas plates are good. The cocktails are very good. Theme: Eclectic/InternationalPrice: US$11-20 » Currency ConverterComparison: more expensive than averageAddress: Cathedral RoadPhone: 28114156Directions: Opposite the Chola Sheraton, above the Copper Chimney
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All of the best tropical fruits. Mangos, lechi, bananas, and much more. Ask for a taste and you can get the vendor to give you a sample of the different varieties of mangos. I was given tastes of the day's best varieties and bought bags of them for the next few days. These are not the fibrous mangos that you find state-side. These are the real deal.
Find your favorite variety of mangos and top them off with a little vanilla ice cream from a local shop and your day will be made. Perfect for those hot days/nights. Theme: Street VendorPrice: less than US$10 » Currency ConverterComparison: least expensive
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on July 25, 2006
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