A Guide: Eating out in Chennai

DRIV3R · 12th June 2010, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pr_007

Guys, I don't know if this eat-out has been posted in the previous pages, but have you experienced Barbecue Nation in T.Nagar, the Left next to Joy Alukkas.

Great place for barbecues. It cost around 450/- per head (I think, been there a few months ago) but the barbecues are unlimited. They keep serving you till you say "Stop".

Worth the money.

No, they keep serving barbeques until you lower the flag on your table. I love their Cajun Spiced Potatoes! Yumm.

Barbeque Nation has presence in many other cities as well.

Zoomsun · 12th June 2010, 15:23

And there is this another place called Barbeque Biryani on OMR near Thoraipakkam, Awesome Authentic Hyderabadi Biryani...

Do check it out.

DRIV3R · 12th June 2010, 15:35

Yep. In Chennai, they have different prices for a Veg buffet and a Non-veg buffet. 450 and 500 i guess. But in Bangalore, prices are the same for both. 500 INR.

ikoneer · 13th June 2010, 00:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoomsun

And there is this another place called Barbeque Biryani

we go there at times, nice briyani but very expensive and much too quantity at 120 bucks. they bring it from some other place i think

bblost · 26th June 2010, 20:18

Hotel Savera, The Piano, a buffet at Rs 625 net.

I have no idea how the rotis or rice tasted.
I have no idea how the sambar sadam and thair sadam tasted.
I have no clue how the assorted veg gravies tasted.
I did not even bother with the mutton gravy and biryani on offer.

Instead I had two really small buns. And they were accompanied with Grilled Fish, Singapore chilly fish, some beef kheema dish with cheese on it, Chicken salad, Fish salad, some palak salad.
Yummy. Loved the food.

The desert was small nibble sized pieces of tasty stuff.

mallumowgli · 29th June 2010, 16:51

Ha my Chennai days fav were the Kothu Parotta at Anna Univ canteen and Bread Omlette near IIT

On a more seriuos eating note ...Barbeque nation was very good. My fav was the prawns. Thank good my stomach did not complain that day

The Nala's appakkadai at velachery was one place I loved, provided I get a place to sit. The egg appams were good

Anyone remember the only speciality sea food restaurant 'Something Fishy' that came up near Gemini Fly over? (This must be around 3 years back) Well, there was something really fishy with the whole thing - very expensive...but awful service, totally downmarket and cheap ambience. Why i mention this is cos this was the only speciality sea food restaurant in Chennai. Food was in fact good - lots of good dishes. But had to close down. I think the price did not match the overall experience

In fact Iam yet to come across a good speciality sea food restaurant in any of the great South Indian coastal cities - Chennai, Kochi, Vizag or Mangalore or any of the smaller ones also

bottle · 29th June 2010, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by bblost

Hotel Savera, The Piano, a buffet at Rs 625 net.

I have no idea how the rotis or rice tasted.
I have no idea how the sambar sadam and thair sadam tasted.
I have no clue how the assorted veg gravies tasted.
I did not even bother with the mutton gravy and biryani on offer.

Instead I had two really small buns. And they were accompanied with Grilled Fish, Singapore chilly fish, some beef kheema dish with cheese on it, Chicken salad, Fish salad, some palak salad.
Yummy. Loved the food.

The desert was small nibble sized pieces of tasty stuff.

Yup their Sunday buffet is usually very good.. It used to taste better when it costed only Rs.325 last time

plus I even remember a promotion where they had a free buffet for 1 for every 2 persons order.. good old days

aargee · 29th June 2010, 20:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

The Nala's appakkadai at velachery was one place I loved, provided I get a place to sit. The egg appams were good

+1 to Nalas Aapakadai; They've opened quite a few outlets in the city & mostly in & around OMR/ECR region & they should be soon opening an outlet at Anna Nagar.

Two weeks back we were there at MGR Salai branch & the food wasn't exceptional as before. Not sure if their quality is coming down, as its too early to comment. May be someone else can provide an opinion.

jeevmenon · 29th June 2010, 23:49

Our usual places:

Hotel Coronet at Adyar (good Chicken-65),

Hotel Milan - Vijaynagar (Brain-fry, mutton-pepper-fry, paya - these are food from the old-world charm - none of the new ones - post 2000 hotels have these - just am scared that The TopSees, City Gates, Traffic Jams, Runs, Coronets (some might have already gone) dont vanish - due to monopolies of the A2B, SB, MIS, Sangeethas. Milan - no frills hotel. Total VFM.

Thamburan - just before Sholinganallur signal on the left. Good mallu lunch - mathi-curry/aila-fry/para-fry/biriyani - nominal cost.

Good old Buhari - close to Shanthi theater.

Talappakattu - On the way to Marina - yellow board - lane close to Omandarur estate. Fantastic Murthapa. Just amazing.

Ponnusamy - Best Tamil-style non-veg food. Hats off to them.

Bachelor day hotel - Hotel Aroma International on Arcot road - near Liberty.

WindRide · 30th June 2010, 12:27

Guys, i had enquired this in bangalore eating out thread. Repeating it here too since not much info was available there.

Anyone has experience with catfish (i believe this is called kannan meen in tamil?)? its basically a slimy snake like fish you will find at fish shops in a tub of water and very much alive. The fish monger usually hits it on its head to kill it.

I would like to try it out. Does it taste good? Is this fish good for curry or fry?

DWind · 30th June 2010, 15:14

Have not eaten catfish here but have had it US. The ones there were farm raised and so would be less salty. And due to this they are better of being fried / Grilled. Not sure where the fish you saw was raised in the ones.

Blue Thunder · 30th June 2010, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by WindRide

...Anyone has experience with catfish (i believe this is called kannan meen in tamil?)? its basically a slimy snake like fish you will find at fish shops in a tub of water and very much alive. The fish monger usually hits it on its head to kill it....

Viraal meenu (in Tamil)

It is actually the 'snake-head fish', the cat-fish is different. It is mostly the freshwater variant that is available live in local markets in Chennai.

Channa striata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channidae

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Snakeheads (Channidae) are a family of freshwater fish native to Africa and Asia. These predatory fish are distinguished by a long dorsal fin, large mouth and shiny teeth. They have a physiological need to breathe atmospheric air, which they do with a suprabranchial organ: a primitive form of a labyrinth organ. There are two extant genera, Channa in Asia, and Parachanna in Africa, consisting of 30-35 species.

Some recipes :
Solai's True Chettinad kitchen: Chettinad Viral Meen mangai Kuzhambu (Chettinad Butterfish (murrel) Mango gravy)

The smaller ones are also used for medicinal curing

:
http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/06...-fish-for.html
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f98opUNuVX...urrel+fish.jpg

joshguy · 2nd July 2010, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoranjit

There is one joint near Satyam Theater that sells good Parathas and authentic N.Indian stuff.. very small place. But the food there is very good. I think its called some Krishna ..something.

Its the last building on your left whn you come from Mount Road / Peters Road and take the left to Satyam.

Sorry i am replying to this post after 3 years !!

its Krishna Bhavan

Its one of my favorite places. you get good aloo parathas here

joshguy · 2nd July 2010, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee

+1 to Nalas Aapakadai; They've opened quite a few outlets in the city & mostly in & around OMR/ECR region & they should be soon opening an outlet at Anna Nagar.

Two weeks back we were there at MGR Salai branch & the food wasn't exceptional as before. Not sure if their quality is coming down, as its too early to comment. May be someone else can provide an opinion.

Nalas have started another outlet in New Express Mall in royapettah,i want to try it this weekend

Quote:

Originally Posted by WindRide

Guys, i had enquired this in bangalore eating out thread. Repeating it here too since not much info was available there.

Anyone has experience with catfish (i believe this is called kannan meen in tamil?)? its basically a slimy snake like fish you will find at fish shops in a tub of water and very much alive. The fish monger usually hits it on its head to kill it.

I would like to try it out. Does it taste good? Is this fish good for curry or fry?

You should probably try Fishermans Fare opp to Don Bosco Egmore .They have lots of combos in sea foods

Blue Thunder · 6th July 2010, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

..Hotel Milan - Vijaynagar ...

Have you tried this place recently? I am thinking of visiting this place, hence this question

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

..Thamburan - just before Sholinganallur signal on the left.

I was trying to locate this today, but couldn't. How much ahead of the Sholinganallur signal is this located ?

12th June 2010, 15:23	#257
Zoomsun BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bangalore<---->Chennai Posts: 45 Thanked: 7 Times	And there is this another place called Barbeque Biryani on OMR near Thoraipakkam, Awesome Authentic Hyderabadi Biryani... Do check it out. Last edited by bblost : 12th June 2010 at 21:13. Reason: Ref to Beer removed
	() Thanks

12th June 2010, 15:35	#258
DRIV3R Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: India Posts: 1,905 Thanked: 2,254 Times	Yep. In Chennai, they have different prices for a Veg buffet and a Non-veg buffet. 450 and 500 i guess. But in Bangalore, prices are the same for both. 500 INR.
	() Thanks

26th June 2010, 20:18	#260
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,005 Thanked: 15,314 Times View My Garage	Hotel Savera, The Piano, a buffet at Rs 625 net. I have no idea how the rotis or rice tasted. I have no idea how the sambar sadam and thair sadam tasted. I have no clue how the assorted veg gravies tasted. I did not even bother with the mutton gravy and biryani on offer. Instead I had two really small buns. And they were accompanied with Grilled Fish, Singapore chilly fish, some beef kheema dish with cheese on it, Chicken salad, Fish salad, some palak salad. Yummy. Loved the food. The desert was small nibble sized pieces of tasty stuff.
	() Thanks

29th June 2010, 16:51	#261
mallumowgli Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Palakkad/Coimbatore Posts: 1,226 Thanked: 1,079 Times	Ha my Chennai days fav were the Kothu Parotta at Anna Univ canteen and Bread Omlette near IIT On a more seriuos eating note ...Barbeque nation was very good. My fav was the prawns. Thank good my stomach did not complain that day The Nala's appakkadai at velachery was one place I loved, provided I get a place to sit. The egg appams were good Anyone remember the only speciality sea food restaurant 'Something Fishy' that came up near Gemini Fly over? (This must be around 3 years back) Well, there was something really fishy with the whole thing - very expensive...but awful service, totally downmarket and cheap ambience. Why i mention this is cos this was the only speciality sea food restaurant in Chennai. Food was in fact good - lots of good dishes. But had to close down. I think the price did not match the overall experience In fact Iam yet to come across a good speciality sea food restaurant in any of the great South Indian coastal cities - Chennai, Kochi, Vizag or Mangalore or any of the smaller ones also
	() Thanks

29th June 2010, 23:49	#264
jeevmenon BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: TN07 Posts: 472 Thanked: 23 Times	Our usual places: Hotel Coronet at Adyar (good Chicken-65), Hotel Milan - Vijaynagar (Brain-fry, mutton-pepper-fry, paya - these are food from the old-world charm - none of the new ones - post 2000 hotels have these - just am scared that The TopSees, City Gates, Traffic Jams, Runs, Coronets (some might have already gone) dont vanish - due to monopolies of the A2B, SB, MIS, Sangeethas. Milan - no frills hotel. Total VFM. Thamburan - just before Sholinganallur signal on the left. Good mallu lunch - mathi-curry/aila-fry/para-fry/biriyani - nominal cost. Good old Buhari - close to Shanthi theater. Talappakattu - On the way to Marina - yellow board - lane close to Omandarur estate. Fantastic Murthapa. Just amazing. Ponnusamy - Best Tamil-style non-veg food. Hats off to them. Bachelor day hotel - Hotel Aroma International on Arcot road - near Liberty.
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 12:27	#265
WindRide BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 682 Thanked: 479 Times	Guys, i had enquired this in bangalore eating out thread. Repeating it here too since not much info was available there. Anyone has experience with catfish (i believe this is called kannan meen in tamil?)? its basically a slimy snake like fish you will find at fish shops in a tub of water and very much alive. The fish monger usually hits it on its head to kill it. I would like to try it out. Does it taste good? Is this fish good for curry or fry?
	() Thanks

30th June 2010, 15:14	#266
DWind BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Singara Chennai Posts: 804 Thanked: 238 Times View My Garage	Have not eaten catfish here but have had it US. The ones there were farm raised and so would be less salty. And due to this they are better of being fried / Grilled. Not sure where the fish you saw was raised in the ones.
	() Thanks