Lunch @ Saravana Bhavan, Chennai

For lunch, we visited the main branch of the world renowned Saravana Bhavan restaurant chain. After having waited a good 20 minutes, we were finally allowed into the noisy, bustling restaurant filled with the clanging of metal plates and chit-chatter of patrons. An experience in itself.

As you can see, we were fortunate to get a table to ourselves - which usually isn't the case due to the fact that the restaurant is packed. It was interesting to see how the waiters took our orders on their fancy little palm-tops. 

My grandparents had themselves a Rice Medley (not actual name). An interesting carbo-filled lunch consisting of a variety of different rices such as sambhar rice, tamarind rice, lemon rice, yogurt rice, banana chips and a bowl of ghee. Tasting spoonfuls of rice from each compartment took me on a journey of flavours, from the sour to the salty, to the sweet. Behold, an experience in itself.

My Set Meal was huge enough to be eaten by two people. This set consisting of two types of yogurt, banana chips, various curries, sauteed okra, a cup of lemon rice, various chutneys, a helping of ghee, and some Indian sweets to end it off was just too much for my senses. Eating the meal seemed like a daunting task, both for my appetite and mentally. Delicious, though eat at your own risk.

Saravana Bhavan is definitely worth a visit, as the experience was phenomenal, and the food was rather good - though I did feel my set meal was far too elaborate for my tastes. Though do bear in mind that you will have to wait quite sometime to get a place, which most likely - will probably be with some random person you have never met before.

Presentation: 5/10

Ambiance: 4/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 7/10

General Impression: 6.6/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Breakfast Buffet @ Quality Inn, Madras

When visiting Madras, Chennai, it is important to bear in mind that hotel rooms here are pricey (probably even more pricey than a few in our own Kuala Lumpur). Though we managed to come across Quality Inn Sabari, a hotel located on Thirumalai Pillai Road in T. Nagar, Chennai.

Quality Inn Sabari is not a 5-Star luxury hotel, though it does offer you spacious rooms which are of considerable luxury, comfort and great service - all for a reasonable price, and central location. The above picture was my room -  a deluxe room, slightly more spacious than their normal ones. 

Two of those rooms came up to a total of Rs10000 (around RM640), including luxury tax. Each night at a room entitles you to a complimentary Buffet Breakfast. As you can see from the picture above, it was rather decent.

Being in India, local delicacies such as Idli, Thosai, Appam and various Chutneys and Curries were served. Everything was fresh and hot, and I absolutely loved it. It's not much in terms of splendour, but it was good and authentic food.

There was an Omelet Bar. The toppings were decent, though there were no meaty toppings, such as ham, available. I had about 3 of these because the omelet servings were unbelievably small. Though being a buffet, I had no complaints about going back again to get more.

Along with the omelet, there was some decent western fare available. These items such as Chicken Sausages, Baked Beans and Mashed Potatoes weren't that good, but were relatively decent (apart from the mashed potatoes, whose presence on the spread took me by surprise).

The one things I absolutely love about this buffet is their free flow of coffee, made to order. I indulged in two Cappuccinos that day, which went down very well with some of the Pastries on offer.

Other things on the spread include Fresh Fruit, an Assortment of Cheeses, and a variety of Juices. On the whole, my experience at Quality Inn Sabari was wonderful, with a spacious room, great service, a satisfying breakfast - all at a reasonable price. Definitely worth having a look at - if you plan on staying in Madras.

My buffet:

Presentation: 5/10

Ambiance: 5/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 6/10

General Impression: 6.5/10

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BrianandRepublic

Indian Fare @ Crimson Chakra, Chennai

We visited a South Indian grill upon visiting Madras. This restaurant, unknown to tourists, was a restaurant I found online. Crimson Chakra is lot no. 13 on First Crescent Road, Ghandi Nagar in Adyar, Chennai.

The quaint restaurant was scented with incense, and the ambience was heightened by classical Indian music. The contemporary furniture with an Indian touch gave it a special feel, and the dim lighting set the mood perfectly (though it made it really hard for me to take my pictures).

We ordered ourselves the Paneer Pattani Masala worth Rs220 (RM14). The curry was a homemade nada masala, which contained pieces of paneer and green peas. An absolutely lovely dish, with just the right balance of flavor and spice. 

We also had ourselves the Milagu Kaalan Masala worth Rs210 (RM13). This smooth dish had was served with a rather thick, but flavorful curry - not too powerful curry so as to kill the delicate, natural flavor of the mushrooms.

The next dish we had was Naadar's Kozhi Curry worth Rs250 (RM16). This coriander-based curry was unlike anything I have ever tasted. The subtle flavor of coriander was the base flavor of the curry, which had subtle overtones of cardamom and cumin. And the chicken was cooked to perfection.

To accompany the dishes, we had Naan and White Rice. The naan was absolutely heavenly - crisp on the outside, but fluffy inside - truly, one of the most amazing naaan's I have ever tasted! The white rice was cooked perfectly too - not too hard, and not porridge-like either. 

The service was impeccable, with the waiter waiting on our hand and foot, attending to our every need - especially that of my grandparents. The food was heavenly, and truly unlike any Indian food I've had. And the price, absolutely reasonable. My conclusion would be that this is one of the best Indian restaurants I've ever been too - and absolutely worth a visit.

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Overall Taste: 9/10

General Impression: 8.5/10

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BrianandRepublic

Risque@The Promenade, Pondicherry

My local relative and I headed over to Risque, at The Promenade  for some pre-dinner drinks and snacks. The Promenade is a relatively famous hotel, having been in Pondicherry for a few years now. It is located strategically on Goubert Avenue, opposite the Ghandi Statue on the beach.

I had myself a Mango Juice infused with Black Tea. The mango juice was certainly refreshing, and the black tea added an edge to it. But was it was slightly pricy, for the amount we paid for.

My relative had himself some Pineapple Juice worth around the same price. Seeing as any other fruit apart from mango is a rarity in India, the price was…justifiable - though still, quite steep for a measly glass of juice.

To munch on, we were served complimentary Peanuts roasted with Black Pepper, and puffy, crispy biscuit-things. Both of them were incredibly addictive, though there was too much pepper and salt on the peanuts - for me, at least.

We also ordered Calamari with an Aioli Dip. This was an absolute rip off, as the calamari was tough and tiny, and the dip was absolutely tasteless. This dish was an absolute rip off, and it was unbelievable how much we paid for shit on a plate.

In conclusion, maybe avoid Risque as there are plenty of more charming and cheaper alternatives which offer much higher quality food. Plus, I didn't get to absorb any of the atmosphere of the beach, due to their unbelievably high walls surrounding the hotel. Maybe try Le Cafe or something nearby, instead.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Overall Taste: 5/10

General Impression: 6/10

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BrianandRepublic

Bakers Street, Pondicherry

Being a former French colony, Pondicherry is filled with bakeries - a majority of them clustered in and around the French quarter. One of my local relatives took me to Baker's Street, a modern yet chic bakery located in the nostalgic French area, on Rue de Bussy, before Ellaiaman koil Street.

I had myself an Eclair, worth Rs30 (RM2), which were as long as my (very long) hands! The cinnamon-flavored custard inside was nice and rich, and the spongy pastry was topped with a vanilla icing. Really good stuff.

There was also a selection of Macarons to choose from, each astonishingly priced at Rs20 (RM1.70), the cheapest macarons I've had to date. I cleared the entire stock, buying around 10 of them - and they tasted as good as they looked. Just as good as the ones you'd fine at Tea Forty Two or Whisk, but so much cheaper!

Lastly, I had myself a cup of Brewed Coffee to end it all with. A full-bodied cup that really hits all the right notes - my second decent cup of coffee in India, just as good as the one I had at Caravela in Vellankanni.

Definitely a place you should consider, if ever you do find yourself in the French Quarter of Pondicherry. They also serve a variety of good quality French breads, and sandwiches at unbelievably cheap prices. It's also a great place to escape the Indian heat, catch up with other tourists and share experiences.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Overall Taste: 5/10

General Impression: 6/10

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BrianandRepublic

Hotel Le Dupleix - Pondicherry

Hotel Le Dupleix was once the former home of Governor Dupleix during the French occupation. The hotel still maintains much of its old-style architecture and it's restaurant serves both Indian and Western cuisine. It is located on Rue de la Caserne, off Suffren Street in the Pondicherry French Quarter.

We were served complementary Bread while waiting. The bread was unfortunately tough and unusually cold - absolutely ridiculous for a restaurant of its kind. It was served with a Tomato Salsa, Butter and Hummus, which were pretty good (when eaten alone without the shitty bread).

The Classic French Onion soup priced at Rs140 (RM9) was a let-down. The consomme was flavorless, and the cheese croutons it was served with were barely hard at all. To me, it tasted like old, reheated, flavourless soup.

The Poulet Sauté Chasseur worth Rs350 (RM23) on the other hand, was divinely cooked. The lovely boneless cut of chicken was mildly flavored with herbs, and placed on a bed of smooth mashed potatoes and crisp sauteed vegetables.

The Grilled Lamb Rack worth Rs350 (RM23) was pretty good too. The tender meat easily came off the bone, but came with a measly two slices of grilled zucchini. The couscous that came with it was cooked wonderfully, but barely had any flavor. Slightly disappointing.

My grandfather had himself Chicken Biryani priced at Rs265 (RM17). The biryani here had an incredibly strong aroma from the spices, so strong that I could barely take more than two spoonfuls of it. Furthermore, the pieces of chicken were slightly tough and were hard to eat.

The biryani was served with a side of curry which helped merge all the flavors of the rice together, and sweet raita which extinguished the spiciness and cooled our mouths. Additional bowls of raita are priced at Rs100 (RM6.50)

In conclusion, our experience at Le Dupleix was somewhat good, but disappointing. Supposedly one of the best restaurants in Pondicherry, it fails to live up to its name. If ever you do come to Pondicherry for some fine dining, I recommend you try Carte Blanche instead.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 6/10

Overall Taste: 5/10

General Impression: 6/10

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BrianandRepublic