simple white building with a tall board was what we saw first. There
was Batlivala & Khanabhoy , Meena Tai and one more name on the board. We headed to Batlivala & Khanabhoy, telling ourselves we shall be back to
explore Meena Tai soon.
is the 1st Parsi restaurant to open in Chennai and though I was
curious, I had no clues of Parsi food [only dish I had heard of was Dhansak].
We were greeted at the door by a staff, who then proceeded to walk us to the restaurant.
We walked through a passage that had a collage of colorful wooden doors beyond which
was a staircase that led us to the restaurant upstairs. It had a very warm feel to it, resembled one
of the homes from olden days and we were happy to see they hadn’t messed with
the layout, architecture or décor. There was a wall filled with old ads on it,
a simple glass door that led to a small seating area. Once again, the walls were barren but for a
few art pieces, the windows were open with glass doors shut so air conditioners
could be used. There was another piece of antique furniture, resembling a
dressing table near the kitchen area.
seated, we were offered the menu [which was a collection of turquoise sheets
with printed menu on an exam pad] . Was quite impressed with the menu, it had
sections for “all day dining”, starters, mains and desserts and vegetarian
& non vegetarian were categorised.
ordered the Baruchi Akuri – a heritage
dish of Baruchi, a small town in Gujarat that was once populated with Parsis.
This was an egg-based dish that had herbs, spices and dry fruits- raisins and
cashew nuts served in a small pan. Was
served with Pav buns- it was light, fluffy, and quite delicious.
other starter we tried was Suran da
Cutlets– crispy patties made with yam, a Parsi Garam Masala,whole spices
and served with a tangy tomato chutney. These were quite yumm- had a light
sweetness combined with spices. One plate had 4 pieces.
While we waited for the mains to arrive, we ordered drinks- i opted for Fresh lime soda[salt] while friend ordered Diet coke.. My drink came in a nice Mason jar [which again seems to have become the trend now] and was perfect~!
Trivia:
It was turning out to be quite a fun lunch… Interesting conversations, general catching up, good food, what more could we ask for..
My friend picked the Malai Kulfi, which was quite rich and we had a tough time finishing it..
With our bill came this jar of mini sugar balls [ the same ones they give at temples in North India].. We hung around for a good hour post the meal, yapping away and finally left… The place was quiet and cozy.. which meant it would be good for business lunches as well.
The bill came to Rs1437 [included taxes & Service Charge].. The portions are just perfect and food is quite delicious!!
Address:
#40, Maharaja Surya Road, Venus Colony, Alwarpet,
Chennai – 600018
Phone-
If you are coming from Tangerine, it is a few doors down the road.
Disclaimer: The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember these were just my views!! Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit 🙂
The food is very good The ambience of the hotel is very good Hotel staff is very good Price of food and drinks are very nominal compared to other 5 stars Suggest one if in ranching should be here and check out the hotel
AC kalyana mandapam in Chennai