New beginnings at Golden Dragon, Taj Coromandel...

Golden Dragon, Taj Coromandel one of those restaurants that has been in Chennai forever.. And so it was lovely to hear they had a new Chef taking over the kitchen. Master Chef Lian Yun Lei comes with over 20 years of experience from across the globe, including Taj Bengal.. His cooking style is simple, less spices, and allowing the food to speak for itself. 

Some of the popular dishes from Golden Dragon's old menu will remain on the new menu as well, worry not!.. Among the dishes from Chef Lian's menu, I loved the steamed Okra with soya garlic (This Al Dente okra is steamed to perfection and drizzled with Chinese light soya and garlic)- could not for the life of me fathom how the okra had been steamed and yet not gooey/sticky.... Apart from that, the other one I loved was the Steamed enoki mushrooms in pickled chili, it was OMG, nothing I have ever tasted before. I remember having enoki mushroom soup in Bangkok, but haven't seen the variety in Chennai. 

One of the highlights of this meal experience is that Chef helps us discover the hidden secrets of these regions by sharing interesting anecdotes, gastronomic journeys and experiments that have enhanced his culinary repertoire. Innovating with the most-simple ingredients is his forte...

A quiet unassuming person, Chef Lian seems to be a whiz in the kitchen with flavours, and textures.. My friends who dined with me that evening, enjoyed their non veg dishes as much, especially the scallops and lobster.. It just goes to show how vast the cuisines are, and how food connects souls...

For further information please call 044 66002827

Golden Dragon

Taj Coromandel 

#37, Uthamar Gandhi Rd, 

Tirumurthy Nagar, 

Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034

Disclaimer:

The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-) 

[Recipe] Kewa Datshi

Off late during my trips to familiar towns, I make it a point to do something different.. Last time I was in Delhi, I explored not one but nearly 5 book stores and this time I decided it was going to be all about food. 

In the morning I went to Lunch at Whiskey Samba [DLF] and had a fabulous lunch with Chef Vikram for company... And then from there I headed all the way to East Delhi [ well, it is the other end of town from DLF, took me an hour plus one way to meet with the lovely Anita [a_madteaparty] who I have been following and interacting with for a while on Instagram [ i love that platform, it comes in super handy when you are travelling to a new town or connecting with interesting people]...  

Anyways, without digressing, by the time I reached her place it was past 3pm, and we sat down to yap a bit.. Her sourdough breads and bakes, her workshops have always fascinated and I kept wishing I was in Delhi during one session... That afternoon we spoke about her breads, her garden, the kitchen and soon she went on to talk about her love for fermentation as well. 

I tried two kinds of Kombucha she had made- black grapes and green grapes. It tasted a lot like wine  [distinct difference between the two was there].. She showed me her sourdough starter, how it blossoms during summer vs the time it takes during winter.  We chit chatted with her husband for a bit, before moving on to talk about some food dishes she had cooked recently, which had caught my eye.. One of them was Kewa Datshi.. I asked her about it and she explained the the Bhutanese dish is the easiest to make.. Traditionally it is just Cheese & potato, but her version was slightly different... 

I came back to Chennai and since then have made it a couple of times and it is quite a hit at home and with friends as well. Here is how I made it... 

Ingredients
Butter/oil

Garlic - 2-3 pods [ smashed/ Chopped up]

Green chillies- 2 [ Chopped up]

Onions - 2*

Tomato - 2*

Potato - 2*

Salt 

Cheese slices - 4-5

Water - 1/2 cup

Psst-  * Slice the vegetables in rings [ like you would for bhajji]

The process

In a pan, add the butter/oil

Next add the garlic and chillies, giving it a few mins to saute

Now add the tomato slices

On top of it layer the onion slices 

Gently place the potato slices on top

No stirring ~

Add the water

Place the cheese slices on top 

Cover with a lid and let it cook for 5-8 mins [ till the potatoes go soft, again no stirring]

Serve or just eat from the pan directly... ta da... There is something comforting about this dish. Oh and there is a variation to this, called Ewa datshi, which has tonnes of chilli 

Kommune, Chennai

You step out of the elevator onto a huge open space with multi level seating arrangement and a DJ spinning tracks at the far end. Well, that is what I saw when I stepped into the 3rd floor at Kommune on GN Chetty road.  The word "Kommune" is of German origin and simply put, translates to "local community" or "group of people"or "village".. 

Located almost opp Accord Metropolitan hotel, this space is spread across three floors, two inside and one rooftop [which is yet to open]. They had just got their booze license and I got to try not one but two interesting cocktails whipped up by Mohit Kothari, Bar Manager at Kommune.  Along the way to the stairs I noticed there was a shelf with a bunch of books, and seating spaces at different levels as well. Quite cool~!

Taking the stairs, I went up to the 4th floor and found a cozy corner seat with friends of mine taking the sofa like seating on the other side. It was again a huge space, one that is ideal for big groups. There were tables with high chairs as well, if you dont like low seating. At first glance, I loved the colours- wood finish and turquoise on upholstery giving it a bit of pop. The tables are large, rustic and have shelf space below that is used for plates. Simple, neat and functional... 

The first drink I had was Whiskey sour with egg white on top, served in a fancy glass, with a dehydrated slice of lemon sitting pretty on top. The 2nd one was a Vodka based drink with nannari sherbat.. What stood out in the 2nd one was the slice of dehydrated orange peel with the brand name "Kommune" on it..

As for the food, I noticed the menu was quite extensive, unlike any other Restopub menu I have seen. The menu here spans across cuisines - ranging from Indian, Italian, Middle Eastern and even Continental. The first dish I opted for were the Avocado Fries [simply cos I have never heard of it and I love Avocados].. The crisp fries were served with two dips, both of which were very good. 

Then came the divine Greek Salad with plenty of beetroots, feta cheese, walnuts, pomegranate and lettuce. The dressing was tad sweet, but hey I was happy digging into the bowl nevertheless. Along with a few non veg dishes, in came the Schezwan Paniyaram- a twist on our humble Chettinad paniyaram, this one had been doused in schezwan spices and was quite hot for me..  The menu went on for pages, but we were stuffed and so chilled for a while sipping our drink, taking in the ambiance, catching up on life before our bladders yelled out to us and we made our way to the funky restroom. 

Oh yes, am gonna talk about the restroom as well. It is situated in the space behind the Dj, and as you walk into the restroom, you dont find a giant mirror throwing your face at you. Nope, no mirrors here, well there are but you gotta find em...  Imagine walking in her drunk, you would be lost... lolz..  

Before I forget, they also have a cozy private space if you wanna do a party or a gathering of sorts... So if you are looking for a new place to check out, this would be a good place to start....Have already made plans to hit the place one afternoon for lunch.. 

Meal for two: Rs 1500 or so..

Timings- 11am to 11pm

Address:

Kommune 

60 & 62, 3rd and 4th Floor, 

GN Chetty Rd, T. Nagar, Chennai- 600017

Call 078688 00077for reservations!


Disclaimer:

The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)