Chennai Food Guide celebrates 10th Anniversary on 28th Feb

The other day two of my friends came home, and within minutes the family was curious as to how I knew them. 

While one of them is my age, the other is much older. 

We did not go to school together

We did not work together

We did not do any course

Heck, we dint know each other till 3yrs ago!

Yes, that is true and today we are thicker than friends, almost family.. We hang out at each others’ homes, we cook, we meet, we are there for each other come what may and we are just such awesome friends.. 

So, how do I know them? Through this lovely forum called Chennai Food Guide..

 

I don’t even remember when I joined the group, but it has been phenomenal to say the least.  I know I am using a lot of adjectives and superlatives, but it is not just for jazz, I mean every one of them. 

I did have quite a few friends, but through this forum I have connected with some very talented people, people from various walks of life and some who have changed my life for the better as well. 

What is Chennai Food guide? 

It is a forum where you can talk about anything to do with food - recipes, restaurant reviews, food related articles, jokes, quips, good/bad experiences and share news on food from across the world as well. 

How many members are there today?

*Hold your breath..* we are at nearly 40,000 members today and growing… 

When is the anniversary?

Yayy! Our 10th anniversary celebrations are scheduled for 28th Feb and it is happening at The Westin, Velachery [ near Phoenix market city] 

What time?

The evening kicks off at 6.45pm.. There is a blogger development session & networking opportunities prior to the main event. And then there is entertainment, an opportunity to meet some renowned Chefs, rib tickling comedy session and of course yumm food as well….

Bloggers Development Initiative

Date: 28 Feb 2015 from 5:45 to 6:30 PM

Venu: The Westin, Chennai. 

Free Event - prior registration is a must (please email info@chennaifoodguide.in Sub: Registration for Networking Event.

This first of its kind and possibly the largest congregation on food networking event in Chennai is for like minded food/ recipe bloggers, Hoteliers, Chefs, F&B Professionals, Home Bakers/ Chefs and others with interest in realm of Food. This program aims to create a congenial and transparent eco system for both: the social media professionals and F&B business to interact well and bring about responsible and qualitative product/ service offering. Chennai Food Guide proposes to pledge considerable resource to conduct classes on writing skill enhancement on food, development of food photography skills, technology in Social Media and leading trends and tools to bloggers, exploration of new Cuisines & Basics of Cuisine Arts & Science with the help of supporting F&B businesses. 

 

Simply South at Courtyard by Marriott, Chennai

Murugakai soup, 

Milagai Bajji

Sundal

Onion pakoda

Kerala Parota

Chicken Biryani

Rava payasam

Elaneer payasam............. 

Ah, see, you are drooling at the mere mention of these dishes right? Well, all this and more is what you can expect when you visit Courtyard By Marriott over the next few days. Walk into the Hotel and enter Paprika, their coffee shop between 7pm and 11pm  before 31st March to experience all of the above and few more. 

They are currently hosting a Simply South Festival where the menu has been altered to include some local dishes from the Southern Indian region. Chef told us that they have decided to keep the dishes simple, and spread minimal but offer all that people have grown up eating. There are quite a few live counters- bajjji, pakoda, parotta, non veg tandoor and quite a few more!! 

You can enjoy a bowl of hot Murungakkai soup or chicken soup [ depending on what your preference is] and wait for the plate of piping hot bajjji to arrive at the table. There is Vazhakkai bajji [raw banana baji] bread pakoda and Milagai bajji [the big green chilli] to choose from. 

If you were to look at the menu, your head would swim and you would be left in a daze. That is how elaborate it is. What the Chef has done is retain some of the familiar dishes on the buffet while incorporating the Southern flavours as well. 

I tried the parotta with a mix veg korma that was quite good, albeit tad spicy [ black pepper spice]. What me and my friend liked was that the gravies were not overpowered with masalas and all we could taste was the zing of the black pepper!! 

When we wandered around the buffet, we noticed quite a few dishes- avial, elumichai sadam [ lime rice], chicken biryani, kovakkai curry, lamb korma, cabbage poriyal, different kinds of raitas, steamed rice, apart from which there were 3 Western dishes- The beef stroganoff, Rosemary tossed potatoes and Moroccan Stew. 

Wait, there is more- there are quite a few kinds of salads, and an entire section dedicated to desserts- black forest cake, strawberry mousse cake, sticky date pudding, ice creams and ofcourse the South Indian desserts- Rava payasam and Elaneer payasam. 

My, just writing about it has me wondering how a person can do justice to this buffet~!!  If you are already salivating about trying some of what i've mentioned, time to head out to Marriott tomorrow... 

This festival is only till the 31st March

Timing- 7pm to 11pm

Rate- Rs1250+taxes [yes, it does sound pricey, but there are a lot of dishes available] 

Address:

Courtyard by Marriott Chennai, [Opp Ramee Mall/Hyatt Regency]

#564, Anna Salai, Teynampet, 

Chennai. 

Ph No: 6676 4000

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  :-)

Pizza and beer fest till 21st March at Skillet, Hablis, Chennai

It has been a long day, and nothing like a glass of chilled Amstel Light to help you unwind and maybe a few slices of pizza? Well, if this is your idea of an ideal evening, then grab your car keys, call your friends and head over to Skillet at Hablis, Guindy.

For the next 3days they have an amazing offer running- one 9” pizza and a beer for Rs 400 [all inclusive]. And it is not like they have limited pizza options, no way- there are 4 Veg pizzas and nearly 7 non veg options for you to choose from.This offer is till 21st March only... 

We started the evening with an Orange juice[this is not part of the deal, I had this while waiting for a friend to arrive] and the Margaritta pizza [ tomato sauce, plenty of cheese and olives]- though the base wasn’t exactly thin crust, the pizza was good, simple flavours. I also ordered a bottle of Amstel Light beer- it was good~! They have 3 kinds of beers- Kingfisher, British Empire & Amstel Light. Once we were done trying out this pizza, we got the next one which was a Pesto Pizza-  pesto sauce, olives, jalapeño, sun dried tomato, aubergines, coloured peppers and fresh basil with a sprinkle of cheese. 

The beer [Image courtesy- Karan]

Pizza Margherita

Pesto Pizza

Pizza Capricciose 

 The offer

 Orange juice

Pizza Marinara [seafood pizza]

I quite enjoyed this pizza, the pesto flavour and various textures. We were 4 of us, and one non veg who went ahead to order a Seafood pizza that he devoured [it had calamari, fish and shrimp]. I noticed the restaurant also had a buffet dinner going on, which drew quite a crowd. Apparently the buffet is available for lunch as well and Skillet is their 24 hour restaurant.  While we took it all in, the next pizza landed on our table- Pizza Capricciose- it had broccoli, olives, artichokes, basil and cheese over a bed of subtle tomato sauce.

After about 4-5 slices, we were full. I was curious about the other Mediterranean pizza they had on the menu, but have decided to try it out the next time I visit. This was my 2^nd time at Hablis [1st time was to The Moon And Six Pence] and I must say, both times I have had such fun and enjoyed the food. 

Address:

Hablis No.19, Grand Southern Trunk Rd, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600032 

Phone:044 2233 4000

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  :-)

Sunday Brunch at Little Italy, Besant Nagar

A hot cup of Cappuccino 

followed by 

A  bowl of hot sweet delicious mushroom soup

A plate of crunchy nachos with salsa and guacamole

A bite of the cheese & corn balls and 2 kinds of Bruschettas

Oh and the rich jalapeno dip

This is how the brunch began on Sunday!

If you thought these sounded wow, you are in for a surprise with the rest of the items on the menu.

There was freshly baked Focaccia herb bread,  fresh watermelon juice, a whole selection of cold salads- pasta salad, macaroni tomato sauce salad, Greek salad and coleslaw. Hop on to the next section and you see a selection of cheeses [ red chilli, garlic, black pepper and plain] with olives and a tomato+basil+ cheese platter as well

Apart from these, there were 2 kinds of pizzas [one with broccoli and other with vegetables], a Lasagna that was rich & cheesey heaven and the beautiful melody of Rice dishes- Mongolian rice & Mexican rice. Oh wait, there was also the Mongolian noodles which had me smiling [quite a unique blend of flavours]!

For those who love their pasta, there was the live pasta counter where you could get pasta cooked just the way you like them- pick the pasta, pick the veggies, pick the sauce and get cracking..

We are not done yet!! Wait up! Take your pick from the bowl of fruits, or pick up a shot glass or two with some yummy desserts- Mango cheesecake? Strawberry cheesecake? Chocolate mousse or Tiramisu? So many divine treats all in one place, well that is Little Italy for you! We were also privy to an extra dessert- gooey molten lava cake- chocolate cake with gooey center served with a vanilla ice cream that had a drizzle of chocolate sauce over it. 

This Sunday brunch is priced at Rs 699 [all inclusive], I would say this i s total value for money meal.. Enjoy a lazy Sunday morning, savour the dishes while enjoying the music playing overhead.

Address: Little Italy 

E-50, 17th Cross Street, 

[Behind State Bank of Travancore] 

Besant Nagar, 

Chennai -600090 

Ph- +91 89392 95000 

URL: http://littleitaly.in/

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 :-)

Darios and new treats on the menu

A restaurant I love visiting

Heck, my entire family loves this place

Serving up some yummy Italian Pure veg dishes

They serve the most amazing Asparagus Risotto and lime cheese cake.

Enough or need more hints? Am talking about Darios in Kasturi Rangan Road.   I knew most of the staff, the Chef and the man who ran the place. So it was a place I was very comfortable and familiar in.

After a quick chat with Suresh, I learnt they are now in their 2^nd year of operation and so far have been doing good. He was telling us there are days when they don’t expect a major crowd but were in for a surprise with the place packed to the brim. Apart from the indoor air conditioned seating area, they have quite a large space outdoors as well. He went on to tell us they have hosted a party of 100 people, where the meal was completely a la carte. “I don’t believe in Buffet- food isn’t hot and doesn’t do justice in terms of flavour, so we always take order cook and serve”. Impressive! They have a small hall upstairs that can hold about 30-40 people, which is where they held/hold their workshops.  When talking about their kitchen and staff, Suresh stressed how valuable his core team is and they have been together for about 7yrs now, and were reliable & loyal, while he has had quite a few issues with the waiting staff.

Oh and one interesting fact we discovered was that in Pune, there was a Darios outlet that served non veg. 

So, when Suresh was asked if they might include non veg into the menu, he vehemently said “NO, we are established as a pure veg joint and that is how we shall remain”. Way to go, I say!

Tonight he said I should try some of the new dishes, new soup, pizza[Oh and they have whole wheat pizza on the menu] and few other dishes.

The evening opened with a beautiful rich soup- Erba Cipollina [made with leeks, onions and potato], it was thick and filled with flavours. Following this came 3 different starters- Brichitto Messicano [Mexican nachos with cheese sauce], Fungi Darios [Mushrooms stuffed with garlic basil and cheese] and then there was Involtini Sanginiani [crispy spinach rolls filled with rice, sun dried tomato, bell peppers] served with a spinach & cheese sauce.

We devoured these dishes, wiping the plats clean when there came the Salad- Aranciazola [a mix of salad leaves including Rocket, fresh orange, spring onions, gorgonzola cheese, fresh herbs and olives]. It was lovely and refreshing, with quite a few different textures as well. A salad I wouldn’t mind having daily.

While we discussed the Mona Lisa on the walls and the fun we had at the workshops, we saw a huge plate with a thin crust pizza on it land on our table- Pesto Pizza [ thin crust base with pesto sauce topped with bell peppers, potato, sun dried tomato and parmesan shavings]. It was borderline bland, but I liked it, cos the pesto was the King of that pizza. We eagerly waited for the pasta- there was the Ravioli Zarba [ravioli stuffed with potato, cheese and olives served in a rich cheese, colour peppers, walnut sauce] , the showstopper of the evening and the Spaghetti Crastusi [ whole wheat spaghetti with spicy olives, broccoli and mushroom in a creamy tomato sauce], the spicy olives were a surprise, I hadn’t had these before and the Chef brought us a few to see – these were giant olives stuffed with red chillies and packed quite a punch… Wow, what flavours!! Kawobanga…

And then came the piece de resistence… We were served 2 desserts- Blueberry cheese cake[ yummilicious] and the Tiramisu [yumm as always]. What a meal, love the fact that the quality, taste and flavours are exactly the same every single time!

Apart from these, their usual dishes continue to remain on the menu!! If you are looking for a restaurant that serves Pure veg, Italian food, this is where you should head eyes closed.

Dario's Address:

#11, Kasturi Rangan Road,

2nd Street,

Teynampet,

Chennai- 600018

Ph:             044-4919 3333      

URL: http://www.darios.in [you can not only read about the restaurant, but also see the detailed menu]

Landmark: Next to Ashwini Hospital [1st right after the Russian Cultural Centre]

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  :-)

The Pizzaaz, Chennai

It was Saturday evening, I was home watching TBBT on TV with 2 friends when the doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, thinking it might be the security requesting my friend to move his car, I answered the door. Lo behold, was greeted by a guy holding a bag with 2 piping hot pizzas from The pizzaaz in them [had completely forgotten about the order]..  He also gave me a menu and a zillion [well not nearly but there were quite a few] packets of spices and ketchup. 

These were 2 thin crust veg pizzas - the basic veg one if I remember right. They looked fairly large, so we opened one while leaving the other for friends who were to come over later. The pizza had a good spread of tomato sauce topped with an assortment of vegetables- capsicum, jalapeño, corn, small onions, and cheese..  The slices were long and large, we ate about 2.5 pieces each and were stuffed. The crust was beautifully cooked, with a slight crisp bite to it while the toppings all stayed intact and dint fall off [as I have seen happen with others]. One point that friend mentioned was that the crust felt like a crust and not like a slice of chappati or nacho. 

I actually came to hear of this place from Chennai Food guide, which is how I ended up getting the Pizzas as well.  The pizzas are cooked in wood fired oven which gives them that colour and texture.  I noticed that they also had quite a few other items on their menu- pastas, sandwiches, salads, few appetizers and few combos as well. 

As for the Price, 
Veg:-  The small were priced at Rs 179 while the large is Rs 259 
Non veg:- Rs 269 to Rs 400 for small size n large was between Rs 349 and Rs 519..  

Do Check out http://www.thepizzaaz.com/ or call 04442150150/8675445566 to order!! You can check the "Menu" tab on the website and place your order.. 

Disclaimer- Am not a very pizza person, but dont mind the occasional pizza. And have had pizza in quite a few places and offlate I prefer the thin crust pizzas over the regular ones and this pizza was definitely good! 

Little Italy, Besant Nagar

Probably the 1^st Pure Veg Italian restaurant in Chennai, Little Italy has held ground for decades, inspite of others restaurants coming up in the same zone. And now few months ago, they have opened a new outlet in Besant Nagar. It is a nice big bungalow that has been remodeled and converted to a restaurant. There is also an open space where candle lit dinners are organized. I have visited the Nungambakkam outlet twice, once just for the salad and other time was for dinner with friends. 

The small lane just ahead of Cascade in Besant Nagar is where you find this restaurant. Go down that road and turn 1^st left and you will be standing in front of the restaurant. A small make shift well stands near the front window with water pouring down a small bucket of sorts [could be a Feng Shui thing], there is also a bench that one can sit and wait in. The interior is quite nice, brick lined walls and subtle lighting and art work on the walls. There are two banquet halls upstairs with a door that can shut off the noise/music from that area.

We were seated in the room on the right side, near the wall -nice cozy place. I loved the fact that the table was not cluttered with spices, sauces and other condiments. The evening began with a plate of their special Grande Nachos- lined with nacho chips with vegetables, refried beans and cheese sauce it was served alongside salsa. The nacho had a lovely bite to them, and was quite delicious. Following suit were two different kinds of crostini/garlic bread- one was an assorted crostini platter [aubergine& olives, zucchini, sun dried tomato & basil and simple cheese] and the other was masala garlic bread.  

The bread was crunchy yet not hard, the toppings were all bursting with unique flavours. My favorite was the one with sun dried tomato and basil. While we were talking about these ingredients, our drinks arrived. It is almost like they had read my mind as I was served a Berry drink made with kiwi, pomegranate and strawberries while few others got the Princess, which was a pineapple & grape drink. It was quite a tall thick drink that was filling as well. Once again, extra points for not making the drinks too sweet.

Moving on, we got to try their Salad that was just fresh, and had quite a range of vegetables- lettuce, cucumber, avocado, olives, tomato, red capsicum, mozzarella cheese and capers. What a delight it was!!

The thin crust Pizza that came next was pretty good, simple vegetables, very little cheese; the pizza was light and yumm. It also had broccoli and mushrooms on it!!

We were nearly full and so I requested that the main courses and desserts be brought in smaller portions. We got to sample 3 kinds of pastas- Spaghetti with pesto, penne with rich tomato sauce and then came ravioli stuffed with spinach & cheese in a creamy tomato sauce. They were all good, but my pick would be the pesto one maybe cos I love basil. How can we forget the Lasagna we tasted, it was literal melt in your mouth kind of dish, though personally I wished the vegetables had a bit of bite to them.

Just when we thought we were done, in came two plates with very different looking rice dishes. We were told one was the Mexican rice and the other was the Italian Risotto. Good flavours and textures.

Yayy, we knew all that was left to sample were there desserts. And boy where we in for a treat, not one but three desserts came our way- Tiramisu, Chocolate bomb [with vanilla ice cream] and finally the Pana cotta served with strawberry sauce.

Burp!! This is one restaurant that any vegetarian would love to visit and keep going back for more.   

An average cost for a meal for 2 would work to Rs 800 –Rs 1000.

Little Italy    

E-50, 17th Cross Street, 

[Behind Cascade & State Bank of Travancore]

Besant Nagar, Chennai -600090

Ph- +91 89392 95000

URL: http://littleitaly.in/

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  :-)

Rocking it, CFG style...

Do you love food? 

Do you love to cook?

Do you enjoy eating?

Do you like to party?

Well, if you answered for all or any of these with a big nod of your head, then time for you to read further...

Do you wanna see what it was like last year? at our 8th Anniversary..Here you go

If in case you answered No, well, you are here, so you might as well continue reading, actually just go ahead read it all.. be nice and nobody gets hurt, alright ;o)

The month is December

The date is 22nd

Time: 6.30pm onwards

The venue is Accord Metropolitan Hotel, GN Chetty road.

So what is so big about the day? Well, D'oh. It’s time for you to mark this on your calendar, so you don't miss out on this awesome event..

What is the event you ask? Gosh... its Chennai Food Guide's 9^th Anniversary bash. It is going to be an evening of fun, food and foodies... you will get to meet fellow foodies, chefs, people from the industry, crack up laughing, groove to some cool beats, dig into some amazing food- basically have a whale of a time.. 

Come join us for this wonderful evening... If you would like to attend, ping me, leave a comment with your name/email id and I shall connect with you Or you could simply click on the link and pick up your ticket.

Early bird tickets are available, but the timer is on.. so don’t waste too much time contemplating. Go for it..

Online payment-- https://getfbpay.in/event/view/1577/

See ya there~  

Adios.. 
Foodie