The Wharf 2.0, Radisson BLU Temple Bay, Mahabalipuram

As we drove into the large gates, I was filled with memories from the earlier visit. That was a day trip with friends, we had just decided to get on the road, ending up here at GRT Radisson Blu, Temple Bay in Mahabalipuram.. Walked around for a while, had a lazy fun lunch at the Wharf and drove back to the city.

This time, I was here to do something similar, except it would be visiting the newly revamped Wharf, aptly titled Wharf 2.0, a refreshing new version of something familiar...  The restaurant is situated right next to the ocean, with open views all around. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, I chose the outdoor especially since the weather was fabulous, it had been drizzling that morning.  The lovely canopy provides just the right amount of shelter , the new metal chairs were quite comfy and the green was a colour that stood out against the brown sand and blue waters.

We got to interact with the team at the restaurant, who spoke with such pride and drive, it was endearing.. The chef told us the menu was based on the elements of the planet- earth, wind, fire, water and air, which extended to how their menu was laid out as well. You won't find "starters", "soups" but instead you find "earth", "air" etc..  Now, since it is situated along the ocean, a big chunk of the menu is seafood/non veg based, but they do have a good selection of food for us veggies [which is such a relief to see and it is not all about paneer] :)

The afternoon was lazy, relaxed and packed with some yumm food, starting with the interesting cocktails, moving on to starters, main and the show stopper desserts.. Come join me on this journey, 

The view from our table..

 The two drinks to kick off lunch - Above Sea Level [berry based with a thin sugar sheet on top] and Sunkissed [ gin, tender coconut water and vettiver] 

Amuse bouche.. while we waited for the soup..

 Thai matcha soup - the broth had thai flavours fused with pumpkin puree and it was sinful.. esp since I love thai cuisine!

Aloo shakkarkand aur chilgoza ki tikki [Inspired by earth]- it was melt in the mouth delish and that dip was perfect..

 Crumbed olives  with Blue cheese &paprika dip [Inspired by Earth]- it was heaven, every bite was sinful.. the olives were super fresh and that blue cheese dip, well i would be happy with just that.. 

Paneer Ghee Roast [Inspired by Earth]- paneer slices packed with a milagai podi of sorts and cooked in ghee- it was surprisingly light and well, quite yumm.. Chef recommended we try this with plain rice and it was a good combination indeed.  

Dastaan-e-kumbh [Inspired by Fire]- Stuffed mushrooms served with green chutney and peanut sauce. It had pomogranate seeds inside two mushrooms...  WOW!

Makkai ki tikki- cooked on the tandoor, these were also good , simple sweet and light.. 

The main dishes - There was the bread basket with an assortment of naans, Mushrooms cooked in chettinad style, Dal makhani and Paneer sabzi. Apparently the cutlery used to serve dishes has also changed, gone are the ceramic pots and in came the traditional vessels, which I think is quite a neat touch... The starters were wow, and the mains were the usual line up of dishes... 

Eggplant Zucchini layered baked Casserole [almost like a diff version of the ratatouille]

   

Hard surprise- the ultimate show stopper of a dessert , you should watch the drama before it becomes what it is on the plate... It had a thin outer chocolate bowl, filled with everything from mousse, cake, fruits, compote, and more... 

Gulab Jamun Cheesecake topped with sugar candy- again it involves some amount of drama.. Loved this dessert as there was the perfect balance between sweetness of the Gulab jamun with the cheese cake & the berry compote sitting on top 

It had been a good 4-5 hours by the time we had polished of f the desserts and my oh my, was it one hellova afternoon or what. It is the perfect setting for a group to come chill, have a few drinks, nibble on the various dishes and have a good weekend afternoon at.  So, next time you are looking for an option for a relaxed weekend lunch, head out to the Temple Bay property and you are in for a treat.. We told ourselves that we needed to walk for a while before heading back to the city, and so the walk from the restaurant to the main lobby was what we did... :D

The cottages we passed by looked so inviting.. Maybe next time should combine a weekend stay and lunch..


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 :-)

Intercontinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, ECR

Now that you got a glimpse of what I saw when we walked into the Intercontinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, ECR, here is what else we were treated to.. The property is not like any other resort I have been to and well I surprised myself by thinking "now this is one place I would love to come stay in". There was something very mystical, very South Indian and Romantic about the property. With walls that seemed to go all the way to the stars, clear square cut walls within, long walk ways, and simple decor, it stands out indeed. The ocean is just a short walk away by the way... 

The evening was glorious, there was cool breeze which added to the experience. And we were in for a bigger surprise, amazing food, good company and sudden downpour as well. What more could you ask for? We had the pleasure of dining in the outdoor area near their all day dining restaurant The Melting Pot. 

Here is what Chef Ashish, who comes from a background of working at Ananda Spa in the Himalayas put together for us.. A tasting menu as it is called, it had quite a mix of flavours, textures and ingredients... Go on, I invite you to start the journey that sent me some kind of food heaven... 

The welcome drink... the Star Anise was the star of the drink..

Ginger Cosmopolitan.. perfect for the beautiful evening it was..

Freshly baked Focaccia with two kinds of dips- Channa based dip and Tomato dip..We happily had multiple refills of this..

The chilled Green Peas soup that was beyond divine with parmesan crisps

A Thai style dish, with raw mango salad

Baked Camembert, Kalamata Olives, tomatoes and red wine...

Pumpkin Ravioli coconut naje basil

Goat cheese Tart with toppings of various textures served with fresh heirloom tomatoes & walnuts.

 Tagliatelle with caper olive and pickle lime

Chocolates done in different ways...Five different textures to be precise, with a burst of surprises hide within..

Welcome back after the ride, let me assure you the food was beyond amazing.. The flavours, the textures were all perfect and it was a fun dinner...

Buffet is priced at Rs. 1499 and 1799 plus taxes for lunch and dinner, but they are all about customising the experience. So, if you have a budget or certain preferences, just share them with the Chef and you will be wowed... A friend had stayed here earlier and did say the food was good, so a second visit is due! 

Shiraz Cafe, ECR, Chennai

Text from friend - Have you been to Moonrakers?

Me: yes, ages ago with you! 

Friend: Ah, would you wanna go again, this time with P in tow[her nearly 3yr old adorable brat]?

Me: yayy, lets go! 

I was at her house by 5.30, we were packed and ready to scoot by 5.45.. And as we wove around the city traffic, we caught up on "life this week" and during the conversation somehow chat steered towards Shiraz cafe and that i had not visited the place. We drove down till Mahabs, did a U turn and drove into the lane that houses the Cholamanadalam Artists village. 

I had visited the village with uncle aunt and cousin nearly a year ago, but the cafe was shut then. Last nite we parked near the Cafe entrance, and made a beeline for one of the comfy looking sofas inside. There was plenty of outdoor seating as welll, but it was dark and my friend preferred being in a lit place, esp with the little one running around... 

 

Shiraz Cafe is an Iranian Cafe where they serve up quite a range of Arabic,Greek, Lebanese- Middle eastern and Iranian food. 

The café is run by Farhad and Nasrin  – a charming & friendly couple who hail from Iran, but have been in India for over 30years. Farhad mentioned that he took care of the art workshop  while Nasrin manages/cooks/plays the role off the perfect hostess at the cafe.

The bright yellow wall paper with the mosaic like patterns, the cute little tea pots, the vibrant red flowers in the vase, shelves laden with crockery, amidst which i spotted a tea pot, and right on top was  a toy Motorbike... and ofcourse the music flowing in the back ground was just the perfect mood and setting. There was a huge table with a glass top that had engravings of patterns in vivid colours, while mirror with adornments were found on the walls, each of which reflected the love for art and colours the couple had.. Not to forget the cute doggie- Topoli, that curled up and slept like a baby against the wall under a table.

As we walked in, we were greeted with star shaped cookies that just melted in our mouth. We were also offered a Granita kind of a drink made with Pink Guava, Barley water and Tulsi Seeds. It was such a refreshing drink...   

Nasrin told us they close at 8pm these days, and asked if we wanted to have dinner there [a fixed menu of veg food]... 

1st course was a thick creamy soup that was quite filling- i could taste onion, garlic, herbs, yoghurt and few other mysterious yet tasty ingredients.. Pita bread and hummus followed next, except here the Pita bread was toasted and looked like Nachos.. The Hummus was rich and quite delicious... 

 The Soup

As we chatted with some of the other guests, the waiter brought out our meal in cute little bowls- There were 3 kinds of rice- Sprouts and Candied orange peel rice; Dill rice; and plain rice. It was served along with quite an array of side dishes Black Dal curry; Potato peas and paneer curry and there was a brinjal dish[which neither of us liked much]. And then came the sinful Tzatziki of sorts- rich fresh yoghurt with Cucumber and herbs... 

It was a sinful delicious meal.. The food was just perfect, the gravies were not filled with masala or oil... 

We ended the meal with a taste of the Apple Cake and Marble chocolate cake and then a cup of hot Iranian Tea [mint, sugar, and lemon].. I actually asked Nasrin if the Tea had honey, but she sweetly smiled and said "no, it is the mix of Mint and sugar that gives it the richness, many ask me if it is honey, and i could simply lie and say yes, but i dont... am glad you like it.."

The meal for two costed us Rs735 [Rs700 +Tax-Rs35] which i thought was quite reasonable considering the spread they had served us. Apparently their Sunday buffet is a Must visit!! 

It is the ideal place to go chill, have some good food, enjoy music, or maybe a stroll after the meal around the village, down to the beach.... 

Ambiance- 4.5/5

Food- 4/5

Price- 4/5

Service 4/5

Overall Experience- 4.75/5

Timings:

Shiraz is open from 11am to 8p.m through the week. Sunday brunch costs Rs. 400 per head. 

Call Nasrin on 98405 72126 for reservations.

Address:

+91 9840572126
Inside Cholamandalam Artist's Village, Injambakkam, East Coast Road, Chennai 

Directions:

As you head down ECR, drive past VGP and keep an eye out for FOOD WORLD store on the left.. This is about 1km ahead of the ECR Toll booth.. Once you see Food world, turn left into the narrow path and drive straight down. You will see Cholamandal Artists village board on the main road and inside the lane as well. There is a seperate entrance to the Cafe, a small gate...