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 Curry Club, Chennai

 

A tinge of violet, an inkling off Indigo, a generous dash of blue, a pinch of green, a sprinkle of yellow, a shade of orange and a final swirl of red- all these come together to make a beautiful rainbow. Even though not all colours are clearly visible, they all join hands to shine in the sky. Why am I talking about colours when writing about a new Multi cuisine restaurant in town? Well, I kinda feel these restaurants are like the Rainbow. They have so many different cuisines, some shining bright, while others lay low.  

Where was I headed this week? It is to the new restaurant in the city, in the post locality of Haddows Road. If you drove down the road and took the last left, 2 doors down on the right you will spot the huge signage "The Curry Club". Yes, MASH was here earlier, but now has been replaced by this swanky place. 

With a seating capacity of over 100, the restaurant also sports a nice conference/banquet hall on the 1st floor near the open area. It comes with dual lighting options, a pull down screen, and options to fit in a projector for those presentations. Or host a private party in this hall with upto 20 people and enjoy the cosy evening. 

Rohit Zachariah is the man who owns MASH in Besant nagar [on the beach] and The Curry Club as well. While chatting with him, learnt that he along with his cousins opened MASH as a place for them to hang out, casual and comfortable. This was back in 2007 and the place is still home to many who come to spend a few hours on a lazy Sunday. The Curry Club on the other hand is a place that offers different cuisines- North Indian, South Indian Chinese and Continental. 

We tried dishes from their South Indian & Chinese sections and they were quite interesting. Started with the veg Manchow soup, I also tried the the mushroom pepper fry, which was cooked in a tomato based sauce, then there was the aachi varuval [ which was cauliflower bhajji of sorts]. For the main course, I opted for their "Choose a curry and get Unlimited Dosa/Idiyappam section". The staff recommended the Nilagiri Vegetable Khorma for the idiyappam. The gravy was made with spinach and herbs, haven't had something like this. They also had a dish called "pal katti  pattani masala- I was very curious on what this pal katti was. Discovered it was the good ol paneer. :-) They also had few other veg side dish options, felt good seeing there was equal importance given to veg as well as non veg. I did sneak in a few French fries and roasted veggies from the Non veg orders. They were yumm.. 

And for dessert, I tried a spoonful of the phirni, one of the Crème brûlée  and the sinful Mud pie [a brownie that was hot and gooey chocolatey]. Oh, how can I forget, the mud pie is served with a scoop of pan ice cream. I don't eat Pan, but the ice cream was brilliant. 

Should visit them once and try the dishes from other sections as well. 

A meal for two should cost around Rs700- 800

You can view the Menu on Chennai Food guide portal

Address:

3/2, Haddows Road, 2nd Street, Nungambakkam, Chennai-34

Ph- 044 28211555

Dario's once more...

And there i was, back at Dario's for a dinner. You can read my previous review here

This time with the CFG gang and Suresh Cumar [ the man behind Dario's Chennai] was also with us tonight. Instead of doing another detailed review, am going to do a photo feature with a one liner on each of the dishes..

Focaccia Bread with Sun dried tomato dip/sauce- This is served complimentary and are quite flavorful.

Antipasto Siciliano -A fun platter- Olives, olives stuffed with red chillies, gorgonzola cheese, pickled onions, sauteed Italian vegetables, Brinjal cooked the Sicilian way and sun dried tomatoes- We all loved the cheese, it was stinky but we couldnt get enough of it. 

Funshi Darios- Whole roasted Mushrooms with lemon, garlic, parsley & olive oil- I loved this, even though garlic was strong.

Assorted Bruschetta platter- 2 with gorgonzola cheese, and 2 with Sundried tomato paste- The Cheese ones won hands down. 

This was another platter of Bruschetta- with sauteed zucchini, olive paste and tomato & basil- I quite liked the zucchini ones]

hey, wait a minute, we were offered 2 kinds of salads, damn, forgot to take pictures of them.. One was Aranciazola [Mixed salad leaves with orange slices, gorgonzola, olives and herbs] . The 2nd salad was   Verdure Grigalate [Warm mixed vegetables- baby potatos, colour peppers,zucchini, carrots and onion] 

Polpette Di Spinaci e Formatggio -- Spinach & Fresh cheese balls served with spinach cream dip -- We had this last time as well, i loved the starter but wish it was served with a spicier dip.

Pizza Carduni- Mozerella cheese, Artichoke, Broccoli, Mushroom, garlic, Olives an sun dried tomatoes - Loved it, the pizza stood still when you held it and dint wilt like a dried up flower.

 Pizza Stromboli-Mozzarella, red chilli, spinach, red peppers and sun dried tomatoes-- Personally, i loved this one-

During the course of the evening, we were all suddenly talking about Tea when Suresh mentioned they had a Morrocan mint which was quite good. Well, yes, we ordered some and between us had quite a few cups of the tea. And then, he also said they had Blackcurrant tea. Ta da, I wanted it, i love the flavour and quite enjoyed the tea. but Blackcurrant tea is not something you can have cups and cups of, it is quite strong. So, if you are at Dario's,, do try the Morrocan Mint, you will not regret and will come back to Thank me! This image is of the Blackcurrrant tea :)

Ok, moving ahead, here are the main courses that we got to sample..

Risotto al funghi Porchini- Risotto made with porchini mushrooms- It was creamy and simple flavours

Risotto Siciliano- Risotto cooked with tomato sauce, red chilli,aubergines, oregano,capers and cheese: This felt very Indian, maybe because of the tomato base.

Ravioli Kamarina- Ravioli stuffed with spinach& cheese served on a bed of tomato sauce cooked with peas , chickpeas, rosemary and cream- It was quite good, i am not a great fan of Ravioli but the texture here was light and soft.

Tortellini Formaggi &Funghi- Pasta Parcels stuffed with mushroom & cheese served in Cheese sauce- I love mushrooms and so liked it, but not a big fan of white sauce[gets heavy on the tummy]

Fusili Vitale-- Fusili tossed with fresh tomatoes,sundried tomato, garlic and mushrooms- It was good, but nothing new as i make pasta quite often at home.

Crepelle Al Funghi- Baked pancakes with mushrooms, garlic, cheese, tomatoes and peas- Creamy and rich, crepes filled with veggies, dint try it last night as i had this last time around :)

Moving on, we were served not one or two, but 4 desserts, of which 2 I loved and others were Ok... not my cuppa tea.

Erupting Chocolate- Well, it was like the molten chocolate cake, you cut in and out oozes rich chocolate sauce. If you are a chocaholic, go for it. 

No prizes for guessing- Tiramisu- However, this one tasted very different, and Suresh mentioned it was eggless. 

Where are the other 2? Patience... I have saved the best for last... Remember the song? yes, well, here it is, the dishes that stood out amongst the others, the ones that still lingers in my mind... What is it? Read on... 

 Risottoragli Asaparagi- Risotto cooked with Asparagus, cream and cheese- Oh man, this was divine. you could taste the richness, the flavour and there were so many different textures. It was the highlight of the evening for many of us. :-)

Panna Cotta- A simple dessert served with Blueberry preserve and thin slices of apple- every spoonful was heavenly

The Lemon cheesecake- Hubba hubba hubba.. This one sure is a winner.. The lime flavour comes out so beautifully, it sings a song in your mouth :-)

As i bid adieu, it was one awesome evening with Friends, Food and an ambiance that oozed with FUN...

You can read my earlier review here

Highlights at Dario's

• It is a pure vegetarian restaurant
• There is a lovely indoor and outdoor seating area
• They are open till 11pm... 
• There are plans to launch corporate lunch packages with a set menu[ for large groups] priced around Rs650
• The desserts are eggless, even the Tiramisu.. 

A meal for 2 should cost around Rs1000 - 1500... 

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 Grand Siam, RK Salai, Chennai

Ah, the 1st showcase in 2013. Well, i was looking forward to this one as we had visited another Restaurant under the same group- Chao and the experience had been anything but delightful. But it was an evening of surprises, good and otherwise. While it was lovely meeting the regular suspects, i realised how close we had all grown over the year, and the bonds developed between some of us stronger than others. 

The 1st thing that struck me about Grand Siam were the Buddha idols placed across the restaurant- there was one on the maitre de's table, a bigger Buddha with a mini fountain of sorts in the main lobby and then a few small ones in alcoves across the place. The decor was quite pleasing and the lighting just right, not too bright nor was it dark and dingy. The place looked small on the outside, but upon entering i noticed it was quite large and i also got a glimpse of the neat kitchen. The tables had a vase with a single strand of Orchid on them, reminding me of another restaurant. I noticed couple of others sipping on a drink that had a strong ginger flavour, and passed up on it. The 2nd one that came around too i nearly missed but for a few sips from KK's glass. It looked pink, had fizz and a green Shark stirrer dunked in it. I called it the Shark suicide point :D

 We were given a long table on the right side f the restaurant, and we seated ourselves after a wee bit of debate on where the vegetarians will sit and non vegetarians will. We were 6 veggies, and well, the night seemed long and tad frustrating. The traditional meal opener was served on the table-Mien Khem- a plate with a few baby spinach leaves- coconut shavings, onion, peanuts, red chilli, ginger, lime pieces and jaggery syrup. You serve yourself all that you like on a baby spinach leaf, fold it and eat the whole thing. It is quite yumm and we had a few of these while we waited for the soup. 

1st came the Tom Yum Phak soup- a light vegetable stock with veggies [baby corn, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms] cooked with Thai herbs and spices - galangal, lemongrass, red chillies, kafir lime leaves.. It was very watery and not as spicy as what i've had in other places. The major let down in the soup were the mushrooms, as much as i love them, i felt the ones in the soup were beyond their date and therefore were chewy and had a smell. 

Following this, we saw a plate with an assortment of starters- corn tartlets, spring rolls and mushroom in skewers served alongside a good portion of Raw mango salad. The corn tartlets were good, spring rolls were a bit bland, but tasted good with the peanut sauce. The mushrooms once again were a let down, they had a burnt taste and lacked flavour. The salad was divine, i could have had a bowl of just that and been happy with the meal :) 

Through the meal i must have had a jug full of water, or even more, that is how spicy some of the dishes were. And i had to keep beckoning the waiter to fill up my glass. Moving on, the mains on the non veg side started arriving while we waited wondering what was in store for us. Between meals, we got the chance to speak to the Chef, share our opinions and feedback, and hear his side out. 

For the mains, we saw a bowl of plain rice arrive, a Thai Green curry[ wonder why they add brussel sprouts, it kinda alters the taste adding a touch of bitterness to the dish], a stir fry salad with the tofu and sprouted beans[ which was yummy], a stir fry of veggies [ felt a bit soggy, and broccoli was definitely overcooked] and a bowl of noodles [ i dint taste this but from others learnt it had a strong spring onion flavour]. Oh and there was also the plate of deep fried potatoes and baby corn tossed in a thai sauce [ was good, but the potato could have been sliced smaller]. I had a few spoons of the rice with the different side dishes and the sprouts salad stood out, in terms of texture and flavour. 

It was time for dessert, for once i skipped the cup of Lemongrass tea, diving into the bowl of Tub Tim Grob [Water chestnut in coconut milk]- it was good, but i must agree that i have had better ones. We heard there was also another dessert on the menu- Pumpkin pudding with coconut ice cream, but alas dint get to sample it.

Address:

1/200, Dr Radhakrishnan Salai,
Opposite Maruti Suzuki Showroom [next to Duchess & Kabul]

Mylapore

Phone 044 45568323

A meal for 2 [vegetarians] would cost close to Rs600. This was a pre set menu served to us.. Shall update cost of this shortly

This was part of a Chennai Food Guide showcase conduced by Chennai Food Guide and so i am not going to rate the place. But i will tell you this- if you are bored of the usual Thai restaurants, give this one a shot, and do let me know what you thought of the food/service/ambiance/price.  All i shall say is the Restaurant needs to notch up their service, pay more attention to the dishes and they will see more crowds at their doors vying for a table!

Remember- This was just my review of the place, my opinions might vary from yours. And the dishes might change, so will  other factors!