1. The Madras Wok
ECR, Palavakkam
Meal for two: Rs. 800
The name is a dead giveaway of what cuisine it serves, the ever popular Indo-Chinese and Asian fusion. So stay clear of Continental while you're there. While the spicy Nasi Goreng is enough to set your mouth on fire, stir fries are a safe bet. Be wary of small ducks and turkeys waddling about the place.
2. Madras Square
Sundeep Road, Neelangarai
Meal for two: Rs. 1,500
Head here just for the ambience. Set along a garden with ducks waddling about the pond, Kathputli dolls on trees and stained glass on upcycled window panes, the cafe draws inspiration from the accompanying gallery for art and interior decor. Dine with the warmth and waft of freshly baking artisan bread. We recommend the food too, especially the beautifully fresh crab meat and ricotta cannelloni, although the starters, such as the sambusak and the spinach and roasted apple salad, do skimp on quantity.
3. Shiraz Art Cafe
Beach Road, Neelangarai
Meal for two: Rs. 1,000
Touted to be the go-to place for authentic Iranian food, Shiraz scores for its interiors too, with in-house plants, sculptures of musicians and plenty of art on the walls. The menu is minimal, but expands for brunch over weekends. Do sample the bademjaan, a mutton and eggplant gravy dish, or the fesenjoon, a chicken stew with pomegranate and nuts, which, like all other orders, comes with a side of rice, fried onions and salad. Relax on patio benches under the open night sky with the sea just across while you dine.
4. Tryst Cafe
Gatsby Village, ECR, Neelankarai
Meal for two: Rs. 700
From wood-fired pizzas to crumbly croissants and freshly baked bread, Tryst Cafe's leafy ambiance outside and the cobblestone path that leads to a cosy aura inside will leave you wanting for more. While the walls are plain white, the shelves are filled with books and knick-knacks from around the world. So settle down comfortably with a cup of coffee, a baguette and a book for company till the sun sets.
5. VGP Universal Kingdom
VGP Golden Beach, ECR, Injambakkam
Meal for two: Rs. 500
An iconic Chennai destination, VGP offers more than just amusement rides. Its 4ft and 8ft dosas are legend. A single 4ft dosa, the restaurant claims, can feed a family of six and those brave enough to finish the 8ft dosa single-handedly don't go home unrewarded!
6. Kipling Cafe
L. Jey Avenue, Akkarai
Meal for two: Rs. 2,000
It’s a cocoon of green escape from the dust storms on the ECR. Just off the main road, at the close of a dirt track that appears to lead nowhere, sits this spot of absolute calm. With tables housed in thatch-roofed, open-walled huts, whirring fans, rustling leaves and the smell of the sea nearby, it’s the sort of place to lounge in all day. Watch your wallet though, for just as posh as that grilled tenderloin steak and tagliatelle alla bolognese are, as steep are the prices.
7. Wrapsody
ECR, Akkarai
Meal for two: Rs. 600
Drop by for all things wrapped and rolled. The hot ECR sun streams in through French windows while you gorge on a foot-long barbeque paneer wrap in air-conditioned comfort. Each order comes piled high with masala fries on the side and the menu varies from the ‘classic British - fish and chips’ in a wrap, to one stuffed with Greek-grilled vegetables and feta cheese. Quite experimental for the good ol’ wrap, we say.
8. Lydie’s
Between Mayajaal and MGM, Muthukadu
Meal for two: Rs. 1, 000
Want to have dinner seated on a big basket boat – like one of those you find near the Hogenakkal Falls? Then head to ‘the pit’ at Lydie’s that offers an ideal ambience for what you want it to be; be a formal dinner with the boss, or a romantic rendezvous with a loved one. Ambience aside, the food on offer is delectable – it includes the catch of the day and other dishes that use locally-sourced ingredients to keep it fresh. The best part is that it is served wherever you are…even inside the boat!
9. Drizzle
Sultan Ahmed Street, Neelangarai
Meal for two: 1,500
If ever a restaurant took the idea of black interiors too seriously, Drizzle is it. With black chairs, black roofing, black tables, black walls, and even black cushions and lampshades, the theme resembles the dark of a stormy night, and hence the restaurant name. Photographs of scenes in the rain, dim lights and a rain curtain too add to the theme. Head over at night to enjoy a DJ set at the dance floor, or by day to try out the hookah bar, or any at other time just to reminisce the cool of monsoon, while the Chennai heat takes over this summer.
10. Dubai Kitchen
ECR, Neelankarai
Meal for two: Rs. 600
With paintings of camels, sand dunes and the Burj Khalifa on its walls, this two-storeyed restaurant puts a Dubai spin on West Asian food. It takes its cue from the numerous other Arabian joints on this stretch - Alreef, Grillz, Baghdadi BBQ, Goodman Grills etc. You’ll be enticed in by the glorious waft of plump chicken being grilled in the evenings. Stay on for the Dubai shawarma, served in half-mooned khaboos, (with slightly soggy French fries inside, though), and while you’re at it, sample the excellent Dubai Kitchen paneer tikka too!
11. Delhi Dhaba
Near ISKCON Temple, ECR, Akkarai
Meal for two: Rs. 900
Good dhaba food is sometimes hard to come by in a Tamil heartland and the word conjures up images of wonky charpoys, lorries parked nearby, a man churning lassi and another busy flipping rotis on a stove. While it has none of this, Delhi Dhaba's food comes close to that of an authentic dhaba. Try the tantalising kebabs and chicken butter masala. Bollywood fans can choose a chair that frames their favourite movie stars.
12. New Town Coffee House
Opposite VGP Golden Beach, ECR, Injambakkam
Meal for two: Rs. 1,000
ECR is synonymous with ambience — after a long drive from the city that's what you look forward to. And at New Town Coffee House it comes with Malaysian fare. Decked with orange lights and decorated with patches of green, late evening is perhaps the best time to go. Try the canai wrap (a popular Malaysian street food) and a glass of cafe frappe. And don't forget the mosquito repellent cream!
(With inputs from Susanna Myrtle Lazarus and Srinivasa Ramanujam)
