A well-made waffle — crisp and honeycombed on the outside, and soft and buttery on the inside — paired with the right accompaniment (maple syrup, whipped cream, bacon, ice cream or just coffee), is nothing short of alluring. Here are some of the best waffles in the city.
Waffles Thru The Day
The restaurant-cafe opens at 7.30 a.m. so that you can get your waffle fix quite early in the day, especially if you’re a south Chennai resident. Started by Minakshi and her architect husband W. Anand, the couple proclaims their love for cooking and eating out through this venture. “We thought it was time to create spaces for Chennaiites to relax, offering food that is on par with a five-star restaurant — also waffles are unique to Chennai,” says Minakshi, excitedly. Since her savoury waffles were a big hit at home, Minakshi decided to introduce them at her restaurant. The Mediterranean waffle with olives, corn, spinach and feta was crispy and briny, but even-tempered, thanks to the corn; it also made for a good palate cleanser in between all the sweet waffles and pancakes. For a change, we tried the brandied raisin waffles, instead of the usual chocolate or the strawberry-topped one, and were pleasantly surprised — the raisins were as crunchy as they were juicy and the waffles in themselves weren't too sweet, a factor that can easily be rectified by pouring copious amounts of maple syrup. The tables are stocked with cinnamon, salt and pepper, so you can customise your dish further. As we decided to make a meal out of it, baked potato with sour cream made its way to our table. Once we dug in, we understood what all the fuss was about — the potatoes were fluffy and warm and the sour cream was the perfect foil to the comforting dish. A small side salad that included bits of sweet corn and broccoli rounded off the meal. Waffles Thru The Day also offers lemon tea on the house to quench parched summer throats; a word of caution — it doesn't come with sugar, so feel free to innovate with maple syrup that’s on the table.
A meal for two costs Rs. 700.
Waffles Thru The Day is at 18, 5th Cross Street, Indra Nagar. Tel: 3085 3877
Wild Garden Cafe at Amethyst
Better known as just Amethyst, their all-day breakfast menu offers four varieties of waffles — cheddar and jalapeño, plain, chocochip and one topped with bacon and poached eggs. While the cheddar and jalapeño tastes addictive with maple syrup (without syrup, it faintly resembles a medhu vadai ), it’s the chocolate chip waffles that stand out despite the saccharine overdose, helped by bowls of maple syrup and chocolate sauce. Every bite of the warm, dark brown waffle reveals a burst of chocolate; it's unapologetically sinful. Perhaps, a dollop of whipped cream would help cut the richness, but then what’s not to love about the comfort of gooey chocolate?
A plate of waffles is priced from Rs. 225 onwards.
Amethyst is located at Whites Road, Next To Corporation Bank, Royapettah. Tel: 3085 3587
L’Amandier
This bistro scores on many fronts — delightful ambience, good coffee, buffet breakfast that begins early, crumbly croissants... Add waffles to the list. While the only drawback is that they’re available only on Tuesdays, the place makes up for it by offering a special strawberry cheesecake waffle. Of course, the waffle batter itself doesn’t contain elements of a cheesecake; it's the generous topping — a mix of cream cheese and whipped cream that’s beaten till it's light and airy and a drizzle of strawberry syrup — on a plate of rectangular-shaped Brussels waffle. If you want to move away from the standard strawberry, choose the caramelised apple cinnamon waffle which is not heavy on the cinnamon and tastes similar to a piece of apple pie.
A plate of waffles is at Rs. 225.
L’Amandier is at 57, 2nd Main Road, RA Puram. Tel: 3085 3590
Waf O’ Bel
Started by Christophe Bonello, a Belgian native, Waf O’ Bel offers the Liège and Brussels waffles. While the Brussels waffle is made of batter and is light and airy, the Liège is made of dough, and is thicker and sweeter. It also has a textural difference, with crispy bursts of sweetness from pearl sugar; it doesn’t melt easily in water and is heat resistant, which gives a caramelised look and flavour to the waffle. While the Liège can be stored for a couple of days, the Belgian, dusted with icing sugar, is best eaten hot. Both versions are lighter than the American waffles that are more commonly available in the city. Choose from a variety of toppings, like bananas, chocolate sticks, sprinkles, whipped cream, fruit compote and ice cream or try one of their preset combinations.
Prices range from Rs. 70 to Rs. 140
Waf O’ Bel is located at 7, Jagannathan Road, Nungambakkam. Tel: 97916 02901
Spoonbill
Topped with custard, fresh cream, ice cream or just plain classic, have a waffle any way you might like. The waffle itself is quite dense, and combined with caramel, banana and fresh cream, it might be difficult to polish off (unless you're really hungry). The fresh kiwi is a treat, but the custard is disappointing: while we expect a creamy, silky foil to the tartness of the fruit, it's grainy and overcooked. There's no savoury option, but there's plenty of sweet to choose from, including condensed milk and chocolate with fruits like peach, strawberry and mango.
Prices range from Rs. 190 to Rs. 240
Spoonbill is located at 239/107, TTK Road, Alwarpet. Tel: 30853846
