The scallops arrive with a proud flourish. As the waiter beams at them fondly, the chef announces that there is nothing like this in Chennai — yet.
I peer into the bowl cautiously. These are just scallops, right?
At Senate, however, the team is determined to do everything differently. And though, of course, this does involve the inevitable accoutrements of modern molecular gastronomy — cue foams, dehydrators and showmanship — fortunately it is accompanied by good old-fashioned cooking skills. The scallops are perfectly done, quickly seared on each side so they warm and charred, then served with a bright Mexican salsa of crunchy chopped capsicum, onions, cilantro and, according to the menu, a rather mysterious ‘lemon air.’
Senate, which opens this week on TTK Road, in a space that was earlier occupied by the clubby BFF, aims to be a ‘fine dining’ restaurant – and while fine dining can mean different things to different diners, over here it is more about thoughtfully constructed dishes than crystal chandeliers and ankle deep carpeting. In keeping with the contemporary vibe, the service is cheerful and chatty, with waiters enthusiastically introducing each dish as it arrives, and proclaiming how special it is.
Restaurant interiors | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Like the lobster. “For the first time in Chennai,” announces the waiter, holding it over the table triumphantly. While this particular lobster’s lead role in the story of Chennai may be disputable, it does admittedly stand out; not just for its light, delicate flavours, accentuated by a rich lobster bisque sauce, but also for its competitive pricing (₹714).
And this is really Senate’s strongest point — the restaurant aims to give diners an affordable luxury dining experience, offering all the touchstones of five star hotel menus without stratospheric price tags. The lamb chops come from New Zealand and are cooked over charcoal then served with a grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes (₹1,295). The menu also boasts grilled salmon cooked in orange herb butter (₹795).
Chef Kapil Bhatt, who honed his skills at iconic Indian restaurants like Library and Farzi café, in Delhi, Mumbai and London, runs the kitchen at Senate, combining progressive European cuisine with unexpected Indian twists. The pork chops, for example, are cooked for about ten hours in spiced red wine, and then tossed in a sweet, familiar Gujarati mango chunda pickle.
We also try his signature sourdough pizzas, which are pleasingly stretchy, and topped with creamy spinach, feta cheese and candied walnuts. We end with a dessert called ‘textures of chocolate,’ comprising a fudgy almond flour cake, dark mousse, cake crumble and intense chocolate sauce.
Turkish eggs with garlic dill yoghurt and chilli crisps | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The dessert, like many of the dishes, is ambitious. So it stands to reason that Arvind Dhayanidhi, who runs Senate, has ambitious plans for the space. A bar, named Paper Planes, will open upstairs next, where he plans to serve Indian food. “I’m a civil engineer and a business man. I don’t really have much experience with restaurants,” he confesses. “But I just love food.”
It explains why he takes so much pleasure in putting together a team to craft an experience that stands out in a very competitive market. As seasoned restaurateurs know, the business is not easy, but Arvind seems excited about jumping in.
Which works out well for those of us with a taste for lobster.
Senate is on TT Krishnamachari Rd, Alwarpet. A meal for two is about Rs 1500.
Caramel popcorn cheesecake | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
