A train compartment in Chennai is having its Cinderella moment. And the fairy godmothers... fathers in this case can’t stop smiling. The new railway restaurant at the Chennai Rail Museum has just made its debut. From being a battered, dilapidated shell of a carriage that looked like the remnant of a zombie attack, it’s now a charming eatery. Named Chennai Express (predictable, yes) it can seat 64 people. There are 16 tables inside the 72-foot-long compartment, while the wrought iron tables on the platform outside can seat 32.
The LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch ) coach was handed over by the Integral Coach Factory to IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) nearly two months back. With assistance from ICF, the team at IRCTC along with Saravanan Chakkaravarthy, MD of Rokith Food Court worked together to create the restaurant. “We tried roping in interior designers but they weren’t quite getting what we had in mind. Some of them suggested a flat ceiling but we wanted to retain the original arched look that trains have,” says Saravanan whose company prepares the food. The multi-cuisine menu includes Chinese, Indian, Continental, and grill and tandoor dishes. Dragon chicken, crispy lamb, Charminar dum biryani are the hot favourites. Also look forward to Railways specials such as mutton and vegetable cutlets, roast chicken, fish and chips, and fish curry meals among others.
In addition, the team also plans to host various food festivals for which they will get on board chefs from specific regions and countries.
The interiors are based on luxury trains of India such as the Maharajas’ Express and the Deccan Odyssey. There’s a vintage feel to it: antique style lanterns hang from the top, there’s shimmery golden wallpaper and images of dancing peacocks along the arch. The upholstery is done up in purple to maintain “a regal look.” “The interiors alone cost around ₹50 lakh,” adds Saravanan. The restaurant also uses two 6.5 tonne air conditioners that recreate the sound and vibrational feel that’s reminiscent of a bogie. It almost forces one to believe they are setting off on a summer holiday, perhaps to their grandparents’ place.
The contrasting bright exterior of the train has been painted by artist Asma Menon. Adjoining it is the kitchen, which is actually a shipping container. “We had to get a crane with a 50 tonne capacity to bring the container for the kitchen and fix it at this exact spot,” says Saravanan.
Coming up next is what they call the ICF grill factory where the grill counter will be created using scrap materials from the factory.
According to the team that set up Chennai Express, this is the first of its kind restaurant in South India to be set inside the Railways premises and be operated by the Railways. Meanwhile, Mumbai is now in the process of getting their railway restaurant in the next three months at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.
Chennai Express is located at New Avadi Road, Villivakkam. It is open from noon to 3 pm for lunch and 7 pm to 10.30 pm for dinner. A meal for two costs ₹600.
