Mom's bday and Lunch party at Annalakshmi

We were at an Uncle's 60th Birthday function and that is when we realised that mom's birthday was coming up in a week's time. After a brief discussion with grandparents, decided to do a lunch party for the family on 31st, the saturday. Granpa was hell bent on GRT, but I had other plans in mind. I did not want to host a get-together at one of the same ol cliched places, but wanted something new. 

But for some strange reason, Annalakshmi landed in my head the minute we decided to host the Lunch. Except I kept it to myself and did not squeal a word. I went and checked out the place, got the details, decided on the menu and knew this was where I wanted to host the Lunch. I also had a quick word with my sister on splitting the cost, I decided it was not fair to lean on grandparents all the time, even though they offered to foot the bill. They had already spent a lot, bought mom a piece of jewellery, dad some clothes and so on.

I announced the venue and final menu details 2 days ahead of the Lunch, and requested mom & gramma to invite all at the family function on Friday. Uncle was flying down from Delhi with family, my sis was coming down and so it was going to be a super cool fun weekend.  I thought all their arrival could be a surprise, alas, they had to go share information with gramma which soon spread like forest fire!! 

Have heard of rave reviews of Annalakshmi, but none of us had visited the new outlet in Egmore. Throwing caution to wind, I prayed and hoped it would be a great afternoon! Oh, and I forgot to mention- Saturday was also parents' anniversary and another uncle's birthday! I had asked a friend if she could bake cakes, but she said she was busy.. 30th Aug night I was out with my Delhi uncle and cousin, shopping for shirts, and then we hit Cake walk around 8 pm to order cakes. We broke our heads quite a bit, and finally settled on 2 lovely cakes. One for mom/dad and other for uncle. 

They have two options for Lunch, either 12 to 1.30pm or 1.30pm to 3pm. I chose the 2nd one cos even if it gets delayed, it should not be a problem. As for the hall, I chose the Buffet hall, it was open, bright, and seemed spacious. The hall could accomodate 100, and we were expecting about 60-70, but since I did not want outsiders encroaching in, I chose to take the entire hall. 

So the morning dawned bright and early. I left for grandparents home around 11, and we were all ready and set to leave. All were piled into cars, while I hopped in the one with driver and we went picked up the cakes and reached the venue on the dot at 1.30. I noticed most family already there, piling into the hall slowly. Mom saw me with the cake and was surprised! :D 

Pretty soon, almost everyone arrived and the hall was buzzing with excitement.  So many of them, actually all of them came upto me and said "wonderful choice of location".. I was beaming!! The buffet was all laid out, and the welcome drinks were served. 

The buffet consisted of

1. Aloo bonda

2. Paani puri- which was absolutely divine, so much so that gramma had a few ..

3. Dahi papdi chaat

4. 3 kinds of Rotis- Tandoori roti, naan and kulcha

5. Paneer butter masala

6. Daal makhani

7. Carrot Rice

8. Veg Pulao

9. plain steamed rice

10. Beans usuli

11. Potato curry

12. Boondi raita

13. Curd rice with pickles

14. papads and vadams

15. Salad- tomato & cucumber

And for dessert, I chose to do something different. I opted for Jangiri and Mothi choor laddoo as against the conventional Gulab jamun. There was also Paan which I heard was amazing! 

Phew!! the food was quite good and piping hot. The volunteers at the restaurant were serving the items and it was such a pleasant morning. We must have all had quite a few pani puris and aloo bondas. They were delicious. Similarly, the daal makhani was divine, I lost count how many refills I went for. I think I gulped it down as it is, with no roti or rice. 

Finally, before people left, we got together for the cake cutting combined with a lovely surprise. My aunt who had come down from Delhi took the mike and invited all to come to the table with the cakes on it and announced that the lunch was hosted by Me & my sis.. :-)) It was later that I realised that gramma was the one who had asked her to say this... I was so touched, overwhelmed infact~!! 

The entire afternoon went off far better than I had hoped for. *touch wood* 

The meal was priced at Rs430 per pax [incl tax].  It is a place I would definitely recommend, especially for pure vegetarians! 

While talking to Mr Kumar, the man in charge, I learnt that only a few were employees and rest were all volunteers. They also had a few from the catering college, who were paid a nominal salary that helped them get off their feet. Apparently there were quite a few housewives who came over to serve during lunch and dinner! How awesome is that!

Location:

8/3 Rukmani Lakshmipathy Road (Marshalls Road)

adjacent to Raja Meyammal Hall,

Egmore, Sigapi Achi Building, Ist Floor,

Chennai

Tel : 044-28525109, 044-42141210

email : annalakshmi_chennai@yahoo.co.in

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Lunch Buffet at Spice Jar, The Residency

Imagine walking into a room and the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, cardamon and ginger hits you, leaving you in a whirl of flavours? That would be heaven or hell, depends on what you like or not. I remember feeling this when we walked into one of thestores in the  spice market in Kochi. 

So, when you tell someone "time to visit the Spice Jar", you invariably end up imagining the above mentioned scene unfold. I walked into Residency, GN Chetty road with this in mind. But then I saw a huge restaurant, with glass walls and a row of huge glass jars filled with different spices high up above the buffet counters.  I was here a few days ago, after a late night movie for a cup of coffee. And today I was here to try their Lunch Buffet. First order of the day was to get myself a glass of Fresh Lime Soda Salt [in fact this has become my favorite drink, and I don't mind having a glass of this very now and then].  Once we had settled down, spent a few minutes catching up on our lives, work, and sundry. Looked around to see a large crowd in the table nearby, also managed to catch a words here & there [sounded like someone was celebrating their birthday, pretty soon the entire crowd had piled around the lady and were giving out gifts, gushing wishes and yakking away]

We made a beeline towards the Buffet to check out the spread, and soon grabbed a plate each and took a sampler of sorts- bread, salads, the veg kebab and sipped on the soup served on the table. Mine was a clear veg soup with a few pieces of colour zucchini in it [was very bland]. The non veg soup looked spicy [ almost like the hot & sour]. I wish they had a similar soup for veggies.. The kebab was good and so were the salads and breads. Quite a few rolls to choose from- brown bread, herbed rolls, white bread slices and few others as well. I also tried the corn & spinach bake which was simple and good. I make this at home with variations [mushrooms, paneer, etc]. 

The place had a constant flow of people, which is always a good sign for a restaurant. I remember visiting Chin Chin, the chinese restaurant on Women's day and enjoying the lunch spread there. Suddenly, breaking into my thoughts I heard Mr Madhu introduce the Chef  [Bengali] who chit chatted for a bit about his favorites, the dishes he is in charge of and places he has worked before. 

While we were trying to order another drink, the staff mentioned there was nannari sharbat available in the buffet. Instantly, we all walked over to the table with 4-5 jugs, and tasted the nannari juice. Yumm! Alas, they dint have too much, so some of us got nannari, while others took roohafza. There was also buttermilk which I liked [ no ginger no coriander.. yayy] 

The highlight of the buffet is there were as many if not more number of Veg dishes as Non Veg. I enjoyed the garlic noodles and Red thai curry the most. Skipped the Indian dishes and went straight for the desserts. There was a payasam of sorts, a bread pudding, coconut strudel, and plain ice cream [2 flavours- Vanilla and Strawberry]... The chef brought a Caramel custard since the one in the dessert section was nearly over. It was just again lacking in flavour, but atleast did not have an overpowering eggy taste.

Overall, the food was alright, nothing over the top, but then it is value for money. 

The veg buffet is priced at Rs597 [Rs475+taxes] and the non veg at little bit more for the weekend and it is tad less during the weekdays.  [shall reconfirm on the rates]

Address:

Spice Jar

#49, The Residency, 

G.N.Chetty Road, 

T Nagar, Chennai- 600017

Ph : 04428253434 Extn 6118 / 7401204255

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Midnight Buffet at Main Street, Residency Towers, Chennai

There is nothing like being out with friends Friday night, go pubbing [pub hopping] or maybe catch a late evening show. But then, by the time you are out, it is nearly 11 and there are very options to grab a bite from. Well, Main Street in Residency Towers brings to you the Midnight Buffet. Yes, the doors open around 11.30 and it goes on till 4am. You read it right. It is the ideal place to head over to satiate your hunger pangs. Someone might want dosa, while another might want to dig into a big plate of Biryani while one might long for some pasta or salad. Well, whatever be your craving, you will find a dish here.

You walk into Residency Towers lobby; look no further, on your right is where you will find the entry into Main Street. The place has been done up to resemble the streets of Europe/UK. There are lamp posts, signage with names of Streets, a poster that says “Doner Kebab’, and even a small TV in the far end of the room. We sat near the far end where there was an ad for Marlborough with the Marlborough man looking straight at us.

The buffet counter is spread just outside the kitchen, so you can actually watch the Chef making a dosa or the tandoor dishes. The buffet starts with a soup, followed by a wide variety of salads, and then the main courses, and not to forget desserts.

You can pick from mushroom salad, pasta salad, green salad or head straight to the main course- a roti or Biryani [veg/non veg] with a dal makhani or maybe the roasted aloo and a dollop of raita. There is also freshly steamed idlis amidst the buffet. Dosas are served on order. These come with 3 varieties of chutney and sambar. The spread goes on, and for those who need comfort food, there is curd rice as well. If you still have space in your tummy, head across to the dessert counter and have a spoon of ice cream or sample one of the many pastries/puddings on display.

What surprised me was that the place was nearly half full. While chatting with the manager, I came to know that they do about 70covers every night, crowd starts coming in around 2-3am. Who would have thought Chennai had such a happening night life!!

But remember, this Buffet is available only on Friday & Saturday nights. You can even glimpse through the buffet menu before stepping in. And it is priced at Rs555 nett

Main Street

Residency Towers

North Boag Rd, Thyagaraya Nagar 

 Chennai - 600017
Phone: 044 2815 6363

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5 senses, Chennai - Encore!

Ar: Hey, am in town. want to catch up for lunch on Mon or Tue?

Me: Sure, lets meet on tuesday, what say?

Ar: sounds good. where?? somewhere preferably in Nungambakam.. Suggest something new and exciting

Me: hmmm.. there are loads of new places on KNK road, have you been to any- 5 senses? 3 kingdoms? Fresca?

Ar: 5 senses please... i like the sound of it... Around 1pm? 

Me: Done deal.. See you soon!! 

And that is how the lunch plan was made.. that fateful day, i got a bit delayed and reached a few minutes late. Ar was already there, seated inside with Hollywood stars looking down on us from the walls. After a few minutes of catching up, we decided to check out the Buffet menu before deciding on which to opt for- Buffet or a la carte. the Buffet had 85% vegetarian dishes, actually 90% veg and just 2 side dishes that were non veg. Priced at Rs500+tax, it seemed to be a good deal.  I had been here once earlier with a different group of friends and we had a whale of a time.... My earlier review is here

The lobby from where you take the elevator

We sat down in our table and started catching up on our lives.. It had been quite a while since i had seen Ar [we meet every time she comes to town :)]  We ordered a drink [i've happily forgotten the name- it was Vodka+cranberry combination] and was delicious. We also nibbled on the pita bread & hummus[Boiled chickpeas+olive oil+garlic+lemon juice] that was placed on the table. It was divine.. There was also Tzatziki [cucumber+yoghurt+garlic] to dive into.

 The Starters

The Drink

The meal began with a bowl of Wild Mushroom Cappucino [soup] that was quite rich and filled with flavour

We got to talking about tattoos, both of us have err... umm,,, enough, and were eager to get more.. She shared her experience of visiting a tattoo artist's shop and not getting good vibes. we were talking about the others in town when the waiter brought forth the starters. 

There was an assortment of dishes- a small pizza with baby onions and cheese; Falafel and Mini baked samosas filled with vegetables- Spanakopita [ a typical Greek/Arabic dish]. They were quite filling... 

Forcing ourselves to go have something from the assortment of main course, we started discussing work, how her handmade jewellery business was shaping up and the plans she had for future. 

I took some spaghetti in white sauce cooked with simple vegetables, a spoonful of stir fried vegetables, and some salad [cherry tomatos, lettuce, colour capsicum that i had with a vinaigrette dressing] .. The food was quite good, very simple flavours, and light as well. 

The dessert options werent too exciting- there was an Orange sorbet, Rose & vanilla ice cream, and 2 puddings- one strawberry and one vanilla. We gave dessert a miss and made our way out.The food was much better than the last time i had been here and i also noticed the prices had been reduced[but it is on the higher end]

Meal for 2 costed around Rs1400odd [incl Tax]

Food: 8/10 - Simple flavours, good portions.

Ambiance: 8/10- fairly quiet, no loud blarring music, they do have 2 TV screens playing either a sports channel or a movie

Service: 8/10 - prompt and polite

Price: 7/10

Location:

9, Khader Nawaz Khan Rd, 

Nungambakkam

Chennai - 24

Directions: 

Drive down Khader nawaz khan road, and right next to Bang & Olufsen, New Crimson chakra there is a complex- park and head over to the elevator to the top floor to get to 5 Senses. 

You can see their Lunch & Dinner menu here.

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Cake Buffet at The French Loaf, Harrington Road, Chennai

So, i saw this "Cake Buffet at The French Loaf" ad in today's Hindu.. I wondered how much dessert can one eat? Even though it is unlimited, even though the buffet is only Rs249, how many cakes or muffins or tarts can one plough through? Before i was done wondering, i heard my phone ring.. It was from Burrp and they were asking me if it was possible to go check out a preview of this event? Whoa, did they read my mind? I replied "Yes".. Within few minutes, the PR person called and informed me that i could visit The French Loaf in Harrington Road between 2-4pm.... That was it! 

I remember how few years ago, this was a new cafe in our area and today, there are over a dozen outlets across the city.. wow! I walked into French loaf around 3pm, met with the PR team who spoke about the event, and how the whole concept was the 1st in South India and it sure was creating quite the buzz among foodies in the city... French Loaf had recently created a record by creating the longest cake as a "tribute to 75years of Tamil Cinema". It was displayed at Express Avenue.. Infact, if you were to ask me, it was French Loaf who revolutionized the whole Cakes should look much more appealing,"lets bring on the excitement and drool factor on 1st look concept!"

There i was at a place so familiar and yet i dint know what to expect when a man in white and white hopped over, introducing himself as the Chef- Bhupesh .. He shared with us the birth of this Dessert Buffet and the different treats that were in store for those who landed at French Loaf on 10th December between 4 and 10pm.. It was an Unlimited Dessert Buffet where we hope to introduce people to different kinds of desserts, beyond cakes, show them tarts, cheese cakes, pies, profiteroles, truffles, mousse, rum balls and some more

There were more than a handful Eggless desserts i noted [ the silent voice within my head jumped in joy thinking of my family, some of whom were particular about eggless]... 

The 1st cake that was brought out of the kitchen was a beautiful turqoise coloured Fish, with blue scales & brown fins.. it looked divine!! It was a Black forest cake but all i kept thinking was "i could never cut such a beautiful creation, leave alone devour it..  "

And then came this burst of red on a bed of white cloud, it was Strawberry Cheese cake, covered with fresh Strawberries... Ooh, yummm...

The grand finale was a cake that looked like it belonged in the garden, a simple cake with a beautiful decoration on the top, made completely with white chocolate. It was fascinated to see the wrinkles, folds that made the chocolate look like a sheet of fabric... 

There was also a Chess board cake on display, which will make its way to the buffet, but i couldnt take a shot of it, maybe when i go on Saturday i will share how the complete spread was, provided i can contain the excitment and flavours!! :-) 

Oh, forgot to mention the wide array of  delicious cakes that made it to our table for us to relish... There was a Blueberry cake with barbie photo on it that tasted divine, a strawberry cream cake, Black forest, Chocolate Truffle and the fresh pineapple cake...  What a treat for the eyes and soul they were!!

So, if you are in Chennai and have a Sweet tooth, head over to The French Loaf on 10th December... The buffet will be sitting waiting for you in Le Chocolatier lounge [1st floor, above French loaf, which also belongs to the same Oriental Cuisines Group]... 

Update:
A collage of cakes and treats that was up for grabs on the day of the Buffet....

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