Kryptos by Willii, Chennai

Greece is a destination that is on my "I dream to visit" list. I dont know if I ever will, but I do dream of it often enough. And so being here, at the 1st Greek restaurant to hit Chennai, Kryptos is always a memorable one.. The restaurant has been serving up a range of good food for years now. They have a salad bar that puts all others to shame and the salad bar is completely veg, ranging from different kinds of olives, it has just about everything you can think of and some more. I have been to this restaurant quite a few times and enjoyed meals with friends and family.  [Read earlier reviews here] 

Today, we were looking forward to something different. We were not going to go towards the Salad bar, but were instead going to try a few dishes from the select menu. For us vegetarians, the meal began with a nice big bowl of Soup of Asparagus which was yumm.. Loved the texture and the flavours. 

Following that, we had a Mezze platter that consisted of 4 different kinds of starter items- one with mushroom filling, another with pumpkin, and then there was the traditional Falafal. All this served alongside a spoon of traditional deep fried aubergines with cream sauce. Similarly, the non veg eaters had a mezze platter that held fish, chicken, calamari and beef.. 

 Amidst fun conversations and good food, before we knew it, our plates were filled with interesting looking dishes. One was the spinach and feta pie [made with a base and wall of phyllo pastry that was crunchy and buttery], we also got to sample the Colour bell peppers stuffed with rice and pine nuts and Paneer on skewers. Not to forget the bowl of absolutely delicious potato wedges. 

We were fairly stuffed and done for the evening, but wait, the piece de resistance was on its way. It was time for desserts, and there we saw plates of the infamous Panna cotta and baklava make its way to our places. The panna cotta had Apricot jam with pieces on it and it was yumm.. The Baklava was sweet and filled with dry fruits with sheets of phyllo pastry on top and bottom. While many ordered tea and coffee, it was time for me to head home and so I made a silent exit. As I made my way up the stairs towards the exit, I could hear the conversations continue.... 

Price: A meal for two should cost close to Rs 1000... 

Timing: 12:30–3:30 pm, 6:30–11:30 pm

Kryptos by Willi

#24, Khader nawaz khan road
Nungambakkam
Chennai- 600006
Ph: 044 4503 8001

Disclaimer:The reviews posted on this blog are based on my personal experience. Also remember that restaurants and eat outs sometimes change with time, so does their food and service. So, kindly consider these factors while visiting the places. Remember, no two palates are the same. Bon Appétit  :-)

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Kefi, Mediterranean Dining...

If someone had told you that you could dine under the stars, enjoy a Tagine, you might have looked at them as if they were speaking a foreign language. Well, it is possible. All you need to do is head over to Taj Club House and go straight to the rooftop restaurant- Kefi. You will see what we are talking about.... 

There is both an outdoor and indoor seating area, and if you are lucky and if the weather is good, you could enjoy  a glass of wine with the cool breeze keeping you company. Else, you could sit inside in the air conditioned area and dine in style.  

We got lucky during the Levantine lounge, the weather was pleasant and so we sat outside. But this time around, the days were proving unpredictable, there had been bouts of rain in the evening and so we decided to dine indoors. We chose the corner most table and got comfortable. Chef Siddiqui came over, introduced himself and explained a bit about the menu at Kefi. We noticed the staff bringing over plates of what is called “Amuse Bouche”. Name is amusing isn’t it? These are little bites that the restaurant serves, complimentary to get the evening started. Chef also mentioned that it gives the team some time to prepare the soups/salads/starters ordered.  We were served Cassis Reduced Melon with mint tabouleh[green greek salad made with different kinds of herbs, tomatoes and cheese]. It was quite refreshing. We then took time in ordering beverages and drinks. I opted for red wine, while the teetotalers chose mocktails.

Then came the Mezze Sampler, it consisted of Hummus beiruti [Hummus topped with onions, tomato and parsley], Moutabel (Char Grilled Aubergine with tahina sauce), Spanakopita (Baked pastry triangles filled with spinach, feta, and pine nut), Falafel (Deep Fried Chick pea) while the non veg eaters also got a Sambusek (pastry crescent filled lamb and pai nuts) These were served in large rhombus shaped plates, very neat and simple flavours. Familiar and refreshing! As the conversation flowed, so did the wine and laughter. We were busy clicking photographs, chatting up on life, and general yapping.

And then there was sudden silence. The waiters brought out trays with small dishes that had smoke floating everywhere. We were all curious and like little children sat there zapped and in wonder. These were palate cleansers- lemon sorbet. Once again, this is used to not only give the palate a break from the familiar flavours, but also to buy time for the chef to prepare the main dishes. It was delightful, so refreshing.

For the main dishes, the vegetarians were served the Aushak [pronounced similar to "Oh shuck"],Homemade leek ravioli sautéed mushroom and fennel. It was so light and creamy. Loved it. For the meat eaters, they had a  Pollo al chilindrón (Corn fed chicken with sweet paprika, red pepper, tomato), which they devoured with delight. 

And then came the part of the meal we look forward to, Desserts. We were in for a treat, a plate with various Desserts arrived on the table. There was a piece of Baklava, a chocolate tart, divine fig slice and an Almond cake. We were also asked if we would like to try the Greek drink called "Ouzo". We nodded yes, curious to try this drink. I had heard of it and an uncle has also mentioned trying the same during his travel. A small shot glass with clear looking liquid was placed in front of us and we were told it is typically had with desserts, to break the sweetness. A tiny sip revealed it was strong in flavour and quite a treat for the taste buds. Made with Star anise, it was strong, sweet and strong.. I know I said it twice, that is how strong it was. :-) Tequila felt like water after gulping down the shot.  Subsequently, to wind up the meal, we also went ahead and tasted the Turkish Coffee sans sugar [even though we were warned it would be quite bitter].

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Kefi - Levantine Lounge

There I was, once again. Back after ages. Taj Mount road.. The entire building is lit up in hues of blue, and this continues to the roof top as well. as you get off the elevator, you are greeted by the dimly lit swimming pool , beyond which is the bar and Kefi, the restaurant thereon. 

The Exec Chef Siddiqui mentioned they serve food from 5 main regions and stay clear of Italian or other cuisines. This was my 2nd visit here, the 1st one was with a  few friends, we sat indoors and had a good fun meal. Tonight was part of their  Levantine Lounge. This is an initiative that happens every Wednesday, where the outdoor area transforms into the restaurant. there are tables laid out under the stars, soothing music in the background and a wide range of food- cold cuts, cheese, salads, and grills laid out to choose from. Oh, how can i mention the highlight- unlimited WINE... 

Photo Courtesy: Karuna Karan

I promptly ordered a glass of red wine, also got to have a glass of white wine that someone else had ordered but dint want. Strolling around the salad section, we noticed there were quite a few options for vegetarians [ such a treat]., and some of the salads were outstanding. We had multiple helpings of those. We were also served different kinds of bread, dips, and sauces on the table. 

They had quite a few varieties of  cheese as well. I did try the goats cheese, it was quite strong, salty and i kinda liked the taste. There was also the good ol loyal Feta and smoked mozella as well.  perfect for the hot summer days, these were such a relief. I infact skipped the main course, though i did try a spoon of cous cous with Moroccan veg curry from Deepa. While we waited, we yapped about the view, the other restaurants in town and what is coming up. 

The Desserts were a sampler plate- loved the Baklava and honey ice cream. The kheer had a tad too much of cinnamon and I wasnt sure if it fit into the theme. The Harissa was also good [ i remembered trying it at home] 

Photo Courtesy: Karuna Karan

It was a good fun evening with friends, food and good ambiance, perfect unwinding after a long day! Thank you Taj! 

The whole thing is priced at Rs999 [excl tax]

Only suggestion:

Could you have a seperate grill for veg items please. We did notice they were right next to the non veg and saw a whole pile of skewers below in a dish. Thank you! 

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Kryptos by Willi

L-R: salad bar, the long table, the menu, pasta salad and bowl of pitted olives

The last time i was here, the earth shook. No, i am not exaggerating, it was the day we felt the strong tremors in Chennai and pretty much across the country [the quake that occrured in Indonesia]. There we were, a whole bunch of us enjoying a relaxed lunch when i felt the tremor, told those around me who mocked and cracked, but dint believe a word i said , till we walked out and saw the entire city out on the streets..  

And here i was again, at Kryptos by Willi, this time for dinner with another group of lovely friends. Oh yes, the highlight was i finally got to sit at the majestic granite table representing the Greek community concept.

After the initial smiles, Hi, Hello, Hey, long time no see, i got comfortable and before i knew it, time had flown by, the watch showed me 10.00 and this Cindrella had to head home :-)

The menu was new, the menu card, rather book was new, and the surprise was it had all the items on the menu in English and Tamil. Vipin said they are redoing all their menu cards to have both languages and it has been a hit with the customers. I can think of a few who'll be kicked to see tamil names at such restaurants.

 

The different dips on the table  and the 3 salad dressings[bottom left]

We opened the dinner with a drink, and then the food kept coming, conversation kept flowing, we spoke about everything from the power situation in the city, to the restaurant scene to Frisbee and even Roof top film festival [RTFF]. Of the 15 on the table, there were a few who were hard core foodies, there were the few who were hooked on their cameras, letting the others patiently wait with empty plates before they could sample the delightful looking dishes and there were some who were meat-o-maniacs who actually relished the veg salad and dishes..

Kryptos has quite a Salad spread, which is all veg and quite a treat for the eye and the tummy. Colours catch your eye as you walk down the salad bar, with plates heaped with vegetables, dips (Hummus, Tzatziki) different kinds of olives, and a tasty simple sandwich [zucchini, lettuce, colour capsicums and even aubergine (yes, brinjal,. but it sounds better and exotic when i say it otherwise, right?). Oops, there were also different kinds of cheeses- Mozerella, Feta and few more.  This salad bar is a meal on its own- yes, you read it right and if you dont believe me, go on head over to Kryptos and give it a try!!

L to R- Piperies gemistes,  Pilaf, Jacket potatoes and Mashed potatoes

No sooner had we sat down to enjoy our salads, the staff brought forth a few vegetarian and non vegetarian starters. The table was long, and there were so many of us that there were pockets of conversation happening from one end to the other. The beautiful thing about our group is we connect with each other so well that there are no awkward silences or pauses, wondering what to talk about, and i was meeting a few for the 1st time, but it was chilled out as always. Vipin & his wife Somna joined us along with few others from their team, adding to the evening's charm. 

L- Beef meatballs in tomato sauce & R- Kolios sto fourno [ oven baked mackerel]

Ok, back to food.. like the curtain at a live performance, we noticed dishes appearing slowly, teasing our senses one by one. I saw a bowl of mashed potato appear, following which a plate of Jacket potatos [three giant potatos sitting snug in aluminium foils]. And a plate with a black terracota pot landed in front of me, and i had to see what was inside, it was mackarel [fish]. I did notice the guys devoured the plates of Chicken and beef within minutes asking for refills.. :-)  Vipin & Somna made sure there was not an empty plate on the table and gave us free reign.. yes, that is how amazing they are!

Wait, am not done... We havent even hit the main dishes yet- there was the bowl of hot Pilaf [rice with a tinge of garlic flavour], coloured capsicum stuffed with rice and pine nuts in a tomato sauce [ believe me when i say the rice and capsicum complimented each other beautifully, it was subtle, no sttrong flavours and simple], and aubergine baked dish. Hmm, have i left anything out? I cant remember...

L to R:  Tiropitakia is the phyllo pastries with savoury cheese filling, Papoutsakia [Eggplant /aubergine halves with a mix of onion,garlic and tomoato topped with white sauce and cheese], non veg mezze platter and Gemista [vegetable patties]

Almost done, but but we were all looking forward to the dessert. It was the infamous Baklava and Moist Chocolate pie, i personally prefer the Baklava over the chocolate [not really a chocolate person you see].... Phew, what an evening it had been. While many ordered coffee and tea, i declined the offer knowing i shall get my caffeine kick around midnight before calling it a day.

Baklava and Moist chocolate Pie

Bidding adieu to all,  i left the restaurant with the voices floating in the air. 

Food- 9/10
Ambience- 9/10
Service- 9.5/10
Price- A meal for 2 covering 3 courses will run a bill of about Rs1200 - Rs1300

Address:
Kryptos
#24, Khader nawaz khan road
Nungambakkam
Chennai- 600006
Ph: 044 4503 8001
Its at the basement in the same building as Atmosphere, opp where Mocha used to be.

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Azulia GRT, Chennai

 'Marhaba Ma'am were the 1st words i heard as i hopped off the elevator and walked through the door into Azulia... This is the Greek/Mediterranean Restaurant in GRT, T Nagar. I have visited Copper Point in the ground floor numerous times, but this was the 1st time i was at Azulia.

 The grand entrance.... 

 The ambiance seemed like it had come out from  a movie based in Egypt or Turkey, there were beautiful light fittings and so were the other pieces on the walls. After being shown to our table, Chef Ethem Aydemir came over to say hellow and give us a brief into the cuisine and the dishes he served at the restaurant. Following this, we also got a bit of insight from the Restaurant Manager Ricardo and PR man Marc. The menu card, is more like a coffee table book, so elaborate- filled with pictures from the 10 countries [They serve the cuisines from Egypt, France, Italy, Morocco, Greek among others] spread across the elaborate menu, with nearly 160 dishes- from Soup, starters to desserts. 

 The arrangement in the table- bottle of water, olive oil+balsamic vinegar and the pepper mill which had light at the bottom 

Lost between the pages, we decided to give the task of choosing dishes to the Chef and we were not disappointed. I have had Lebanese/Greek/Arabic food earlier, and so i was prepared for what was being brought to our table.  The waiters and waitresses quietly went about putting an Apron on each of us, going with the custom of savouring this particular cuisine with ones hands. [Wish i had taken a picture in the Apron, felt like i was on Masterchef ;o)] 

 

The Turkish magic- a small pill when water is poured expands to a hand towel..

The lunch opened with the Cold Mezze platter- Pita bread, Hummu [Chick peas], Mutabal [Babaganoush-made with Brinjal, sesame paste, garlic and olive oil], Tzatziki [thick yoghurt with cucumber, onion and herbs] ,Tashi[ sesame paste dip].. followed by a plate of Dolmades ..

Before we were done sampling these, an array of Hot Mezze dishes made their way to our table- Falafel [chick peas, broad beans, red pepper, dill, coriander, garlic & chilies, served with  tartar Sauce],  Bourak Bel Jibneh [Cigar like rolls with 3 different kinds of cheeses that was simply sinful],  Fatayer [a kind of samosa with Spinach and pomegranate sauce filling ],  Kebbe Laktine  [a dish made with broken wheat yellow pumpkin and herbs]   

 Amidst flowing conversation, the food kept flowing to our table... The non veg gang got quite a colourful mix of dishes.. Castalata [Lamb chops] ,Fillet de poivre, Poisson a L'Estragon [Fish], Cannelloni al a Bolognaise, Yoghurtlu Kebab, Beef Steak and ofcourse the Chef's creation prawn marrakech with gnocchi....  

Lamb chops i heard was not cooked to perfection, and the gnocchi wasnt too great either, but i saw the others polish off their plates... :-)

We, the vegetarians got some interesting main courses -Risotto Tortufo fungi[rich risotto cooked with mushrooms] &Pasta Genovese Verde [mine with Asparagas and artichoke, while Nishanth's had sauce and looked different]... Along came the thin crust pizza loaded with vegetables- Olives, tomatoes, onions,mushrooms, liberally drizzled exotic herbs and olive oil, cheese and few mint leaves. The base used on the pizza was the authentic Arabic spice mix- Sumac & Oregano].

Before we could blink, it was time to wrap up the meal, but not before biting into the 3 desserts that were laid out on the table... The Chef was gracious enough to send out platters filled with the desserts- Baklava dripping with sugar syrup, Gateaux Fromage [Orange flavoured cheesecake] and Hot Soufflé [which was almost like a lava cake].   The Baklava was good, but it was a tad too sweet, while the Hot Souffle was oozing with Chocolate and the Cheese cake had a strong Orange Flavour to it...

 

Subsequent to the lavish meal, we were given a tour of the kitchen and sneak peek into the various Spices, oil and flavours used in Mediterranean cuisine... There we were, a bunch of "educated in Mediterranean cuisine and their culture"... As we bid adieu to the staff and Chef, we were each handed a bag with an Apron and a little box with a Turkish Evil eye .. 

 What are you waiting for? Head over here if you wanna experience the Mediterranean in Chennai.... 

Food- 3/5

Ambiance- 4/5

Service- cant really rate it because it was a review meet! 

Price- Looking at the menu, it looks like a meal of 3-4 courses for a couple will work out to Rs3000 - 4000/- 

Address:

GRT Grand
120, Sir Thyagaraya Road,
T. Nagar, Chennai - 600 017
Tamil Nadu, India
Phone: +91-44 2815 0500 / 5500
reservations@grtgrand.com 

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Tuscana, Chamiers Road

Italian food ranks on top among my favourite cuisines and Tuscana on Wallace garden had me at the 1st slice of pizza i bit into. So, when i was invited to lunch at their newly opened outlet in Chamier's Road, i was more than happy to go.

 

 The wooden archway at the entrance and the ambiance inside are quite inviting. Unlike the Wallace Garden outlet, the ambiance here is quite informal and casual.. There is a small waiting room, and 2 rooms with tables in them, all together can probably seat close to 30people. There is a Red scooter in the passage along with other little touches that add to the whole Italian feel. 

We started with Focacccia all' Aglio e Cipolla [focaccia bread with roasted garlic & onions] and thin crust Pizza Potto e Brocolli [broccoli, caramelized onions & potato], followed by an All vegetables Pizza [yellow, green, red bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes]. The non veg Pizza Americana looked interesting and i did steal a basil leaf from one of them :)

Amidst a lot of talking, sharing experiences ranging from Travel, Politics, food and others, main courses arrived. Since we were a fairly large group [nearly 10], we were offered quite a few options- both in veg and non veg.

 Large prawns

 Polenta Pasticciata

The main course for us vegetarians was Polenta Pasticciata [Baked Polenta casserole with Porcini, tomato, basil with Fresh mozzarella & pecorino] and Impilata di Verdue Arrosto [ Pumpkin, zucchini, sweet peppers and Bocconcini cheese layered with napoletana sauce]. For the others, there were 2 dishes - Chicken  breast escalopes  and Large Prawns[which by the looks on their faces, they loved...]. There was quite an amount of food, and we devoured every morsel with delight.

And then ofcourse came the delightful desserts, which looked sinful and must say tasted just as good...

 Torta di Cioccolato di Fusione

 Torta Soffice Di melle

Tiramisu

There was the Tiramisu [ which is probably among the best that i've eaten so far], Torta Soffice Di melle [ Apple cake with lemon and almost custard cream sauce] that was divine with every mouthful. And then the show stopper- Torta di Cioccolato di Fusione [.warm chocolate cake with melted chocolate in the center served on a dark chocolate sauce]...  I know the names of all these desserts sound like tongue twisters, but mind you, it was irresistable... Gooey, warm and yumm!!

The meal was wonderful- Good food, good company, and a lovely place! Perfect for a group lunch/dinner. The food is light and dint make me sleepy or heavy.

Service: Excellent.
Ambiance- Casual, informal, cosy
Location- Almost adjacent to Park Sheraton Hotel, Adyar.. [For those who live on the other side of town, do visit Tuscana in Wallace Garden ,or Kryptos in Khader Nawaz Khan road]

I am sure to be visiting either of the Tuscana outlets soon and frequently! I have been to Kryptos in KNK road once, and what we had was good.

Psst- This lunch was a treat by Vipin Sachdeva for us bloggers.... Thank you Vipin & Neha for the wonderful experience!

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