Pizza by the slice- Sbarro

Thanks to the unscheduled powercut last evening, friend & I decided to get out of the house, go somewhere with AC and when I mentioned not having been to Vijaya Forum Mall, that is where we headed to. From the  exterior appearance to the main entrance, I felt like I had been transported to Bangalore Forum mall [Hosur road]. The place is huge, we did spend a bit of time checking out some stores, did some shopping as  well.

 

And before leaving, decided to grab some dinner [take away]. This is when we hit the Foodcourt, and my friend mentioned Sbarro and how good their pizzas are. Though I am not a pizza fan, decided to give it a shot and was not disappointed. This is the only place [outside of that one stall in bessie beach] where I saw pizzas being sold by slice. They had about 4 kinds of Veg pizzas and 3 Non veg pizzas on display. Apart from this, I also spotted another counter with 2 kinds of pastas, different sauces and veggies. Interesting~! 

Sbarro is a chain of pizza restaurants that specializes in New York style pizza and other Italian-American cuisine. Its headquarters is located in Melville, Huntington, New York. [Source: Wikipedia]

I ordered for 2 slices of Paneer & Brocolli, while the friend ordered for Margarita, Standard Veggie and a Chicken pizza.  Took them about 10 mins to get the order ready, we grabbed our bags and got out of there. 

The pizzas are priced at Rs120 for a normal pizza and premium pizzas -Veg was Rs135 and Non Veg- Rs155

After about an hour or so, at home, we warmed the pizza in the microwave and had them. They were soft, and quite fresh [the base had not become chewy or hard].  What surprised me was I had 1 slice and was nearly full, the 2nd one I could barely finish. Friend mentioned the slices were about 30% smaller than what she got back in Doha.. *gulp*

They also served fountain soft drinks along with the food items.  And as it goes in most malls, you need one of those Food coupon cards [buy a credit card like card, load it up with cash and swipe it across restaurants, recharge if reqd] ...  

Highlights about Sbarro:
1. Veg & non veg pizzas in separate shelves
2. They dont give you a bag unless you ask for one [ bags are charged Rs3 each]
3. No cutlery and so you end up eating it by hand [and you need 2 hands to hold the slice]
4. Quick service

Address:
Sbarro
Forum Vijaya Mall, Arcot Road,
Vadapalani, [opp kamala theater]
Chennai

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Haagen-Dazs arrives in Chennai

Häagen-Dazs, a name that brings a twinkle in every eye,

Häagen-Dazs, a brand that people who are into desserts, especially ice creams will know

Häagen-Dazs, need i say more?

Well, today, Chennai has a new entrant in the ice cream arena, that too in prime location- Khader Nawaz Khan road. Yes, you read it right. Even though all this while  Haagen-Dazs ice creams were available across select outlets in the city, a stand alone outlet sure changes things. It shows that the city has welcomed the brand, has shown them they have a place in this beautiful city. :-) 

Häagen-Dazs (pron.: /ˈhɑːɡəndɑːz/) is an ice cream brand, established by Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, in 1961. Starting with only three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, the company opened its first retail store in Brooklyn, New York, on November 15, 1976.  Häagen-Dazs produces ice cream, ice cream bars, ice cream cakes, sorbet and frozen yogurt.

~Source: Wikipedia 

The outlet is situated in the same complex as Cascade & Man mandir store in Khader Nawaz Khan road, and on the ground floor is where Haagen-Dazs is located. The Franchise is owned by Sam Paul, the one who opened Crimson Chakra on KNK road, and who also owns Toni & Guy salons in the city.

 The range of desserts-Top shelf- Brownie, Cookies[they were huge], Blueberry muffin and choco muffin; 2nd shelf-  Cheese cake, Blueberry cheese cake, Apple crumble pie and behind is the Minnesota Mud pie. 

 The waffle cones, they were divine- so crisp and beautiful

 Paradise- a layered heavenly dessert- ice cream scoops tucked between layers of waffles, served alongside fresh strawberry fresh cream and chocolate sauce.

Chef Anthony, addressing the crowd & answering queries

               The set of 3 cup cake ice cream desserts
                                                                                                                          The tub of ice cream we got when we left

The pricing is around,
Single Scoop Ice Cream Rs 180/- 
Double Scoop Ice Cream Rs 300/- 
Large Pint Ice Cream Rs 700/- 
Shakes/Drinks Rs 300/- odd 
Sundaes 3 Scoops+Sauces Rs 420/- 
3 Cup Cake Ice Cream Desserts Rs 550/-
There also offer elaborate desserts, almost like a meal, which cost around 800 bucks. So, take your time, sample the ice creams and then decide what you want :)

They are priced similar to Movenpick situated across the street. Only time will tell which of the two giants survive and which one buckles.  

Location:
 No. 32, Ground Floor, Platinum Towers, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, 
Nungambakkam, 
Chennai - 600034

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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The Dessert Studio, Chennai

The sweetness of chocolate, tartness of strawberry and the added flavour of sweet cream was what i felt in my mouth with the 1st bite of the crepe. I was at Dessert Studio, the newly opened place in Khader Nawaz Khan road [ it is in the same campus as Espirit, tucked away on the 1st floor, with the entrance on the side]

You could miss this place  if you dont know of it or dont notice the name board in the front. Completely white, the burst of colour on the ceiling is such a feast for the eyes. Simple decor, few white tables with cute egg kinda designer chairs, and a self service counter. That is all you find here. If you are the observant kind like yours truly, as you open the main door, you will notice the wall with three categories mentioned on it-  Choco Berries (UAE), Yogo-D-Lite (Italy) and Shake-a-Take (UK),- three different banners, three times the number of options to choose from.

 

 Founded by Food Spreads Pvt Ltd’s Jinshad Haziy, Rishdin Nasir and Anas Nasir, the Dessert Studio offers quite a variety of Shakes, Yoghurt Ice creams [which came in 3 sizes] and Bites [Crepes, waffles and desserts- Apple walnut crumble and such...one that was in their display reminded me of Theobrama]. The interesting thing is each of the three banners have a seperate billing counter, good or bad? Both i guess. It is a bit cumbersome if you want to place an order that has items from across their menu. Imagine hopping from one counter to the other, you will be tired and frustrated. Luckily, me and my friend headed towards the Choco Berries section. We chose the Strawberry Belgian Chocolate Crepe and waited a few minutes before it was ready.

 I love Strawberries, i like chocolate and i love Crepes, so this was just perfect. The crepe was thin and light, filled with rich chocolate [ which was not too sweet]. I just wished it was  bigger and lasted longer than 10 bites. :-) [That is just greedy me].

Friend wanted to take something home for her kids, and since they loved ice cream, she chose Strawberry Yoghurt ice cream only to be told they dont parcel them [as the ice cream melts and taste is lost]. She then settled for Milkshakes, Kit Kat milkshake since her kids liked the chocolate the most.

It is a nice place, no doubt, with a limited menu, but something they seem to have mastered. I hear they also plan on launching a brunch soon, just hope they dont dilute the menu and start offering everything under the sun and become one of those places we see around every corner.

Ambiance: 7/10
Service: Self service [cant reallly rate it.. but polite staff who are ready to help]
Price: 5/10 [ The Crepe we ordered was Rs170 not incl tax, the shakes i think were Rs80]
Overall Rating : 6/10 [but nothing new, nothing that makes you go WOW]
Address:
#8 Khader Nawaz Khan Road [Espirit compound, next to new Crimson Chakra]
Ph: 044 42010699

URL: They dont have a website, but do have a Facebook page- DessertStudioIN

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  :-)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad