Sukh Sagar- Pure veg restaurant, Kilpauk, chennai

The journey began in 2012, October to be exact when Vishnu & Vinay came together and decided to open Sukh Sagar in Kilpauk. Today, Sukh Sagar is found all over the world, Mumbai, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai, DUbao, KSA and Qatar as well. That is how popular this all veg chain restaurant is! After the restaurant in Anna nagar shut, there was a brief gap of 2 years which is when they did all the ground work necessary to open their 1^st Sukh Sagar in the city of Chennai. Vinay comes from an IT background, while Vishnu is quite familiar with the food industry, having worked as an Intern at Cream center.

Now they are the proud owners of the outlet that can do 72 covers in the 1^st floor Fine dining area, 60-70 people can stand and eat in the ground floor restaurant and then there is the Party/Banquet Hall that they let out for birthday parties and family gatherings.

During the conversation we learnt that the place is packed to the brim on Saturday and Sunday [it was mostly Families that came regularly]. The entire Sukh Sagar brand is owned by Mr Suresh Poojani, who the duo knew through a common friend.

The place where Sukh Sagar stands today is an old house, that was empty and that which presented the duo an opportunity to revolutionize the eating scene in that part of the city. Aside from the location, what worked to their benefit was the staff that came in from the Anna nagar outlet. They now have Chefs, 80 staff members who do double shift and who give them the confidence to do outdoor catering for upto 1000 people. The place is also let out for corporate functions and events, only condition being “veg food only”.

For now, they serve a range of North Indian & South Indian dishes, and might soon be making a few changes in their menu. They are also looking to introduce combo meals on a regular basis. And with that we settled in for the evening and looked forward to a good time..

The evening opened with soup- The Lung fung soup which was good, filled with flavour and tad spicy, perfect if you have a cold. Following that we had a chance to sample their chaat- Bhel puri and Raj Kachori both of which were absolutely smashing. Then came the starters- mushroom Chilli and the mixed veg platter that consisted of Corn seek kebab, Tandoori gobi, paneer tikka and hara bara kebab. Loved the gobi and seek kebab, others were good, but nothing wow!

Between the conversations, we noticed the staff walk over to our table with plates of food, making us catch our breath. There was an assortment of Indian breads- Roti, butter naan,  butter roti and plain naan. Even after a few minutes, the roti remained soft and beautiful. We also tried their kashmiri naan which was wow… The side dishes that followed suit were Paneer labadbar and dal makhani.. They were both perfect, not over the top masala filled or oily.  While we were sampling the dishes, we felt thirsty and asked the guys to recco a drink. They promptly ordered Blossom for us, watermelon flavoured this drink is in a league of its own. You should try it the next time you are here to experience the beauty.

And finally, we were nearly done!! Yayy. It was dessert time. We were quite full and so passed up on the Rice. For dessert, we got to taste the Sukh Sagar Special, Malai Kulfi Falooda, royal Falooda and Gadbad ice cream. Each of these will have you grinning like a small child, and digging in happily with not a care in the world. Apart from these, they also have the regular kulfi and an assortment of ice cream sundaes.

If you are looking for a place to have a quiet dinner, where food does all the talking, this is where you should head to.

Wish them a very Happy 1^stbirthday and many more years to come!!

You can read my earlier review here

Address:

No 1a, Harleys Road [near Bain School], 
Kilpauk, 
Chennai - 600010 
Ph: 9940192886, 9790899430 
(044) 45500306

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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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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Sukh Sagar, Kilpauk, Chennai

Contrary to popular belief, veg food is quite yummy. Dont believe me? ask some of my friends who are staunch non veggies but have been enjoying the veg fare at the new line of restaurants in town. Yep, right from the horse's mouth you see. Next time I drag you to a veg joint, think twice before making a comment.. I just might let you starve while I devour some of the yumm fare. Where is this convo headed? Well, am all set to brag about one more Veg restaurant. Not new, infact they have been creating waves for quite a few years, in Chennai & Bangalore.

Infact, if you've been in Anna Nagar, or driven down the main road, you will have spotted the giant red building. That was where Sukh Sagar was. but now, they have a new address, they are on Harley's Road, Kilpauk. Woohoo, close by home, walking distance!  

Renowned for their veg fare and chaat, I was looking forward to this visit. As you walk in, there is an open floor with a kitchen on the side for the early morning hunger pangs or chaat kicks. And then you find a small stairway tucked away leading to the Fine Dining area on the 1st floor, and a floor above houses the Banquet hall. 

By the time I got to the hall, most of them troops were already there. Found a seat beside Vinay & Vishnu, the men who own the place. The evening began with a glass of chilled watermelon juice. We were told we could order what we wanted and eventually sample the main dishes.

I opted for the Veg Manchow soup, it was good, the crispy noodles on top added to the texture. What happened after the soup is a big mystery. There were plates of food that just kept arriving at the table - a wide array of starters, here goes the list [ almost reminds me of the  lyrics to We Dint start the fire by Billy Joel] lemme see if i can remember 'em all  --

Tandoori starters: Corn sheekh kebab - Small pieces of moist Kebab served alongside Mint chutney followed by the Channa se bhara khumb - These were interesting- two mushrooms stuffed with Channa flour and cooked over the tandoor. there was something sweet about this starter. I liked it, maybe cos i love mushrooms and finally the Achari Paneer tikka- amazingly soft paneer marinated with spices and cooked to perfection. 

Next up were the Chinese starters- - Veg Crispy  and Paneer Chilli- Both were good, except I couldnt tell the veggies apart in the veg crispy. Enjoyed the paneer chilli starter. 

Phew, that was a lot of food. Oh wait, we were far from done. Next up were the Chaat items, started with 
fresh Dahi Puri, we then got to sample the Pani puri and finally the Bhel puri. The chaat were all good, except I felt the Bhel was slightly soggy and not as crispy as I am used to. 

During the course of the evening, we spoke about quite a variety of topics, ranging from food to travelling to making sudden plans to drive out to Pondy that very night [ya right, I think somewhere all of us knew that wasnt going to happen, but that did not stop us from planning, plotting]

While we were busy, the staff brought out plates of South Indian eats, starting with the Idli [which I steered clear off cos I need immense motivation to eat it], but the Sambhar vada, Oh gosh, I loved it. yep! Just as I put my spoon down, a plate with a veg sandwich popped in front of me. The caramalised onions added a nice touch, and the crispy grilled layer was a pleasant surprise. 

Just when we thought "yayy, we are done" Vinay came over to tell us the main course was on its way. Jeez. We requested him to just send out teeny tiny portions and he obliged. We tried the Roti, Dal makhani, paneer butter masala and Mushroom masala. The dishes were all good, each with a unique flavour. 

Burp.. oops, pardon me! Oh no, I saw a spoonful of Vegetable Biryani land on my plate and was ready to bolt. Luckily it was a tiny mouthful and was quite nice. There was also the Pav Bhaji and Chola Batura which I passed up on [if I wanted to retain my sanity..lol]  

Bring out the drums and trumpets... it was time for the desserts and that meant we were done... yipee!! We each ordered a different dessert so we could sample them, and it worked out just fine. I chose the Gajar Ka Halwa, while others opted for the Gulab jamun, some chose different ice creams- Gadbad, sukh sagar special, choco nut sundae, kulfi  and Falooda.. Not sure if there were others.. 

To bring the evening to a close, couple of us ordered Filter Kaapi and it was A class.. The conversation about Pondy had by then wound down, we were talking a drive to marina beach and finally ended up heading home.. lol.. 

Before i forget, next time you are hungry and in & around Kilpauk, head straight to Sukh Sagar... Reasonably priced, fresh & yumm food   :-) 

Address:
No 1a, Harleys Road [near Bain School], 
Kilpauk, 
Chennai - 600010 
Ph: 9940192886, 9790899430 
(044) 45500306

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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[Recipe] Semiya Dosai

Dinner was Idli... And I will eat Idli only if it is the last thing available on earth, that is when the plants, bugs, and everything else has perished and I was left with nothing but an Idli. So, that evening my mind was buzzing - wondering what to cook for myself. We were watching TV, and suddenly on came Vineet Bhatia, in the Twist of taste show, and where was he? He was in Madurai. :-) I sat up straight and glued in, waiting to see the places they featured and if I knew any of them. [background story- we lived in Madurai and that is when I began school]. 

Vineet walked around Meenakshi amman temple, tried his hand at Bun parota [that looked like a fluffly version of the parota], sampled some dosa and nonveg side dishes at Konar hotel. The show then moved to the studio where he announced he was making an interesting version of the dosa[with masala] and chutney.  I noted it all down in my head and quietly snuck away to prep for the Dosa [decided to try the masala and chutney another day]

Semiya Dosai 

Ingredients

Roasted vermicelli- 1 cup

Rice Flour- 2tbsp

Beaten yoghurt- 1.5cups

Water- if required to dilute the yoghurt

Salt- a pinch

red chilli powder- a pinch

green chillies- 2

coriander- a bunch[optional]

Oil- as required

Roasted Vermicelli/semiya

Dosai that I had with a side made with leftover karamani and a nombu adai

Method:

In a pan, roast the vermicelli with a tbsp of oil if not pre-roasted. Take it off the heat. In a bowl, pour the yoghurt, and add all the ingredients, finally adding the vermicelli and mixing it well. Set this aside to soak for about 5-10mins. [this is so that the vermicelli will become nice and soft]

Take a dosa making pan, add some oil, pour out a ladle of the batter and allow it to cook on both sides. [Each side will take about 2mins to cook]

Variation:

Add grated carrots, sliced onions, more coriander, dosa milagai podi to the dosa and make it like an oothappam. 

Bon appetit! 

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CBC meets at Zha Cafe & an anniversary

And finally it was 24th February. The day! What was so special or significant? Well, I was looking forward to attending the Chennai Bloggers meet [that also included a book exchange/sale] We had all been sharing book titles, reserving books, chatting away and generally creating a lot of buzz about the meet. It was my 1st time at the CBC meet, though i'd met quite a few during the Indiblogger meet and subsequently for the Evam Stand up show as well. The meet was happening at Zha Cafe, Adyar. 

This was my 2nd or 3rd visit to Zha Cafe in Adyar.. Well, technically 2nd since the actual 2nd visit turned out to be "oops, the place is shut, let us go sit in CCD" meet. You can read about the place here.

Would you believe it? The last time I was here at Zha cafe was on Feb 24th 2012, Friday and this year I was back there on Feb 24th, Saturday!! So, this is the anniversary post :D

I walked in around 3.10pm only to see the room at the far end filled with people, all standing yapping away. I looked around for a familiar face to make sure I was at the right event.  Ah, there was Kalyan, and then I spotted Bragadeesh, Aravind, Jothi and few others... Saying Hi Hello I finally met Susan Deborah [one of the admins and a pen pal of sorts.. we had been exchanging letters/postcards for a while and this was the 1st time we were meeting] 

Soon it was time to settle down and behave.. lol... Making sure there was a tiny pathway for the staff to walk around, we squatted wherever there was a square inch, or more. A round of introductions, some leg pulling, chocolates from Singapore courtesy Prashant and the meet was well underway. Arasi of Zha cafe kept sending out drinks, sandwiches, vada, smoothies and we were all in high spirits through the evening. A special mention to the vada- they were sinfully hot & good.. 

The book exchange section was fun, it was an opportunity to not only meet fellow book worms but come across rare books, authors I hadnt read and to learn of different tastes. It was also an evening where I learnt how some are looking at doing more than just meeting and blogging. Mahesh, Sashi & Venkat spoke about using CBC to make a difference to the society. Spend a few hours every week, help those in need, share the knowledge and change a few lives... make them better!!

The backyard [if I may call it that] at Zha cafe is just as beautiful as the front or interiors. There were a few stone benches, stones made of paper mache lit up, and green picket fences of sorts all around. 

The postcard I chose..

The postbox 

As the evening drew to a close, I looked forward to the postcard that Zha cafe is famous for. They have postcards that you can pick up, write a message and a To address on and drop into the Postbox in the main hall. They stamp it, post it and it is a cool endeavor to keep the tradition going! I for one Love this concept and hope they continue it for as long as they can!! 

One of the other rooms

This is a place where one can chill with a book and a cup of kaapi or kadala mittai, or maybe just enjoy a game of snakes and ladders or pallankuzhi. It is a cafe with a difference, there are no speakers blaring loud music, nor is there a TV showcasing cricket match or some random news channel. It is a space that allows you to do what you want to do. The rooms are all done up in different themes - kerala style with a boat, rajasthani style with jharokas and puppets, movie theme with chairs labelled Director, actor and shelves lined with movie posters, or the room with a life size snakes & ladder game board. 

So, next time you are looking for a place that is different or curious about Tamizh and traditional games, head over to Zha cafe.. They have an outlet in Porur as well :-) 

Where is Zha Cafe?

Kamaraj Avenue 2nd St, Rukmani Nagar, 
Adyar 
Chennai -600020
Ph- 044 4211 6027

and 


10, Shakthi Nagar,
Mount Poonamallee Road,
Porur,Chennai -600166.
Phone : 044-30064810.
(Behind ICIC bank and next to Shell Petrol Bunk)

What is Chennai Bloggers Club?


Well, as the name states, all of us hail from Chennai [or have some connection to the city] and are bloggers :-) Visit the 
Facebook page to know more

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Nivedhanam, Mylapore, Chennai

Nivedhanam is pure veg restaurant that is a few months old. It has been promoted by Amithra Hotels and Restaurants, and the 1st of its kind started by an Indian living in Japan.  As you walk in, the mix of culture is quite obvious. There is a small curio of sorts displaying various objects most commonly associated with Japan and the people there. 

They serve Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisines.The first thing that struck us were the 2 women at the door, welcoming us with a big broad smile. There is a comfortable sofa to wait, else people can sit outside in the chairs while waiting their turn. Trust me, it does get packed, so make sure to reach early. 

There is a small play pen for children to play in, and a lady who applies Mehndi for free.. The decor is quite bright, with red dominating the ambiance. The tables are quite packed tight, with very little space between them, but all said and done, it is a lovely place, especially if you are looking for good Veggie delights. 

We ordered tomato soup and chappati for my friend's son, while others had roti and quite a few different side dishes.Each of them were served piping hot and delicious. There is no overpowering masala, or oil in the dishes. They also serve the traditional Japanese noodles, which have been cooked with a few vegetables. For dessert, we decided to try the banana split, 2 slices of bananas enveloping 3 different ice cream scoops.

 The walls have been decorated with elaborate Tanjore art pieces, and the table place mats are the ones with puzzles and word games on them. The waiters take down the orders on iPod Touches, which i thought was damn cool and they are accommodating to special requests.

I have been here twice and both times came out smiling, and happy!  A meal for 3.5 hungry souls worked out to about Rs840, which i thought was quite reasonable, going by Chennai standards.

Food - 8/10
Ambiance- 7/10
Price- 8/10
Service - 8/10
Overall Rating - 8/10
Cuisine-Across Indian, Chinese, Japanese & Continental - Pure Veg
Car park- On the street [secluded and so no fear or getting towed]

Value add: There is a play pen for children, a Mehndi lady and a man who performs simple magic tricks/ventriloquism
 
Address:
VM Street, Mylapore  Chennai, Tamil Nadu
 Turn right next to Yellow pages when approaching from Gemini flyover and you will see the restaurant few doors down on right hand side.
Phone: +(91)-(44)-42054881, 42054882, +(91)-44-66598988

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Mun Veedu, Adyar,Chennai

There is a friend who likes to visit new restaurants, experiment with cuisines, actually she likes Indian cuisines as Italian and Continental are not spicy enough for her!! :D So, one morning, she called me with excitment in her voice and asked if i was free to meet for lunch... I replied in affirmative and she then said , lets go to Munveedu[ pronounced: Mann veedu- house made of sand]

Apparently there had been news about the place in the paper almost daily and it had been lanched recently- Oct 28th, she went on.... Asked her for directions and got on with my day... 

It was 12.45 and i was just entering the road next to Malar-Fortis Hospital and heading towards Gandhinagar club, with eyes focussed on either side of the road looking for the restaurant.. Drove past the club and still no luck.. And then, voila, i spotted the small Terracota board on the right side with the name written in tamil. The security guided me to the entrance and there i found a dhabba express like restaurant- red mud/terracota interiors, with pots and people embossed on them. Comfortable cane chairs with foam stuffings, though they were designed to not hold a bag or a phone [they kept sliding off the surface]

Munveedu in Tamil means a home made of mud. And indeed, the restaurant has mud walls reminding one of a cosy houses in the villages..

There is also a bullock cart, minus the bulls standing outside, near the entrance. It does look nice, but doesnt do much to the service offered inside!!

The menu was extensive and listed down quite a few South Indian dishes from various parts of Tamilnadu – Chettinadu, Karaikudi, Coimbatore, Dindigul and so on- kinda like Karaikudi Restaurant.. It serves both vegetarians and non-vegetarians food. 

We finally settled for the Zameen Meals [Zameen in Hindi mean earth which is another word for Mun/mann-sand, bhoomi], which was Rs399 for veg and Rs499 for non veg.  My friend had ordered a non veg starter and veg soup which took forever to reach out table... To a point where we actually wondered if the waiter had forgotten about us... There was a couple in the adjacent table who were done with their meal, paid their bill and off with their doggy bag before our soup landed on our table..

The place mat with a thirukkural on it- in Tamil with the meaning in English...

The place is quite spacious, with enough tables scattered across the rooms, ranging from 2 seaters to 6 seater tables. I was quite amazed at the crowd that had piled in and the long queue of people waiting outside...

The soup was a kind of Rasam, with lots and i mean Lots, read Overdose of Coriander leaves and Curry leaves... I dint care for it too much... The starter my friend said was good- think it was Prawns! 

Our Zameen meals finally arrived.. it was quite elaborate- there was Idiyappam, a Parotta apart from quite a few side dishes... We were also served hot Appams and rice & ghee [optional]... 

Overall, the food was ok.. There was nothing exceptional about the quality or options available.. I would rather go to Karaikudi... 

Food-4/5

Price: 3/5

Ambiance -4/5

Service- 3/5

Rating-3.5/5

  

Address:

Mun Veedu

34/72A, 4th Main Road, Gandhi Nagar,

Adyar.

Ph: [044]4260 7475, 7299909494

Directions

Drive down the road next to Malar Hospital[Fortis], straight down past Gandhi nagar club side wall, and you will spot this hotel on the right side in a complex that also houses an office! There is a small board with "Mun veedu" written in tamil.... The entrance is on the side, near the Bullock cart... 

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Mahamudra, Isha way of eating

The orange sign  board was hidden amidst the branches of the tree.. As i entered the gate, the stone and glass building caught my attention... I was wondering where the restaurant was, but understood that everything was within that majestic building.

This was Isha Life, promoted by Jaggi Vasudev..

The complex had within its walls-

 The building from the gate

• Isha Fitness center- resembled a modern well equipped Gym
• Shambavi- Spa and Massage
• Mahamudra- The Restaurant
• Shambavi- The Boutique above the restaurant

An art work on the wall

As you walk in through the glass doors, you notice the tall pillar like structure with many serpents entwined around it located near the Reception desk. I turned right in the direction of the Restaurant and spotted yet another similar structure.

There were also a few Stone urulis with flowers in the lobby...  One needs to cross another room to get to the restaurant. This room had a shelf displaying the various products retailed there and a section dedicated to Jaggi Vasudev's Cd's and DVDs. There was a sofa that looked very comfortable.

I crossed the threshold to step into Mahamudra, the restaurant. The ambience is beautiful.. There is an entire wall of glass that opens to the outside garden, with a walkway and plenty of trees and plants. 

The restaurant is huge, in 2 levels. I sat in a table near the window, facing the kitchen. Apart from the usual cutlery and napkin, there were 2 jugs of water on each table. A waiter brought me the extensive menu card -

There were 

Soups

Salads

Sandwiches- Chilli cheese to Chocolate-Cheese Sandwiches

Thali-Lentil soup, dosa,ragi vada, akki roti, raagi porridge, wheat bisi bele bath, broken wheat curd rice, 2 kinds of salads, wild rice pudding n few side dishes[veg] as well... - this was the menu the day I visited!

A la carte dishes

Desserts

Coffee, Tea, and juices as well 

The menu had me chuckling more than once, to a point where i actually had a chat with the waiter about the elaborate explanation for each of the dishes.. I realized it was designed that way for the Foreigners..

The window behind my table

It was quite a spread..I gave into temptation and decided to try the Bisi Bele bath made using Broken wheat and it was divine! The spinach soup was alright, nothing exciting.. it had some pieces of paneer floating around in it and tasted more like spinach puree.. And was served with multigrain toast, which was fresh.  After the meal, i went to explore the store upstairs before returning to the restaurant for hot Filter coffee.

The Path outside... seen from within the restaurant...

The menu talks about how they use the finest in oils, and their dosas are made using olive oil spray, while their vegetables and wheat are all in the menu as they are good for health. The entire concept revolves around Ayuveda it says.. But, one need not worry at the mention of the word "Ayurveda". The restaurant is anything but strange weird food.. The dishes served here are good, and most of them are what we are familiar with.. 

The food is primarily South indian with a few dishes from other parts of the country added in for variety!

Rating-

Ambience - 5/5

Service- 4.5/5

Food- 4/5

Portions- could be better - 3/5

Menu- 5/5

Restaurant seating space- 4.5/5 -Quite spacious but does get crowded over the weekend i guess[ I had gone on Sunday and the place was near full] 

Cost- 4/5- The Thali is about 290Rs, and is limited servings only.

                 A la carte dishes are priced around 120-140Rs each.

Car park- plenty of space

 

Restaurant Mahamudra inside Isha LifeNo.117, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004.

Opp Devaki Hospital & Right next to Rangachari Clothe Store
Phone :+91 44 4353 5555 / 2499 1757
Mobile : +91 95000 31160,
e-mail : info@ishalife.com
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