CHENNAI: Awiths Chennai steps into the starry night, it slips into something more electric. The air thickens the perfume of ghee, charcoal and sea breeze as roadside carts flare to life.
IT professionals fresh off late shifts, college students chasing deadlines, and families on post-dinner strolls converge in this culinary theatre. Night food in Chennai is less about spectacle and more about sustenance with soul, unpretentious, generous, and always served hot under the sodium glow of a city that rarely sleeps hungry.
Adding more to that eccentric vibe, Alexandria Tavern at Pharos Hotel recently unveiled its new menu, catering to the night owls. As we step into the restaurant, the fresh aromas of vathal kulambu and potato fry welcome us.
We ask the chef about the dish and the menu.
It is my amma’s recipe and always comforts my soul. There is mor kulambu saadam as well, which is my paati’s recipe. I think people would lean toward basic, comforting food, and we strive to serve it.Executive chef Dinakar
To keep it as healthy as possible, all the ingredients used at this diner are made in-house. “We try to achieve the taste and texture using natural ingredients. All our ingredients, including mayo, masala powders and even our ice creams, are made from scratch. Compared to many other hotels in the city, we are priced less.
But that doesn’t mean that we are compromising the quality. For us, it is always quality and flavours over anything,” he adds.
The menu ranges from regional to global picks, and also exotic desserts. “Chennai used to have a traditional culinary setup. It is good to see that people are breaking that barrier and coming forward to experiment with new flavours,” shares the chef with more than 15 years of experience.
From the meticulously crafted menu, we start with the home-style vathal kulambu and potato roast. The first bite takes us down memory lane, giving the cosy vibes of grandma’s home. The balanced flavours of penne after hours, with an apt amount of chilli flakes and garlic, and juicy chicken pieces, are also a must-try for all pasta lovers.
Unlike many ramen served in the city, the OG kimchi ramen here has a natural taste to its broth, loaded with sweet corn, vegetables, chicken and springy noodles.
The crispy coin parotta served with chicken ghee roast should be on your list. The scrumptious chicken’s melting-inthe-mouth consistency deserves added praise.
Coming to the desserts, the warm Swedish sticky chocolate cake, topped with vanilla bean ice cream, is mind-boggling. The slight bitterness of the chocolate complements the subtle vanilla ice cream. Not to miss, the lip-smacking filter coffee afogato splashes a dash of strong coffee, giving a bittersweet finale.