Cafe serves delectable dishes in a 'Glow'ing ambience

CHENNAI: Arun Kumar Manivannan and his sister Anandhi Manoharan have always wanted to do something in the food industry. After doing some research, they started Glow Cafe in October. The café is known for its big space and cool vibe, making it a great place for Instagram photos. “I am passionate about travelling and food. Initially, we had an idea to start a south-Indian restaurant, which then shifted to a dhaba and resto-bar. Finally, we decided to open a cafe. Unlike many cafes in the city, I wanted our diner to be bright and vibrant with positive vibes,” says Arun Kumar, co-founder of Glow Cafe. There is outdoor seating as well.

Guests can choose from a variety of options on the menu, including coffee, mocktails, soups, starters, pizzas, and desserts. “Our main focus is on continental cuisine. To add an Indian touch, we have rice bowls because not everybody prefers continental food,” he adds. They don’t serve biryani or fried rice, instead, chef Manikandan chose to serve curry leaf rice, mushroom rice and similar dishes.

Arun Kumar feels that cafes are trending now and it is a feasible option as well. “Cafes are popular with both young and older crowds. This is because people started coming out of their comfort zones and trying new things after the pandemic. Cafes are their go-to place within the limits of the city and chill with their friends,” he remarks.

Coming to the dishes, the food served here is tasty and novel. To start with, their heirloom tomato soup served with garlic sourdough toasties is a must-try. The parmesan and cilantro risotto and lemon cream with sundried tomato farce called the arborio bites are crispy outside with soft fillings. An innovative option on the veg menu is oh lasagne, crumb-fried lasagne galettes, served alongside tomato cream sauce.

Among the non-veg starters, the panko and thyme-coated crispy chicken with juicy meat is top-notch. It is dusted with peri peri and comes along with honey mustard mayonnaise. The penne con verdure is cheesy and saucy. Among the pizza options, the ghee roast chicken has scrumptious chicken with not-so-overpowering cheese placed on a thin-crust pizza base.

They have many dessert options. However, the one dessert that satisfied our sweet tooth is hazelnut delice. It gives a sweet experience with hazelnut crunches. The chocolate cake is for bitter lovers.

—Located on Haddows Road in Nungambakkam, visit the cafe for good food and cool ambience.