The restaurants below are listed alphabetically and have been classed in four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over Rs1,200)
$$$ (Rs800 to Rs1,200)
$$ (Rs400 to Rs800)
$ (under Rs400)
These prices include a three-course meal for one, with half a bottle of house wine or equivalent, as well as tax. Tipping is optional.
BenjarongWidely regarded as the city’s best Thai restaurant, Benjarong is justifiably popular. Apart from its yummy food, the staff are courteous and the interior is tasteful and soothing. It’s best known for its seafood
preparations, but also offers a very tempting selection of meat and vegetarian fare, from chargrilled duck to old-fashioned stir fries.
146 TTK Road, Alwarpet
Tel: (044) 2432 2640.
Price: $$
DakshinDakshin has a superb selection of top-class southern dishes from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It’s especially noted for its seafood, ranging from fish and prawn to lobster and squid dishes. The interior is ornate yet reasonably intimate, with statues of traditional deities and atmospheric lighting. There’s live Indian music daily.
ITC Hotel Park Sheraton & Towers, TTK Road
Tel: (044) 2499 4101.
Website:
www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/index.html Price: $$$
PeshawriSister restaurant of the award-winning Bukhara in Delhi, Peshawri also serves up delectable North-West Frontier cuisine. Predominantly cooked on the charcoal grill and clay oven, in an open kitchen, the beautifully marinated meat dishes are succulent perfection. There are also good vegetarian choices for non-carnivores. Individual platters are a terrific way to sample a selection of dishes (meat or veg). Wonderful ambience with authentic rustic décor of the region. Busy at weekends.
Sheraton Chola, 10 Cathedral Road
Tel: (044) 2811 0101.
Website:
www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/index.html Price: $$$-$$$$
Saravana BhavanA real Chennai institution, this ever-expanding chain has over 15 branches scattered around the city (see website for locations) and is a perfect place to feast on a marvelous range of south Indian cuisine, from the well-known staples like dosa, uttapam and idli to something more extravagant. They also do a very good job of thalis - a variety of dishes served on a compartmentalised stainless steel plate.
Website:
www.saravanabhavan.com Price: $
six-o-oneSpecialising in freshly cooked pasta and wood-fired pizzas, this 24-hour informal restaurant has contemporary, stylish décor and also a selection of Indian and Western dishes. Perch at the pasta-choco bar while your dish is prepared in front of you, or indulge in the diverse Sunday Brunch. There’s an admirable international wine selection.
The Park, 601 Anna Salai
Tel: (044) 4267 6000.
Website:
http://chennai.theparkhotels.com/chennai_rest.html Price: $$$
Nightlife:Chennai’s after-dark party scene is curbed by laws that prohibit bars and nightclubs operating beyond midnight, although some do stay open a little longer. Shame, as there are some fabulous venues around, although a fraction of the number seen in Mumbai, Bengaluru (Bangalore) and Delhi. Of the few decent bars and clubs, most are in the 5-star hotels. Many nightclubs have a cover charge (usually only on weekends), a smart-dress code (no shorts, singlet tops or scruffy attire) and may only allow couples (ie not single males).
Zara’s, 74 Cathedral Road, is considered one of the hippest places to be, a tapas bar appreciated as much for its ’Spanish short eats’ as its luscious cocktails and funky music; busy on Friday and Saturday nights. The dark, sexy
Leather Bar, The Park hotel, 601 Anna Salai, has olive suede walls, leather sofas and black leather floors; it attracts a very stylish crowd, and plays some very danceable music. For a real boogie, head upstairs to the ever so trendy
Pasha’s, The Park hotel, 601 Anna Salai, another magnet for Chennai’s beautiful people.
Bike & Barrel, Residency Towers hotel, Sir Thyagaraya Nagar Road, is a cheerful bar with a lively atmosphere, adorned with (you’ve guessed it) barrels for tables and a huge motorbike suspended from the ceiling.
Geoffrey’s, Hotel Radha Park Inn, 171 Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, is a little more low-key and congenial for women on their own, while
Dublin, ITC Hotel Park Sheraton & Towers, 132 TTK Road, is an Irish-style bar with separate sections, some quiet, some a little more raucous, to suit the mood. Last but not least,
Durrant’s, Sheraton Chola, 10 Cathedral Road, is small, civilised and comfortable for a leisurely drink.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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