Dhaba By Claridges.
Opposites attract, in this case North Indian cuisine and South India attracts each other.
Finding a good restaurant that serves the right dal makhani or the smoothest paneer is a rare find when you’re in Chennai, but, if you do, don’t forget to fill your tummy there. The dining experience comes after Claridges brought out its iconic Dhaba outside its hotel for people like me and us who do not frequently visit star hotels. The franchise opened up in Chennai early this year after its successful operations in Delhi.
The ambience of this place is super kitschy, as you walk you will notice the colorful phirki, vivid tiles, and find yourself amused by the bollywood posters. The boss of all is the truck that stands mightily at the restaurant, although available only for larger groups. The place is packed most of the time and hence getting a reservation would be nothing less than genius.
Vegetarians are at a disadvantage when it comes to trying our hands with Kebabs and Tikkas, but, not anymore *Freeeeedom*. Galouti Kebabs are super famous in Lucknow, although they are famous because of the meat in it which is why most of us do not appreciate starters at most places.
At Dhaba by Claridges, the galouti kebab are made to perfection for the human tongue, teeth, throat, stomach, everything. The perfect melt in mouth kebabs are authentic (atleast to me they were) as they are served with accompanied with tiny rotis and coriander-mint chutney.
For the main course, Amritsari Kulche with Amritsari Chole went together as if they were made for each other. The Kulche were soft with the right filling and the Chole were cooked to perfection with the right gravy consistency and its impeccable seasonings. While Punjabi cosines may be a little harsh on the stomach, the beverages ordered were — Nimbu Shikanji and Cold Coffee. The Shikanji served its purpose and helped me beat the heat with the amazing
flavors added to the monochromic lemonade, however, you must never drink a coffee while you’re up north or at a restaurant that serves its food. The overall taste of the cold coffee did not fit in well even with the correct amount of foam and sugar, probably because of the poor choice of coffee.
Dhaba by Claridges started to cater to the dynamic youth, although the prices at this place doesn’t suggest frequent visits to fill in the ever growling tummy. The food is VFM — only once a while, otherwise, this place makes up amazingly well for a family dine-in.
