Sundowners and global comfort food at this new rooftop restaurant in Chennai

Kefi, the rooftop edifice astatine Taj Club House had been synonymous with my station enactment day nights. When the pandemic hit, this spot ceased to beryllium and eventually, truthful did my relationships. But present it has reopened again, this clip arsenic Lava. I revisit this aged haunt implicit the play with my person to person a relaxed girl’s nighttime out. 

We caput up to the seventh floor, locomotion past the excavation and gym — wherever conscientious radical are moving connected treadmills on a Saturday nighttime — to the caller space. The interiors inactive consciousness similar Kefi, with its bulbous bluish lanterns and limestone walls; the al fresco country lends itself good to romantic dinners and is much visibly appealing with brushed glow table lamps, the grey-blue entity supra and a 180 grade presumption of Anna Salai including Spencer Plaza, Taj Connemara, and the LIC building.

What is bully is the abstraction does not effort excessively hard. It embraces what it has and does not trust connected agleam lights, large decor oregon props. Miraculously, the upwind is inactive pleasant, contempt the notorious Chennai summertime making a comeback aft a abbreviated sabbatical. Come highest summertime months, it volition beryllium concern fans to the rescue.

The paper comprises planetary comfortableness food. Hearty soups, sliders, sushi, dim sum, ramen, grills... flavours from the Mediterranean, Europe and Asia. The compact paper for the astir portion steers wide of haute cuisine and trendy viral dishes, and sticks to nutrient that evokes a consciousness of comfortableness , which for definite comes from each the delicious carbs.

We spot Levantine fries and neither of america has the willpower to accidental no. And to apical it off, it is served with food fondue. Little pinkish flowers and pomegranate pearls marque this mundane snack look avant garde. With each bite, I perceive a delightful crunch. Beautifully crisp connected the extracurricular and creaseless inside, these are made utilizing Mettupalayam potatoes that person little h2o content. We opt for the Lava seasoning that lends an Indian flavour with a acquainted blend of coriander seeds, cumin, cardamom, fennel seed, reddish chilli, achromatic pepper,and stone salt.

Chicken siu mai is served adjacent and it is arsenic bully arsenic immoderate sui mai tin get, astir worthy of a spot successful immoderate Chinatown. Each siu mai, bigger than the accustomed size, comes successful a abstracted handbasket of its own. While our drinks arrive, we peck astatine immoderate freshly baked focaccia.

Our cocktails are specified a contrast. Mine — Strawberry Creme Royale — is a subtly sweet, rum-based portion with caller pick and strawberry, vanilla pods, and a tinge of cinnamon, portion my person gets a tone guardant picante with caller coriander, agave syrup and jalapenos which predominate the palate. The different absorbing drinks connected the paper see Lunar Lavendar Martini, Yuzu Eclipse, The Sweet Spot and classical cocktails similar White Russian, Moscow Mule and Espresso Martini. The thoughtfully curated beverage paper besides has zero impervious mocktails specified arsenic Nojito, Berry Bombshell, but the 1 that catches our attraction for evident reasons is: Safe Sex connected The Beach (a saccharine and tangy operation of peach and orangish juice, cranberries and Grenadine).

As we savour our cocktails and soak successful the peaceful ambiance — note: nary loud, blaring music, conscionable gentle peals of laughter and brushed murmurs from neighbouring tables — we announcement determination is thing alternatively soothing astir this place. Unfortunately, the seating is not arsenic comfortable. The quadrate bluish spot cushions support sliding disconnected and we support shimmying to set them.  The mosquitoes are a menace too; enjoying a buffet astatine our feet portion we determine our main course.

For the main people the frontrunners are the chickenhearted teriyaki bowl, grilled cottage food chimichurri steak, meat skewer laal maas gravy. We stake connected the smoky, almond dukkah crusted lamb chops and it does not fto america down. I would accidental this is my prime disconnected the menu. The meaty chops person a beauteous texture — crisp and coarse connected the aboveground — and a nutty sensation from the dukkah. Meanwhile, the kulchette fails to dazzle. The kulchas are stuffed with cheese, generously topped with food chickenhearted (great for your macromolecule goal) and mimics a pizza. It gets everything close successful mentation but erstwhile it comes to taste, it is mediocre astatine best.

The greenish pome and cinnamon sorbet lifts our palate with its fruity and crisp flavour. And past comes the gulab jamun cheesecake, an indulgence that is treated arsenic one. A alleviation from the half-hearted jaggery, granola versions of dessert. The gulab jamun sits cosily betwixt a furniture of French sable cookies and cheesecake. It is not cloying and the creamy cheesecake balances the sweetness. This dessert is astir 516 calories, according to the menu. But this is simply a calorie-filled hug you bash not privation to miss.

Meal for 2 costs ₹3,000 without alcohol. Lava is astatine Taj Club House, 2 Club House Road, Express Estate, Royapettah.