Situated off Arcot Road in Valasarvakkam, this new eatery has brightly-lit interiors and inviting leather chairs that promise leisure dining. It was his love for biryani that got him started, says 21-year-old engineer-turned-restaurateur Madhan Maddy, who started the restaurant a week ago, with a focus on quality and delicious food. The menu is extensive and features dishes from Chinese, Lebanese and Middle-Eastern cuisines. It also has North Indian as well as South Indian dishes and different tandoori chicken preparations.
With so much to offer, we decided to start with a Chinese-style Rambha Chicken (Rs 110). Prepared with leeks, capsicum, Schezwan sauce and chilli paste, the dish does have hints of sweet with subtle heat, making for a tasty start. Maddy’s Special Chicken (Rs 150) is a dry chicken preparation served with ragi balls, which we are told is the ideal combination for healthy eaters. A crunchy Gobi Manchurian (Rs 120) and Veg Crispy (Rs 130) come next, and as usual, we welcome all things fried with great enthusiasm.
The Lollypop Special (Rs 140) arrives with the main course and oddly enough, it is the perfect accompaniment for a classic biryani. Talking about his roots, Madhan — who hails from Tamil Nadu’s Ambur area — swears by his Ambur-style Chicken (Rs 120) and Mutton Biryani (Rs 160), made by relatives from his hometown. The biryani is mildly spiced with several chunks of meaty chicken making our mouths water. Staying true to the recipe, it is loaded with tomatoes and onions, with spices adding to the flavour and prepared dum style. The mutton variant is spicier and definitely makes us relish and satiate our biryani cravings — well, at least for this week!