Candle light, the sound of beach waves and Squid Chilli Pops. A romantic evening by the beach doesn’t get much better than Marmoris Beach Lounge. And this spot that was all the rage with a multitude of reels doing the rounds when it opened earlier this year, now has a refreshed menu, courtesy consultant chef Vijayakumar Manikandan. Expect waves of flavour with a spectrum of South Indian, Continental and Asian, and, of course, a section dedicated to the ‘catch of the day’. The latter, as you might have guessed from the aforementioned cuisines, can be whipped up with your choice of marinades ranging from Tawa Masala to Peri Peri to Schezwan.
Who moved my Ratatouille?
If this is your first time at this spacious restaurant and bar, nestled on the coast of Mahabalipuram — then there is the dilemma of sitting comfortably indoors with the comfort of air conditioning, or outdoors with the ocean a stone’s throw away. And given the mood, you might have already guessed that we chose the latter. As our table quickly fills up with appetisers like Ratatouille Filo Parcels that are light and flavourful and Micro Uthapams topped with Chicken Ghee Roast, chef Mani tells us the key words for this menu refresh are “global and wholesome”. Well, mission accomplished.
Fry another day
And this effortless blend of gourmet- meets-comfort staples — is particularly evident with the mix of seafood on offer. A quick browse of the menu tells us that you can order a Cajun Prawn Gazpacho in the same breath as a comfort platter of crunchy Nethili Fry. We enjoy a platter of the near addictive aforementioned Squid Chilli Pops. And then move on to shareable plates like squares of Pesto Paneer Tikka that are luscious and soft and Peri Peri Tangri Kebab, which is a must order for meat lovers at the table. “We also have a rooftop BBQ and grill menu that was recently rolled out, as well as tapas specials coming up on the first floor,” he tells us. For mains, Chef Mani serves us a succulent Chicken Supreme with a smooth potato mash, smashed green peas and buffalo mozzarella laid on a bed of beetroot coulis. For dessert, we can’t decide between the Kahlua Chocolate Mousse and the Blueberry White Chocolate Phirni, so of course, we ask for both. As stuffed to the gills as we are by this point, there is always room for dessert...
Meal for two at INR 1,800 approx.