From quiz nights and live gigs to bar takeovers and beach front vibe, the city revellers have their favourites and the restobars ensure they delightfully pander to the demands. Join us in this pub crawl where we have covered 16 watering holes in celebration of our anniversary — that takes us from one packed party to the next — and you will find that even as we revisit old favourites in music or menus, we are also thumping with new trends and ideas. The party scene never gets old in this city!
Origin
A part of Green Meadows, down East Coast Road, Origin restobar has an easy vibe and the patrons swear by the cocktails on offer. A crowd puller, their 55 Pound Jack is a labour of love one might say. The cocktail uses only sweet jackfruit sourced all the way from Kottayam, and the essence of which is then infused into vodka through the sous vide process that takes six hours and another 12 hours goes into clarifying the rose milk into a clear liquid bursting with flavours. It’s no surprise when Nikesh Lamba avers that 70 per cent of their bar sales is attributed to cocktails.
Black Orchid
When Japanese food started trending in Chennai, Black Orchid tapped that demand with a swanky teppanyaki and sushi live counter. Till date they are known for their freshly rolled sushi that are polished off as fast as they arrive! Besides their obviously attractive menu, Sanjeev Verma tells us how he understands the myriad needs of his customers and hence, ‘they are the only restobar in Chennai to have a restaurant, a bar and a private space’ in the same establishment. The restaurant has a different sound system and creates an ambience conducive to conversations and family time. Meanwhile, the bar is where you will find us with thumping music and great pours!
Secret Story
The city has a new tribe of Sunday brunch-ers according to Varun Ganeshan of Secret Story. Talking about the restobar at Slate Hotel, he tells us how all his F&B outlets have their own unique selling points. While their restaurant Bhola & Blonde has live music every day, their restobar is buzzing during the weekends. We agree that the flood of gorgeous natural sunlight through their glass roof could be one of the reasons why we love brunching at Secret Story! Last week they celebrated their first anniversary and had a rocking party with prominent DJs flown in from Mumbai.
Sin & Tonic
For some cerebral stimulation, the quiz nights at Sin & Tonic in T Nagar is a great place to flex your trivia knowledge. Last month it was predictably on cricket and as usual they had a house full! This month the topic is renowned Tamil composer, Anirudh Ravichander. Though the restobar also has some fun gin-based events where we rustle up interesting cocktails, the monthly quiz nights conducted by Abhishek is a big draw, and we suggest you book your spot early to avoid disappointment.
Bay 146
Another place that has a strong attendance of regulars, Bay 146 in Savera Hotel has created an identity for itself as the go to place for hand-picked and wildly popular live gigs. Look out for the indie act coming up — Frizzell D’Zouza from Bengaluru. Meanwhile, we have been told by regulars to definitely have a round of As You Wish — offering a tropical vibe, this cocktail has orange juice and pomegranate to refresh you with, along with vodka. And the all-time favourite starter (competing with Chilli Chicken of course) — Bay 146 is well known for the succulent and spiced Syrian Beef Fry
Sundays
If day drinking is a thing then Sundays in Anna Nagar is your destination! A bright and cheerful place, this restobar offers a warm and friendly service even as you gulp down some memorable shots like a Biscoff biscuit with a whiskey-based potion called Sweet Bitter Truth. They hosted an unusual but wildly popular bar takeover recently when the team from Byg Brewski Brewing Company from Bengaluru came over to stun us with clever cocktails. Do note, the Chicken Tenders is our pick of starter that pairs well with Purple Passion our ‘usual’ gin-based cocktail!
Sand Bar
Literally perched on the edge of the beach down Kovalam, Sand Bar at Surf Turf is a delightful experience with sea breeze and salt spray adding to the mood. Last time we visited we noticed a quaint canopy of fairy lights set up on the beach for a romantic date setting. They make a mean Meen Manga Curry and if you want to stay with the theme then you could pair it with the Manga Martini. If you are a surfing enthusiast, then head there for an early morning session and finish with a home-style fish curry and dosai for brekky!
Living Room
Siddharth Raheja, founder of Groove on the Roof, promises us that the music he showcases includes melodic dance, progressive, Afro, house and techno. We check with his regulars and they swear by the refreshing soundscape. With barely any outlet belting out this genre in the city, if you are a fan, don’t miss their weekly events that usually take place at the rooftop of Living Room restobar in Anna Nagar. “We are building a community of melodic dance music enthusiasts. Right from providing a platform for artistes from across the country to catering to the crowd,” says the DJ who is soon coming out with a podcast called Groove on Air.
Velveteen Rabbit
The best part about Velveteen Rabbit is that it makes for a great lunch space (with large picturesque windows) during the day and then transforms into a buzzing Saturday Night Fever zone by night. Known for quality ingredients and spirits, the bar here promises all natural flavours and authentic recipes. Their Cosmopolitan has our vote with delightful citrusy notes and also, shout out to the DJ who has the ability to seamlessly move from Retro to Bollywood as the evening proceeds! However, don’t miss their new additions on the menu — the Mutton Kheema Idli and the curry leaf chicken strips need a special mention.
Bay 6
You have to dive deep into the evening to truly enjoy the nuances of the Black Pearl. This cocktail is available at Bay 6, the charming restobar with a beautiful beach view. The fat washed cognac is tamed with some fresh pineapple juice and black current cordial to make it dangerously easy to have many! Great place for a sundowner, you can catch a sunset along with generous portions of an eclectic menu and you can go exotic by requesting some pepper-infused vodka or some Elder Flower syrup to sweeten the deal.
Q Bar
This rooftop experience has been recently relaunched at Hilton and Executive Chef Shibu Thampan has taken the opportunity to enthral us with original dishes that surprise with familiar flavours like the Tibetan Momo-ries and their Murgh Makhani Pizza. You could get pampered with great service and bask in one of their elegant outdoor cabanas or opt for the private lounge space if you are in a group. While you are at it, do sip on a Qtini and nibble on a morsel of dark, milk or white available under Textures of Q Chocolates, for added decadence.
Koox
Elegant and understated, the Koox is everyone’s favourite for a rooftop dining experience with alluring gourmet options in the menu. Time slows down here as you watch the winking lights of the city and sip on their signature Toki Highball Whiskey or savour those impeccably made Angry Maguro Sushi rolls. Often we find patrons celebrating special days here with delicious food and house music thoughtfully curated to not be intrusive.
Radio Room
Known to host some of the most coveted live performances, Radio Room in MRC boasts an exclusive clientele of loyal regulars who sometimes barely leave any space for newbies to join the party. However, the trick is to land up early on a Saturday evening if you want the best seats in the house — and then dig into their all new Beer Glazed Pork Belly with Sweet Potato! While we love their refreshing tender-coconut and rum concoction called Thenga, if you have a sweet tooth we suggest you sip on a decadent Iced-Milo or better still savour their Pecan Tart Almond Cream. The brand has recently expanded and is opening an outlet in Coimbatore by the year end.
The Wild Garden Bar
The quaint bar space at Amethyst, a hub of beautiful things, the Wild Garden Bar perfectly blends into the exquisite details of paintings, antiques and mandatory foliage. For long lingering meetings and catch up sessions, this baris great for a laid-back evening sans the loud music of a night club. At ourrecent visit we dug into some delicious truffle pizza that was loaded with slices of potato and oodles of cheese. And of course, on your way out ‘you can buyyourself flowers’ from our favourite florist.
Barracuda Brew
Besides a great sound system, Barracuda Brew down College Road has our attention for another good reason — their food! If there was one thing missing in Chennai it was a chic restobar in the heart of the city pandering to a local favourite — the Thaali (meals)! Cud’ Afternoon, an elaborate thaali of favourites, it is the latest addition to the interesting menu at this watering hole. Offering South India on a platter, we are eagerly looking forward to washing that down with a tall glass of refreshing beer!
Dank
Right from when Chef Saby Gorai’s tasting sessions introduced us to the most delectable Tres Leches dessert in Chennai, Dank has always wooed us with new food ideas. Now they are busy launching another new menu — and this time with a South Indian twist. The menu is an ode to the local flavours inspired by the old lanes of Madras. Expect easy to eat finger foods with nibblet parathas and soft bread sides. Their bar menu is on the same page with the emphasis on Indian flavoured drinks with hibiscus and betel leaves. Meanwhile, last week’s Halloween party reiterated their panache with décor, especially with those who are looking for new stories for their Insta account!