When a startup is known for making a splash in a metropolis like Dubai by selling Zafran Chai (saffron tea), you know it must have had something special to make customers spellbound from the get-go. Decades later, Filli Cafe has decided to set foot in India and quite interestingly, it chose Chennai, rather than Bengaluru, to set up shop.
Sipping some Zafran Chai, we chat with Cinu Chandran, the Culinary Director at Filli, who explains that Chennai's culture, which is still steeped in traditional values, is what drew the brand to the city. This, he added, gave the city an edge over Bengaluru, where most companies head first, in comparison. "We have signed a deal to open 25 outlets in Tamil Nadu alone and in the next four to five years, there will be over 400 Filli outlets across India," he stated.
Well, having got the numbers out of the way, we continued to enjoy the hot and strong cuppa. Soon, we were handed the Tiramisu Shake and it instantly overpowered the Zafran Chai. We liked the right consistency and texture of the shake and would recommend that everyone try it. To the staff at Filli, our reaction did come as a surprise, for their iconic tea did not get as many compliments from us.
Next up, we received the Chicken Dynamite Bun. Fried zinger chicken sandwiched between a potato bun makes for the best combination and when you bring other condiments into the mix, they simply add-up to create a blast of flavours in the mouth with every bite. And yes, no burger shall be served without the ubiquitous fries and Filli ensures that you get a pouch full of them.
But the Dynamite Bun is nothing in comparison to what we were served next, which were Tandoori Chicken Lacha Melt and Chicken Chettinadu Masala Foodles. Having received the latter, we turned to Cinu Chandran and exclaimed "this doesn't look like food made for people of Dubai", to which he simply said, "No, it isn't."
Chandran explained that he did the field study to find out what Chennaiites prefer to eat and armed with his findings, he decided to tweak the original menu a bit. "Seventy per cent of our menu for Chennai emulates our Dubai menu. We have decided to bring the best-sellers here, while replacing the slow-moving dishes with ones that we believe people would like to try here," he said.
So, there we have it, noodles with Chettinadu Chicken Masala, topped with an omelette, served hot in a cup. When we opened the lid, the whole thing is a visual treat and the flavours all work well together. The Lacha Melt, on the other hand is an Indianised pizza, for it is made using Parotta with Chicken Tikka, and a few other ingredients, filled inside. Surprisingly, this particular dish is rather famous in the USA, says Chandran.
And what best way to finish a lovely diverse meal than with a dessert? So, we tried the Mysore Mud Pie. Being one of the dishes specifically curated for customers in Chennai, this dish needed to be good. Instead, it was a smash hit! Right from the way it is presented, to the fact that it has meringue, strawberry and mint leaves to give the additional hit, and with the flavour of the Mysore Pak coming through, we were floored.
If you are conscious about your health, Filli Cafe might not be the place to dine in, although there are options available for everybody. Should you love food, this café should be on your radar without fail.
INR 250 onwards. 10 am to 10 pm. At Ashok Nagar.