Savour global flavours at this newly launched Chennai cafe in Anna Nagar

When Chennai got a breather from the heavy downpour last weekend, we decided to put on our foodie hat once again and headed to the newly launched The Mayflower Cafe in a serene locality in Anna Nagar. As we stepped into the quaint café, which has a seating capacity of 66, the air was filled with a transcontinental aura.

And soon, it was time for us to savour the diverse flavours from across the world. We began our meal with the comforting and creamy Roasted pumpkin soup, which instantly warmed up our gloomy monsoon afternoon. And then, a gamut of comfort food from across the world made an appearance at our table. 

Among the starters, we quite liked the Orange chicken, crunchy pieces of shallow-fried chicken pieces that bear a striking resemblance to one of our personal favourites, Dragon chicken, albeit with a tangy touch, thanks to the zesty orange flavour. Then arrived the divinely delicious Cheese and water chestnut crystal dumpling, and we could feel the stormy explosion of some creamy goodness in our mouths. 

The Purple chicken dumplings, which were visually enticing as well, took our culinary experience a notch higher as we tried the same with Mustard sauce, Scallion sauce, and Ginger wine sauce.

One of the highlights of the menu was the quintessential Burmese delicacy, Khao Suey. As the silky noodles swirled in mildly spiced coconut curry, it was topped by nine condiments: crispy noodles, chilli oil, fried garlic, peanuts, and more. This was truly a riot of flavours.

Crispy, creamy, and crunchy Chicken cordon bleu — baked tender chicken breast served with grilled vegetables, potato wedges, and garlic bread followed. The retro classic was quite a meal in itself, and we were too full to polish this one off.

Our favourite part of any meal is the desserts. And this time around, we opted for a melting one, Igloo on fire. As the hot chocolate cascaded over the dark chocolate dome, it unmasked the rich, creamy chocolate paradise hidden beneath. The fiery spectacle was followed by the taste of decadence in every bite.

For the grand finale, we tried the Classic tiramisu, velvety layers of mascarpone cream, coffee-soaked Savoiardi biscuits, and a dusting of cocoa powder.