A diner in Chennai where anime chaos meets precise, balanced plates

Walking into Double Dashi feels less like entering a restaurant and more like stepping into a pop-culture fever dream, with neon accents, anime flashes, and a hum of chaos that’s distinctly Tokyo. But if the walls are loud, the kitchen whispers in precise, layered flavours. As Manoj Padmanabhan, restaurateur, chef, and mixologist puts it, “Everything we do balances finesse in the kitchen with fun in the dining room.”

Anime energy, Japanese flavours and plates built with finesse

The Tokyo green salad makes this clear from the start. Not your creamy Caesar knockoff, but a bowl that really does live up to its name, every shade of green, crisp and translucent. Lettuce and paper-thin radish arrive glossed in a carrot purée dressing, sweet enough to soften the onion rings it clings to. A scatter of tempura “boondi” adds a crunch that feels both playful and oddly nostalgic. Manoj says, “To add crunch, we’ve borrowed from the Indian idea of boondi, using tempura batter to create colorful, crispy mini bites that give the salad a playful texture.”

Then there’s the Seared ahi tuna, soft slices, blushing rare, laid out on a cold plate that keeps their freshness intact. They’re left in citrus ponzu overnight to add depth, brightness, and umami without overwhelming the natural flavour of the fish and dusted in togarashi when served. A squeeze of lemon, a bite of pickled ginger, and suddenly the dish tilts towards balance. “It’s the kind of finesse you’d expect at a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant,” says Manoj, “but enjoyed in a rowdy, pop-culture driven space. that contrast is what makes it so special.”

For comfort, you’ll want the Gyoza. God knows we did! And we chose the pork variant. The kitchen doesn’t reinvent here, and honestly, it doesn’t need to. Pleats give way to the familiar chew, this is the kind of dish that feels like an exhale between the flashier plates. The Miso tofu temaki is more playful, a crisp taco-like shell of tempura-fried nori, filled with sticky rice and topped with sautéed tofu and microgreens.

The Salmon aburi temaki is more playful, a crisp taco-like shell of tempura-fried nori topped with tofu and microgreens. A single bite and you’re caught between crunch, chew, and soft, like three textures keeping tempo.

The ramen bowls hold the heart of Double Dashi’s menu. We tried the Tonkotsu black garlic ramen, made by simmering pork bones and kombu for 18 hours. Rich yet not heavy, it carries the earthy punch of black garlic oil cutting cleanly through the broth. “It’s pure comfort in a bowl, with soul,” says Manoj — and he’s not exaggerating. The Tokyo butter lobster ramen, meanwhile, feels decadent in a different way: a lobster bisque gone east. Buttery and miso-rich, it becomes a quiet dialogue between French indulgence and Japanese restraint.

Dessert carries that same sense of surprise. A creamy cheesecake wears a house-made miso caramel glaze. “The cheesecake itself is creamy and sweet, and the glaze brings a gentle savory note that balances it beautifully,” says Manoj. It turns the familiar salted caramel into something distinctly Japanese, sweet, savoury, and just off-kilter enough to make you smile.  

Meal for two: Rs 1,400++. From 7 pm to 11 pm on week days, with additional lunch slots from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm on weekends. At Double Dashi, Teynampet.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.