Barracuda Brew in Chennai serves up eclectic eats with a South Indian twist 

We recommend the Mark Antony salad and the Karivepilla Fish Fry!
Interiors at Barracuda Brew
Interiors at Barracuda Brew

Have you ever tried a Mark Antony salad? Well, at Barracuda Brew, we find that Julius Ceasar is passé and it is Mark Anthony’s turn now. A delightfully reconstructed version of the familiar Caesar Salad, this is a crunchy, delicate patty of chicken that is accompanied with a curl of toast and cheese-drizzled lettuce — perfectly setting the tone for our tasting session at this new restobar located down College Road. We expected fun, finesse and flavour at our table — and sure enough, the Cream of Shitake and Truffle takes it up a few notches in the latter section. The silky broth is addictive and we scoop up the last drop as the owners (part of Billionaire Brothers, a four-partner enterprise) Praveen Rajkumar, Shammu Prashanth and Prithvi Christy talk to us about the making of this 100-seater. “We have the city’s longest bar,” begins Praveen, who has 15 years of experience in the food business. We reach for a refreshing Ocho Fashioned from the bar counter as Prithvi, who comes from a business background, tells us how it was a long time dream for him to get into the food business. 

<em>Tomato bhat kariveppila fish</em>
Tomato bhat kariveppila fish
<em>Ocho Fashioned</em>
Ocho Fashioned



Parathas & vodka
The white rum-based cocktail is sweet with organic molasses that is balanced with bitters and aromatic with grapefruit zest. With a deep teal hue dominating the aesthetics, Naveen Howie, their brand consultant and brain behind the concept joins us and explains how they have focused on creating an urban chic vibe. “Expect a contemporary space which promotes live music, has a great bar with unique cocktails and exceptional food — all at a reasonable cost,” says Naveen, promising that there are plans in the making that will create a splash across the country. 

The vodka-based Manngaa cocktail delivers a delicious jolt of nostalgia with hints of cumin, and we drag our attention back to the food even as the music beckons with thumping acoustics. That is, till we pop tiny flaky parathas into our mouths, topped with spicy, shredded beef. With a name for easy recall the ‘Beef Paratha Thing,’ is delicious, and if enough mini parathas are consumed, this could well work as a meal!

<em>Triplicane Twist</em>
Triplicane Twist

Show time!
The opening night of the restobar, last week, saw Andrea Jeremiah crooning some popular covers even as the Pepperoni Pizza and Chili Beef was garnering a fan following at most of the tables. Offering great sound and a compact stage, Barracuda Brew promises live bands and shows on a regular basis. For groups of eight, they have a tempting deal (INR 55,000 all inclusive) for New Year’s that includes a private booth with bottles of premium liquor, a celebration cake, unlimited starters and finally, a pendrive with candid pictures. For walk-ins, it’s INR 2,500 onwards, and includes unlimited pours of imported select brands with starters.

Moru the merrier!
However, that is not to be encouraged — because you need to keep space for their main course. A bite of the Karivepilla Fish Fry and you silently congratulate the establishment for having consulting chef, Mohamed Siddiq at the helm of the kitchen. Based in Kochi, the chef concedes that his Malayali roots inspired him to create this unique combo where tomato rice sits in a pool of moru kuzhambu, topped with wedges of masala coated fried fish. This is the part where you are dying to ditch the cutlery and dig in with your fingers! 

Chef Siddiq tells us that the menu here is about hand-picked global signatures with strong South Indian accents. Well, the Triplicane Twist illustrates that perfectly — where three pastry envelopes come stuffed with three different fillings — and you do end up licking your fingers over this one! Wrapping the street flavours in an elegant twist — we have carrot halwa, pumpkin halwa and the famous dum ka rote in the third one. 

Meal for two: INR 1,200.
 

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