Thirsty Crow
Thirsty Crow

Steampunk in Chennai: Thirsty Crow's time warp experience

Thirsty Crow offers a time warp of an experience, the highlight of which is in the interiors over some top-notch food, music and drink. 

Miniature penny-farthing bar stools. A tacked-together “analytical mainframe” device, a rigged-up orb of power with an antique typewriter. Wall panels plastered with dials, classic brass piping on wood and neon-filled tubes.

Elaborate pen-and-ink styled wall murals featuring unbolted vambraces, dismantled zeppelins, assorted clockwork and machine parts. Steampunk has truly arrived in Chennai, and we don’t mean at the local coach factory.

Thirsty Crow, a snug new 82-seater 1,600 sq ft venture led by four well-known names in Chennai’s hospitality circles — Nikhil Nath, Paul Raymond, Navin Nair and Sunil Bajaj, is the setting of the aforesaid scenes. And it might well be a prospect from a time-travelling apocalyptic HG Wells text or the sets of Wild Wild West (the glammed-up Barry Sonnenfeld version of the 1960s TV series).

Chef Mani dishes out some spectacular eats — the Wasabi prawns, Balinese chicken satay and Peri-Peri chicken were outstanding, on par with the finest we’ve tasted, while the beetroot cutlets were a surprise pick of the lot. Of course, you get to guzzle it all down with chilled draught beer, a godsend in Chennai.

Keeping up with the theme, you wouldn’t be wrong to whip out a pair of glasses and a notebook to jot down details about the interiors (as we’re sure to do on our subsequent visits). The hostesses are quite charming too and sport uber-fancy hats with steampunk-style spiked goggles. While in-house DJ Karthi keeps things moving on his turntables, the venue will host live gigs and stand-up acts soon (Wednesdays are ladies nights).

The best part about all of this is the pricing, as none of the offerings weigh too heavily on the wallet (or chained notecase, if you’re really catching on with the theme). The hosts intend this to be an affordable outlet for youngsters, though they don’t encourage walk-ins; you have to call in advance for a table.

Once you’re in, be sure to take a moment to appreciate the artwork. Over the exceptional food and service, our fairest words are for the murals, which affirm Thirsty Crow as Chennai’s first masterfully themed pub. We’re all the more grateful for it. 

Evening for two approx. `750. Details: 9686473424

—  Jaideep Sen
 jaideep@newindianexpress.com
 @senstays

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com