Public House´s new terrace section offers a sparkling view of Chennai´s tech-park skyline

Stop thinking, start drinking.
Public House
Public House

Roughly 20km from Marina Beach, and about 350km from

Bengaluru up ahead on the National Highway 48, is where Chennai gets a whiff of the beer-chugging, hops-happy nightlife culture of the pub capital of the South. 

The year-and-half-old Public House, across the road from the sprawling, township-sized DLF IT Park, opened a new terrace section earlier this week, with little more than a quiet evening for ceremony, and just this lone newshound offering some semblance of a media presence. 

Martini show

The rewards, thereby, were more than adequate — discounting sole rights to examine every inch of their walls, plastered with graffiti, featuring overbold incitements such as, “Stop thinking, start drinking”. A couple of flavoured martinis made for a fine start — a watermelon, and a pineapple mix. Both cocktails turned out fairly spicy, one dressed with an open cardamom

pod, and the other

with a split green chilli — the spice statedly works well to cool the nerves of Chennai’s tech-wired folk.

Downstairs, the Public House’s airs are in line with say, Bengaluru’s Tavern at the Inn — noisy, smoke-filled, predominantly filled with men, with platefuls of finger food of the 
masala peanuts and roasted papad kind, classic rock and loud cheer being passed around the tables. The Public House’s kitchen doesn’t offer main course meals, while a separate cookhouse upstairs serves up tandoori and continental fare.

Nash to meet you
The inter-city connection runs slightly deeper, as Public House is co-owned by DJ D Nash (aka Dinesh) — not to be confused with the other DJ Nash, Avinash. An old-hand with vivid memories of former Bengaluru haunts such as Zero G, Dinesh frequently played at Xtreme Sports Bar Indira Nagar, and is currently active in the Chennai

circuit, at hotposts such as Q Bar and 10 Downing Street.  

At Dinesh’s bidding, we sampled two spunky treats from the upstairs counter — the brandy-soaked sausages, and the barbecued pineapple and watermelon. Charred segments apart, both dishes were served with inventive garlic-onion mayonnaise and chilli-pepper mint dips on the side. Again, as attested by the barkeep, the seared eats work well for parched throats looking to get soused, be it in Bengaluru or Chennai. 

The best thing yet, about Public House’s new terrace section, is the view it affords of Chennai’s skyline, extending beyond its tech park ambits. To make things somewhat memorable, the night of the opening witnessed a near-full moon, and the enlarged globe appeared to wear a thumb-up in place of its usual Jade Rabbit. But that might just be the martinis talking. 

Drinks and eats for two approx. Rs1500. Details: 9884877700 

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