Snack on Thayir sadham fritters at this rad new cafe in Chennai 

Sandesh Reddy has been a busy man. He just launched a fresh bread subscription service with his Old Madras Baking Company, and prior to that, has been mentoring the team at the new Mediterranean restaurant, Mezze. This is apart from opening the brand new Ox and Tomato down TTK Road and designing a new French-inspired menu at the Fromage this week.

Next door, is his newest outfit of them all — the Broken Bridge Cafe (BBC). So when Sandy (as he is popularly called) decides to make a drink for me at BBC, I am prepared for the extraordinary. But as usual, the chef and serial restaurateur surprises me — with a homely concoction that has the simple goodness of rasam and the chill of buttermilk — the French Pressed Buttermilk Rasam. However, he has me at the first sip — even before he tells me that it pairs well with bourbon.

As I slurp it up, Sandy, the chef restaurateur, tells me that Broken Bridge Cafe is “his interpretation of Indian food — using international culinary techniques.” However, when the Slow Cooked New Zealand Raan arrives, I realise it is not as simple as that — this menu is also about his impeccable instinct for flavours. A delicate jab with the fork and the slow-cooked meat of nearly eight hours falls off the bone perfectly — and each delicious mouthful is about flavour and quality — especially when dusted with the special house mix of spices.

“I am not driven by my passion for food. It is my curiosity that drives me,” says Sandy, and that could explain the Thayir Saadham Fritters that have been the talk of the town since food trials began a fortnight ago. Semolina-coated curd rice balls are paired with a pickle mayonnaise dip — and it is only when you bite into the orbs that you get the delightfully familiar tanginess of a piece of the traditional lime pickle tucked within. The panko fried crab cakes swimming in a puddle of spicy red khaara chutney is another hit with a soft meaty centre. Meanwhile, I am stuffing my face with the bite-sized spinach puris that are topped with brain masala — which unlike the common peppery version, is light on the palate and speckled with fresh coriander — an Andhra recipe, I am told. The mains find me dipping naan bread stuffed with sweet caramelised onion and blue cheese into creamy, chicken makhni. A pairing that’s unlikely, but worth writing home about — the flavours are perfectly balanced.

Dessert sees me torn between the Nutella Custard and Maltova Crumble jar, and the Gulab Jamun Creme Brulee Tart. The former is a satisfying, gooey, layered offering complemented with the cookie crumble. While the tart is pretty as a picture with a delicate petal of roasted apple and dust of cinnamon — I take Sandy’s advice and have it warm with some vanilla ice cream. As always, the chef knows best.

At Somerset Greenways Chennai, meal for two at Rs 1,250 onwards (not including alcohol). Details: 42152737