I feel like Mary Poppins as I hold onto a giant black umbrellas and try to walk against the wind. It’s all quite romantic. Except that I am with my friends, both girls.
Minutes ago we were drinking bellinis while taking in the lovely view from Sunset Grill, the new al fresco restaurant at The West in Chennai Velachery and now here we are bidding goodbye to all that, just as dessert arrives.
As tiny pearls of rain turn into fat rapid blotches, a wave of panic washes over us. “But I still haven’t tried my risotto,” screeches one friend, holding onto her plate. Noticing the panic, the staff quickly gets into action and hoists a large canopy over our heads. Just one hitch though — it won't stand on its own and one of the waiters has to prop himself on top of a wall, crouch and hold it for us. Not wanting to hassle him we offer to move our party downstairs.
Sunset Grill has a lot going for itself. The food is excellent for the most part, the ambience is charming (except for the occasional mosquito biting your toe), music is good, the place is peaceful and you can have a conversation. But still nights can be stifling, and a sudden downpour can threaten to ruin your evening. Although the place is only about a week old, they are working on addressing these concerns.
The meal starts with a choice of breads and dips — the focaccia with fragrant pesto is our favourite. Juicy peri peri prawns and crisp crumbed calamari are instant hits. But the bharwan e khumb is what gets us drooling: mushrooms filled with blue cheese and cooked in a tandoor. Lahori paneer tikka, murg hawa mahal and kasundi machli tikka fade in comparison. The salads aren’t particularly exciting but well, at least they are healthy.
A sizzling barbecue grill stands by our table, billowing smoke and seething like an angry, overworked employee. At Sunset Grill you can choose your own marinade, sides and sauces. We start with bratwurst sausages and then move onto baked parmigiana laden with cheese, eggplant and tomato. Then comes Norwegian salmon with lemongrass and mustard sauce. It’s good enough to turn a non-fish eater into a fish lover; besides boosting my Omega 3 intake is making me grin like a Cheshire cat.
Alright, so what’s for dessert? We choose baked New York cheesecake, tiramisu and baked yoghurt. “That’s very expensive mascarpone we are using in the cheesecake,” grins the chef. The tiramisu with a generous proportion of amaretto is addictive and the yoghurt tastes like a fancier cousin of mishti doi . All three are as comforting as a good night’s sleep after a hard day at work. And that’s just what we need.
(For reservations, call: 22553366)
