In the line of Chennai’s good ol’ popular bars and restaurants that are emerging from a quiet renovation, Q bar at The Hilton is next. The luxury hotel, tucked between pillars of the Guindy metro line has been hosting the city’s who’s who since 2011.
The pub, popular for its cabanas by the pool, has had a facelift. Their bar which seats 165 guests now faces the pool. A glass roof, walls and a sliding door have been added to the cabanas. They are now also air-conditioned with seats meant for lounging.
“We are aiming for this to be a relaxed restobar from Sunday to Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, we would like for it to transform into a high-energy lounge. We understand that the city has moved away from the traditional high chairs and fried finger food vibe of a bar. This revamp attempts to reflect that,” says executive Chef Shibu Thampan.
Dilli 6 seekh roll | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The menu is concise with about 50 dishes. Items like vazhapoo cutlet and Kasimedu anchovies varuval aim to ring a bell among the locals while there are bites inspired by flavours from across the country like dilli 6 seekh roll and the salmon aur savaa ka tikka made with kasundi mustard.
We try the Tibetien ‘Momo-ries’ — a plate of dumplings with mildly flavoured minced chicken served with chilli oil. “When I was working in Vancouver, there was this small eatery where I tried a version of this chilli oil and ended up finishing the whole jar. This is my tribute to that experience. It has a bit of garlic, sesame seeds, oil… everything except dried shrimp to make it vegetarian-friendly as well,” shares Shibu.
The momos are hearty but the chilli oil is the highlight providing a bold kick. It is perfectly salted and has a crisp texture that left us wanting more —possibly the whole jar.
Crispy pork belly | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
We go on to try the crispy pork belly. This dish layers slices of pork belly meat that are crumb fried until golden. It comes with a side of kimchi and hot garlic sauce. The sweet, spicy and sticky sauce pairs well with the fried meat that is juicy on the inside.
The menu has a fair share of dishes like chicken roulade with mashed potatoes and gravy, Turkish lamb kebab with pita and labneh (Greek yogurt and garlic-based sauce) and seafood pot pie for guests who want to play it safe. The dishes are flavourful without being too spicy.
For larger bites, we are served a pizza, meen chatti choru and a quinoa bowl. The pizza is a shiitake mushroom blondie. The base is made with fresh cream and a garlic reduction. While it is mentioned that there is a balsamic reduction and an arugula pesto somewhere on the plate, it is difficult to spot this.
Meen chatti choru | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The meen chatti choru is a dish that can transport one to their grandmother’s kitchen, has a slightly tart curry and chunky pieces of fish fried Netholi.
The vegan-friendly quinoa bowl is a version of fried rice grilled shiitake and button mushrooms, bok choy, broccoli and a generous sprinkle of togarashi seasoning. It is aromatic and spicy and has the effect of a bibimpap.
Q - mystery cocktail | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
For the cocktails, we try a gin-based paradiso made with a mixed berry puree. The drink is syrupy with mild notes of cinnamon. We are also brought a mystery drink called the ‘Q’ which is sweet and fruity. “We have a contest where our guests are asked to guess any three ingredients in this drink to get three free shooters,” says Shibu. We got just one right. Hopefully you will fare better.
At Q bar a meal for two including beverages costs ₹4000. It is at 1, 100 Feet Rd, Poomagal Nagar, Guindy.
Published - December 21, 2023 12:36 pm IST
