The Sunday brunch at The Residency, Crowne Plaza Chennai has a lot on offer - 55 dishes and 5 live cooking stations. As you enter the restaurant, it's the dessert counters that catch your eyes. One other thing you can't miss is the activity area for kids.
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| The Residency |
The usual cuisines are all there - Indian, pan-Asian, Western and shawarmas, salads and appetisers. Executive Chef Deva came over to explain the specialties in each section. We asked him why it was called a brunch when it starts at 12.30 in the afternoon. He laughed and then told us that that they need to find a new name. Most restaurants do start their brunch service at that time anyway.
The restaurant has a semi-formal setting. The pleasing colour scheme and wooden furniture add a touch of class. There's live entertainment and the sultry voice of the singer adds to the atmosphere.
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| Chaats, veg tempura and fried prawns |
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| Dahi vada |
Three kinds of chaat were served at the table and they were seriously good. The fried components like
papdi and
sev were very fresh and the contrast of piquant, sweet and spicy flavours were in sync. The veg tempura was also very nice but the fried prawns stole the show. Fresh and fried just right, the tangy chilli dip was all it needed to have us all almost licking the plate clean.
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| Salad with feta |
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| Prawns and chillies |
Chef Deva told us he'd send across a salad. What landed up was this plate of the most beautiful colours made up of lettuce, peppers, orange segments, beetroot and feta cheese tossed in a light dressing. This was followed by prawns and chillies and that was another yummy dish.
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| Laksa |
Laksa for me is a bowl of noodles, sprouts, slices of egg and prawn cake ...ok, just prawns at least. What I was served was a really good laksa sauce with a couple of pieces of fish. I could have sworn that I did taste prawns as well!
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| Tandoori platter |
The
galouti kebab in the tandoori platter had a crisp crust but it was melt-in-the-mouth tender. The paneer was a little sour but everything else had been well marinated and cooked to tandoor perfection.
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| Rolls |
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| Selection of pre-plated appetisers |
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| Pan-Asian section |
The pan-Asian section looked inviting but the contents were the usual fried rice and noodles though the Thai curry was quite nice.
At the shawarma corner, the chef was deftly making the rolls. They tasted rather flat and the roll kept unrolling. I think I figured out why a sheet of butter paper is usually rolled around them.
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| Baked veg at the Western station |
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| Copper pots at the Indian section |
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| Vegetarian specials - avial; porial; dal; brinji; paneer; methi mutter chaman |
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| Mutton biryani with zafrani murgh; veg biryani with dal bukhara |
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| Mutton milagu curry; kozhi idiappam biryani |
It's not at all difficult to figure out where the Indian station was. Gleaming copper handis held biryani while skillets held dals, paneer, a mean
brinji and veg gravies.
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| Dessert table for young guests |
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| Selection of desserts. That chocolate cake is divine! |
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| Popcorn and cotton candy station |
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| Desserts...to share |
Oh yes, you'll be spoilt for choice at dessert time. There's a good mix of Indian and Western desserts but the stand out is definitely the chocolate cake.
There's plenty of variety at The Residency's buffet, the pan-Asian could do with an overhaul while the Indian section was what most guests made a beeline for. The idiappam biryani was a crowd favourite. They have a good mix of vegetarian and non-veg dishes but what stood out was the freshness of the food.
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| Activity zone for kids |
We had a cutie patootie with us and she was quite occupied at the kids' zone. She strung herself a bead chain and got a tattoo on her hand while the man with the balloons made her a few shapes. Her menu was customised and she too enjoyed her afternoon.
The Residency's lunch buffet is priced at 1800/++ per head and 900/++ per head for kids.
Do call 044 24994101 for reservations.
