Per usual, we stopped in for lunch at an off hour, which is typical due to our schedules, so the place was virtually empty except for our table. Had we struck gold on this food excursion? It appeared to be so.ĭuring the meal, our waiter was super accommodating, answering our questions, keeping our waters full, offering up suggestions, and generally making our experience a pleasant one. Yet the flavors and the spice kick were all still there. What we found was that the preparation seemed to be a bit less oily, and we both agreed that the preparation was somewhat healthier than what we were accustomed to. We wanted to see how the South Indian version translated. For us, that was music to our ears.Īlong with the dosas, we also order a dish of channa saag, which is our usual “go-to”. Our server informed us that there were as many as 30 to 40 various dosas available daily, and 10 different chutneys to choose from. When our order of two dosas was brought to the table, we were mesmerized by the sight of the bounty that was placed in front of us.Īs the traditional Indian music played in the background, we began to pick apart the feast with our hands, tearing off pieces of the mysterious, flat, crispy pancake (traditionally Indian breakfast and street fare) and dipping them into myriad metal bowls filled with chutneys (mint to sweet to spicy) and raita. Inside the crêpe, numerous types of fillings are found, including mushroom with potato, and grilled fish with Indian spices. The crepes come in a number of sizes, that range from something that looks like a soft shell taco, to a portion that fills half the table. To start, one of the items that Chennai Express prides itself on is the dosa, which is essentially a crêpe made with rice and lentil flour. Chennai Express serves up a South Indian flavor that has telltale signs of the more recognizable (at least around here) North Indian cooking, though for the most part it’s a world apart. I assumed that we were in for a similar Indian food experience that we are already accustomed to in the city, but boy was I wrong. In all that time, I never knew that there was another type of Indian cuisine that I was missing… until yesterday.Īfter hearing a bit of a buzz about Chennai Express on Pearl Street in Downtown Buffalo, my wife and I decided it was time to do some exploring. I’ve tried all of the restaurants in Buffalo (I think), and a number in other cities. We’re also curious to taste alcohol-inspired ice cream toppings in the offing, like Whiskey Caramel and Bourbon Maple.Over the years I’ve become quite fond of Indian food. In addition to the main bar, there will be a mini market serving shots, cocktail buckets to share and pouches for one, available by the end of the week. Slated to launch in the next three months. Look forward to brunch afternoons with curated small plates so you get to sample a handful of cuisines in one sitting. Meal for two INR 2,000 inclusive of spirits. Dessert is a Liquid Nitrogen Chocolate Ice Cream that ups the ante on decadence with a torched marshmallow fluff. We sampled a Teriyaki Chicken sushi, as well as the Raw Mango Cream Cheese with a dip of soya sauce and the lightest kiss of wasabi for heat - and both were an explosion of flavour on our taste buds. The latter is more a design flip, with the seaweed serving as a wrap instead of rolled around the sticky rice. Other highlights of the evening include the moist and can’t-stop-at-one Pork Momo which comes with options of a chilli oil dip or the spring onion dip. The latter is served in rectangular slices, Detroit-style, and apart from points for being uncommon, is gooey with an unapologetic amount of cheese.īack to our tasting sesh. The 26-year-old shares, “We created a template that gives us room to rotate cuisines and experiment quite a bit.” We like that we can order a Korean-style Fried Chicken with oodles of that addictive umami flavour in the same breath as a thick crust Pesto Burrata Pizza. Settling in over crispy Okra Fries and Shoestring Potato bites flavoured with garlic and scallions, we get chatting with Varun (one of six partners) who comes with a culinary background from Kendall College in Chicago. It’s a Butterfly Gin & Tonic (given the butterfly pea flower) with lemon and surprisingly, star anise - subtle and breezy. What stands out for us is: it isn’t in a glass but instead in a slurpee pouch. A purple drink with a purple straw makes its way to our table. Spread across 6,000 sq ft, we are escorted to a gaming zone next (hello foosball table) which then leads into the main bar area, and another seating section for folks in the mood for spirits and dinner.
0 kommentar(er)
