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Chennai Restaurants for complete US based India newbie

Chennai Restaurants for complete US based India newbie

Old Feb 12, 2017, 7:06 pm
  #1  
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Chennai Restaurants for complete US based India newbie

Hey everyone,
I am going to Chennai on business for two weeks and my client said Chennai was boring. He is not into tempeles so I would like to suggest some fun sites to see, shopping etc. ok shopping is for me! I love shops, markets etc.

in addition I want to be able to take the team him to dinner. There will be 3 of us. Do you recommend dinners in i town? I know people say hat I could get sick from the water/food in Chennai. Does that mean I should not go explore the restaurants outside of the hotels?

Would love over your thoughts in eating in restaurants and chances I will get sick?

Im hoping you say ...definitely explore restaurants...and would love to know where you would go if you had an expense account?

Thank you!
Sue
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Old Feb 12, 2017, 7:48 pm
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As far as restaurants go, some of the 5-star hotels have some good Indian restaurants (if that's what your looking for):

Southern Spice at The Taj Coromandel
Dakshin at Crowne Plaza Adyar Park (was a Sheraton until recently)
Peshawari at ITC Grand Chola

The above 3 are all on the expensive side, but great food for sure.
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Old Feb 12, 2017, 11:56 pm
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Few Tips: (usually repeat from similar posts on this forum)

a) Indian food you get in US/UK restaurants is not real Indian food. So , you may have to adjust your expectations.

b) While you should be ok with eating in restaurants within 5 star hotels, the usual precautions apply such as avoiding meat and salad. Fruits that you have to peel yourself are usually ok. Otherwise eat hot recently cooked food. (Deep fried may not be healthy but certainly kills all bacteria). Also watch out plates and spoons. Make sure they are not wet.

c) Your getting sick may not be related to food or hygine. Jet lag, unfamiliar environ and stress usually contribute to upset stomach too.

d) Please take usual precautions with vaccines and travel medicines such as malarone. Although there is no medicine for Dengue. Better to prevent mosquitoes bites.

e) As far as you go in Feb, weather in Chennai should be not that bad. (especially since you are going to be in A/C environment most of the time)

f) Shopping may or may not be enjoyable experience. Places where bargains are there, may not have comfortable environment for you and where environ is comfy, it might be very expensive.

g) Tend to agree with your friend that Chennai is pretty boring but any FTer from Chennai will gladly tell you how wrong I am about that.

Last edited by desi; Feb 13, 2017 at 12:06 am
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Old Feb 13, 2017, 4:59 am
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Originally Posted by Sweetpea 2005
Im hoping you say ...definitely explore restaurants...and would love to know where you would go if you had an expense account?
where will you be staying????
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Old Feb 13, 2017, 6:57 am
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Not sure yet - looking into the Westin - but seems to be sold out Sat and Sunday so may be at Park Hyatt and then move to Westin.
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Old Feb 13, 2017, 8:49 am
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Originally Posted by Sweetpea 2005
Not sure yet - looking into the Westin - but seems to be sold out Sat and Sunday so may be at Park Hyatt and then move to Westin.
have you looked at the itc????ts my go to property in chennai & it has some of the best restaurants in the city....
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Old Feb 13, 2017, 5:15 pm
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Originally Posted by Keyser
have you looked at the itc????ts my go to property in chennai & it has some of the best restaurants in the city....
Thanks Keyser:
The ITC is almost $280 so it's out.. as my expense acct only goes so high. Looks like I am at the Park Hyatt Sat and Sun eve and then over at the Westin.
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Old Feb 14, 2017, 1:22 am
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Originally Posted by Sweetpea 2005
Thanks Keyser:
The ITC is almost $280 so it's out.. as my expense acct only goes so high. Looks like I am at the Park Hyatt Sat and Sun eve and then over at the Westin.
check out www.hotelscombined.com to see if you can brg a better rate at the itc....i typically stay there for under $150 a night....
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Old Feb 14, 2017, 5:41 pm
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ITC Grand Chennai - sold out.. But thanks for the website link!!

One more question -if you don't mind? Have you ever taken Air Emirates car service which is free for business class form airport? I reserved a ride from airport to hotel.. Alternatively I could have my employer arrange a ride...
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Old Feb 15, 2017, 12:25 am
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Originally Posted by Sweetpea 2005
ITC Grand Chennai - sold out.. But thanks for the website link!!

One more question -if you don't mind? Have you ever taken Air Emirates car service which is free for business class form airport? I reserved a ride from airport to hotel.. Alternatively I could have my employer arrange a ride...
haven't taken the ride in chennai but i have done so in delhi, nyc & dubai....its pretty convenient....
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Old Feb 16, 2017, 5:42 am
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Thanks again keyser!!
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Old Feb 25, 2017, 11:13 pm
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HI All - Ok Checking in Form Chennai - Looking for great restaurant for tonight, Thanks so much for your thoughts. We went to Peshawri in ITC _ My colleague originally liked it - then we went again and I think we were not a fan... but we wondered upstairs and it looked like 2 amazing restaurants - at least pretty, Has anyone been to the Italian and Vegetarian ones on 2nd floor of ITC? (Ottimo Cucina or Royal Vega)

So far best restaurant is 5 Senses (Pan Asian - or Chinese) at Westin. Really good - the chef is awesome and will fix things how you like them. Tom Yum soup was great.
Also went to a fantastic Sari shop Kumarin Silks in T Nagar with colleague for a Sari for his wife. He was original from India so he was a pretty good sari shopper!

Anyway looking forward to more restaurant ideas.. India, Italian, Asian... oh and thoughts on Punjba?

Thanks
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 12:00 am
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[QUOTE=Sweetpea 2005;27959166]HI All - Ok Checking in Form Chennai - Looking for great restaurant for tonight, Thanks so much for your thoughts. We went to Peshawri in ITC _ My colleague originally liked it - then we went again and I think we were not a fan... but we wondered upstairs and it looked like 2 amazing restaurants - at least pretty, Has anyone been to the Italian and Vegetarian ones on 2nd floor of ITC? (Ottimo Cucina or Royal Vega)

I have been to Ottimo Cucina on each of my stays at the ITC Grand Chola, for me it was decent Italian food. The pizza is thin crust and quite good, the pasta dishes are good. I did not care for the meat based main courses, something about the way they prepared the chicken did not work for me taste wise. I always avoid the salad, even in 5 star restaurants in India, just a precaution I take. Service can be a bit leisurely paced, and the prices are high, but food quality is good.
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 4:54 am
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Thank you!! great advice on the Restaurant. I think we will go - if not it's back to the 5 Senses which so far has been really good - I am taking someone form Bangalore (I think) so might ask him which he prefers -

There's also a Pan Asian restaurant at ITC - might be worth a shot.

Today walked to mall by myself - had a fun time. Really helps when you start to know the place a bit. Amazing the difference between the people in the mall shopping and those on the street towards the hotel. Also so fascinating seeing the mix of outfits: Indian saris and other attire as well as westernize wear and older people's saris vs younger women. ITs really fascinating. The other day on the main busy street a cow was walking along.... Maybe he knew he was royalty?

Anyway - thanks for advice. If you have been to Pan Asian -please weigh in as well. Thank you so much!!
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Old Feb 26, 2017, 9:18 am
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GRT Grand Buffet

Besides the above recommendations another place that is relatively popular is the GRT Hotel buffet in Chennai. Here is the link to the hotel.
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