Azzuri Bay - Adyar

Reaching towards the end of a long and much sought after holidays, thanks to the Pongal celebrations, everyone at home were still reeling under the laziness that had set upon over the last 4 days. Being a foodie, I never let a single chance of eating at a new place slip by. Wanting to try Azzuri Bay for a long time, I at once threw up the suggestion at precisely the very moment a plan to eat out was being conceptualized. Having heard from quite a few peers about Azzuri Bay, I promptly made our reservations and looked forward to having a go at their new lunch buffet. 

(Broccoli Cream Soup)

We were a bit behind our reservation time as I had to drive almost across the city to reach the restaurant from my home. Arriving at Azzuri Bay, the first thing that stood out to me was their ambiance. Unaware that their buffet is served at the rooftop area of the restaurant, I was overwhelmed when I was led to the 3rd floor. The view was just perfect with all the commercialization visible to the eyes yet far from the disturbing noise they make. Being a little late, we immediately jumped into the food. The soup of the afternoon was a 'Broccoli Cream Soup'. The soup had a good flavor in it but a tad more creamy. Other than that nothing extra ordinary about the soup. 

(Veg Spring Rolls)

(Spring Rolls)

(Chilly Paneer)

(Thai Crispy Fish)

(Stuffed Mushroom)

(Starters Plate)

Once we were done with the soup, the next to be savored were the starters. The buffet consisted of 4 starters, viz. Veg Spring Rolls, Chilly Panneer, Thai Crispy Fish and Stuffed Mushrooms. The Veg Spring Rolls were crispy and oil less. The fillings were fresh and folded into a small bite size portion that was delightful. The Chilly Panneer I felt was a major let down. It was too spicy and the Panneer seemed hard and rubbery. The Thai Crispy Fish was good but had a strong flavor of Thai sauces in it but the fish was well cooked which gave an overall satisfaction. The Stuffed Mushrooms gave me a mixed opinion. Some of the one's I had were a bit salty while the others were balanced. The fillings were delicious and provided a good closure to the starters.

(Vegetable Steak)

(Cheese Grilled Fish)

(Veg Penne)

Coming to the Mains, being a tri-cuisine restaurant, they had a few dishes in each. The Italian was represented by 'Chickpeas & Mixed Vegetable Steak', 'Grilled Veg penne in Red/White sauce' & 'Cheese Grilled Fish'. All the 3 dishes passed my test. The steak was packed well and the sauce accompanying it was a perfect contribution to it and really helped lift it's flavors. Being a fish avoid-er  I felt the Cheese Grilled Fish was cooked to the point and was well dressed in the cheese sauce. The pasta had a good mixture of vegetables in it and was one of the best dishes of the afternoon. Heard from peers that Italian is really good at Azzuri Bay.

(Veg Noodles)

(Hunan Chicken Gravy)

(Beijing Dumplings)

The Pan-Asian cuisines were represented by 'Veg Noodles', 'Beijing Manchurian' & 'Hunan Chicken Gravy'. The noodles were more like the regular Chinese noodles, nothing that really stood out. The Beijing Manchurian was more on the lines of veg dumplings shaped as balls and cooked in a Manchurian sauce. The effect of the sauce on the dumplings were overwhelming. The Hunan Chicken Gravy was the dish that stood out in this representation. The chicken was cooked soft and had a good amount of spiciness in it along with the right balance of meat and sauce.

(Rice with Podi)

(Different Podi's)

To complete the main offerings, we had the South Indian cuisine which were represented by 'Kal Dosa', Lemon Rice, 'Steamed Rice', 'Mutton Khurma' followed by 3 varieties of Podi with Ghee. Skipped the Kal dosa as I generally tend to avoid dosa's unless they are straight from the hot stone. I believe the dosa loses it's flavors as it cools down. The Lemon rice was the typical one that we get in other south Indian restaurants. The Mutton Khurma was a good accompaniment for the Steamed Rice. But what really made my day at Azzuri Bay was the availability of Podi for the rice. Ever since I was introduced to Rice with Podi and Ghee, it instantly shot into my all time favorite list of delicacies. The moment I saw 3 different types, I was like stoned. I had to try em all but owing to my dietary conditions decided to try them all in just one plate with a mouthful of each. It was just divine. I'm sure the satisfaction and fullness that Rice with Podi can give can never be attained by consuming any other delicacy. 

(Gulab Jamun)

(Kaju Halwa)

(Brownie with Chocolate Sauce)

Being stuffed with the rice and podi combination, the desserts were more of a formality. The desserts that were made available today were 'Gulab Jamun', 'Kaju Halwa' & 'Chocolate Brownie'. The jamun was well prepared and not too sweet which according to me is a perfect one. I hate those that are served at certain restaurants where the syrup is too sweet that it powers the taste of the jamun itself. The Kaju Halwa was more of the regular types available at most places and the brownie with chocolate sauce was also passable except for the brownie being a bit too hard. Really wished that they had some desserts from the Pan-Asian cuisine rather than having 2 from the Indian. 

(At Peace)

With the buffet costing Rs. 500/- nett per person, I am of the opinion that it is a good value for money and food if not extraordinarily great makes for a good buffet over many other restaurants in town. Perfect if you are looking at treating a big group of people especially considering the ambiance and the rooftop options. 

Azzuri Bay is located #13, 1st Crescent Park Rd, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar.

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