California Pizza Kitchen @ Phoenix Market City - Velachery

Pizza's have always been associated with the genome of fast food but in reality pizza's during it's inception era was indeed a single complete dish more often associated with healthy food. But over the years, thanks to the various marketing activities of international food giants the entire concept has changed. It has now become common to associate a pizza that is related anything to American as the fast food version of the well known pizza. These are often the ones topped with loads of toppings and cheese. But can you imagine a pizza chain that has a very American name yet the pizza's served there reflect the authentic Italian ones in nature. Yes, I'm talking about the famous "California Pizza Kitchen" which has its branches all across the globe.

CPK as it's commonly known is a well recognized american chain of restaurant that differs a lot from the regular pizzeria. CPK in addition to pizza's also serve up numerous other exotic dishes such as pastas, salads finger foods and so on. My first introduction to CPK was through a relative who used to tempt me with his experiences at CPK in the US. So when I knew CPK was launching in Chennai, I just couldn't wait to savour their offerings. Being in the now hip mall in Chennai, the Phoenix Market City, it was quite a drive from central Chennai during the bustling traffic. But from my experiences that evening, it was a drive quite worth it.

Tucked in a corner of the mall, the first thing that strikes you is the decor of the restaurant. It has a mix of traditional wooden feel coupled with a modern contemporary look. As we were being seated, I noticed that they has a semi-open kitchen that was constantly dishing out beautifully plated dishes. The first dish that made it to our tables was the 'Thai Crunch Salad'. This is an original creation of the CPK kitchen and consisted of crispy rice sticks, some crunchy wontons, roasted peanuts tossed in a overwhelming mixture of cabbage, carrots, cilantro, green chillies and chicken. The dressing for the salad was their in-house signature lime-cilantro along with some peanut dressing. The next up was the 'Mediterranean Salad' which was a pure veg salad comprising of a mixed leafy combination of cherry tomatoes, onions, kalamata and some olives. This was served with some pita breads on crumbled feta cheese topped hummus bed.

(Thai Crunch Salad)

(Mediterranean Salad)

This was followed up by the appetizers. The first of the lot was the 'Mediterranean Foccacia'. It is basically a pizza bread served with some flavoured olive oil and parmesan. The next was the 'Sonora Chicken'. The chicken was perfectly grilled with flavours of lime. It was accompanied with a salad and chipotle dipping sauce. This was followed by the 'Spicy Chicken Supreme and Slaw'. It consisted of boneless breast strips coated in a very crisp Panko breadcrumbs. It was served with a special coleslaw and a ranch dipping sauce. The last among the appetizers was the 'Lettuce Wraps'. This dish was unique in a way that the wok seared Shiitake mushrooms along with water chestnuts in soy ginger sauce needs to be mixed with the crispy rice noodles that it is served on and then this entirely needs to be wrapped in the provided iceberg lettuce cups. It was very refreshing and packed a punch.

(Mediterranean Foccacia)

(Sonora Chicken)

(Spicy Chicken Supreme and Slaw)

(Lettuce Wraps)

With the appetizers done, it was finally time for the pizzas. The first one up was the 'California Veggie'. The crust was a deep dish multi-grain crust with exotic toppings such as broccoli, grilled zucchini, grilled baby corn, sun dried tomatoes along with the regular vegetables. To be honest it was more like a salad pizza as barring the mozzarella, the pizza was a full fledged healthy affair. The next up was the 'Chicken Fajita Pizza'. First impression completely blew me out. The pizza was wafer thin but enormous in size. True to its name, the pizza had fajita written all over it. Spread with cilantro pesto, the pizza was topped with lime marinated onions, assorted peppers and shredded chicken with ample amount of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. This was of the most unique pizza's I've ever tasted and trust me it's a must try. This was followed by two different pastas. If you are wondering what pastas are doing in a place called pizza kitchen, don't be mistaken, their pastas are a fusion between the American and Italian flavours. The first pasta served was the 'California Putanesca', which was a penne served with imported Italian tomatoes, some basil, red hot peppers along with garlic and black olives. The non vegetarian version is served on a bed of grilled chicken breast. The next pasta was the 'Aglio E Olio'. This was a spaghetti literally on fire. Tossed with red chillies, garlic and olive oil, it was served with cubes of juicy chicken bites.

(California Veggie)

(Chicken Fajita Pizza)

(Really really thin!!!)

(Chicken Fajita Pizza)

(California Putanesca Penne)

(Aglio E Olio Spaghetti)

By the time the pasta's were done, we started getting signals that the tummy was reaching it's breaking point and it was time to wrap up. But then how can we miss out on the desserts. It was when this thought was running that we spotted on the menu a dessert that no one can say no to. There tucked in between few other desserts was the divine 'Tiramisu'. In all honesty the Tiramisu at CPK, was one of the finest I'd tasted in India. It is another of a their must have dishes.

(Tiramisu)

Though Chennai has always been at the fag end when it came to international restaurants opening shop here, it is better late than never. The overall experience at CPK was very good and contrary to their brand name, this place has loads of non-pizza dishes that are truly worth a try. A meal for two should cost you anywhere between ₹1500 - ₹2000 depending on how big your appetite is.

California Pizza Kitchen in located on the ground floor of the swanky Phoenix Market City in Velachery.

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Italian Thali @ Tuscana on Chamiers - Alwarpet

For anyone across the globe familiar with Indian cuisine, the first thing that strikes their mind when you mention the word "Thali" is the large variety of dishes served on a single plate. This is different from a platter as the Thali is not shared amongst others on the table and is is usually ordered one per person and often forms a complete meal own its own. The usual components of an Indian Thali consists of 3-4 different currys, some short eats, Indian breads, rice and desserts. The Thali's do differ dramatically between North and South India and savouring one is an experience all by itself. 

Now, if the Thali's are so accustomed to Indian cuisine then take your imagination to the next level to what could be available at Tuscana on Chamiers, an Italian restaurant based in Chennai. I'm sure you might have guessed it by now. Yes for the first time in Chennai, we now have an Italian Thali. This innovate concept was the brain work of those behind Tuscana on Chamiers. In the right spirit of what a Thali should constitute, the Italian Thali available here have all the elements a conventional one would have such as salad, starters, mains & desserts. 

On offer are 5 different Thali menu with 2 options for the vegetable lovers and 3 for the carnivores out there. Being a group of three in which I was the only meat lover, I decided to go in for the Thali with Chicken as the main course while my peers decided to order both the vegetarian Thali so as to have a complete experience. While we were waiting for our Thali's to make their appearance in style, we were informed that Tuscana on Chamiers has also started catering to the Jain community by making Jain friendly pizzas. Now thats a big step for such a restaurant as it is quite challenging to dish out a Jain dish without losing the flavours that you would get in the regular version.

(Stuffed Capsicum - Jain Style)

(Another Jain dish)

(Jain Pizza)

(Jain Pizza)

After a few chit chats, the Thali's made their grand appearance. The moment I saw my Thali, I was taken back with the large portion sizes for each of the component. They were humongous and big a big eater, felt it would be too much even for me. My Thali had a 'Pan Seared Chicken Escalope' for mains and they were accompanied by a portion of garlic bread, salad, pasta and a dessert. The dessert was an 'Apple Pie with Vanilla Sauce'. Savouring the Thali was an wholesome experience in total as the different elements provided the right oomph factor for a complete meal. The vegetarian Thalis had Risotto Cakes & Crepes for their main dishes while the accompaniments were a soup of mushroom or tomato along with a portion of garlic bread. The other desserts that were part of the Thali options are the dense Chocolate Fudge cake and a walnut cake with honey syrup.

(Chicken Thali)

(Vegetarian Thali with Crepes)

(Vegetarian Thali with Risotto Cakes)

How can one visit Tuscana and not savour their amazing Tiramisu. And precisely for this reason even though we had reached our threshold, we went ahead and ordered for a portion of the yummylicious Tiramisu. As always it never disappointed us. Along with the Tiramisu we were also given another fantastic dessert available here, the Panacotta. To end up the evening, we were told we had a surprise dish. When it brought into the room, all of us had to heave a heavy sigh. It was a dessert pizza. The base was spread with Nutella topped with caramelized bananas and chocolate chips. With absolutely no more room for anything related food, we still couldn't give up the temptation and dived into it straight. It was just mind-blowing. If it was served earlier on during the evening, I'm sure I would have gorged upon two such pizzas. Just can't wait to go back for another one.

(Panacotta)

(Tiramisu)

(Tiramisu)

(Chocolate Pizza)

So if you need a twist to the contemporary Thali that you have been savouring for all these years, head straight to Tuscana on Chamiers to try their twist on Thalis. The Thalis are in the price range of ₹650 to ₹850 plus taxes. But mind you, it is a complete and filling meal so its worth every penny spent.

Tuscana on Chamiers is located on Chamiers Road opposite to Hotel Park Sheraton.

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Azzuri Bay - Adyar *A CFG Feature*

One of the finest dining experiences one can truly enjoy at most restaurants is the roof-top dining. With the increase in pollution in Chennai, there has been a dearth of such restaurants. Roof top dining is very often available only in hotels and as most of them are located in the heart of the city, it often doesn’t turns into a memorable experience owing the fast and vibrant traffic that is prevalent at such locations. This was the scenario until two years ago when one such restaurant decided to open its doors to roof-top dining lovers. 

Tucked away in a very silent part of Chennai is ‘Azzuri Bay’. A restaurant that not only provides an amazing roof-top experience but also provides a gleaming view of the Adyar River and the mighty Adyar Bridge. Taking inspiration from the Adyar River and the Bay of Bengal, the restaurant was aptly named Azzuri Bay. Azzuri in Italian represents a shade of blue commonly known as Azzure and being located close to the Bay, the name could get no better than this. 

Towering 3 floors, each unique in its own way, the restaurant offers a multi-cuisine spread ranging from Italian, Mediterranean, Pan-Asian and South Indian. With a seating capacity of 140 patrons, the floors can also be completely blocked in case you decide to host a party. The vision of the owners is straight forward. One of the partners Mr. Jai Punjabi told me that their motto is “Good Décor with a Neat Ambiance serving Decent Food”. 

I am sure that by now, most of you would be wondering that Azzuri Bay is yet another multi-cuisine restaurant where justice will not be done to any particular cuisine. But your opinion will definitely change once you visit Azzuri Bay. They have indeed done more justice to the individual cuisines than most specialized restaurants do. Saying this, let me know give you a sneak peek into the amazing food that I devoured during my visit.

The first dish to be presented on the table was the ‘Rose Milk Popsicle’ & ‘Orange Popsicle’. I’m sure this would bring back old memories for most of us. Wanting to try all the cuisine, I was advised to go in for their Platters. Being an ardent foodie, I wouldn’t mind trying as many new dishes as possible but my only constraint is that food should never be wasted. Keeping this in mind, an order was placed for a Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian platter from both Italian + Mediterranean and Asian Cuisines. While I waited for the platters to pop in, I was given an assorted variety of drinks to sample. This included a common ‘Virgin Pina Colada’, an innovative ‘Thai Ice Tea’ & a refreshing ‘San Francisco Ice Tea’. The Thai ice tea was a combination of Lemongrass, Condensed Milk and the traditional ice tea while the San Francisco ice tea was more of a black berry infused ice tea. 

(Popsicle)

(Virgin Pina Colada)

(Thai Ice Tea)

(San Francisco Ice Tea)

The first among the platters to arrive on the table was the ‘Vegetarian Asian Platter’. This consisted of Tofu Satay, Thai Spring Rolls, Crispy Corn and Cheese Wontons. This followed by the ‘Non Vegetarian Platter”. This platter comprised of Double Cooked Pepper Chicken, Fish Satay, Thai Chicken Spring Rolls and Salt & Pepper Prawns. The Tofu satay and cheese wontons were truly amazing while the Spring Rolls on both platters had a good filling and was crispy even after a prolonged time being on the table. One of the speciality dishes at Azzuri Bay is the ‘Double Cooked Pepper Chicken’ which was just too good. The chicken strips were perfectly cooked while they retained their amazing flavour.

(Vegetarian Asian Platter)

(Tofu Satay)

(Non Vegetarian Asian Platter)

With a closure on the Asian cuisine, my complete focus now was on my favourite cuisines, Italian and Mediterranean. The ‘Vegetarian Platter’ consisted of Three Cheese Rolls, Stuffed Baked Mushrooms, Vegetable Crostini and Falafel with Pita Bread. The ‘Non Vegetarian Platter’ had some of my favourite dishes, namely Stir Fried Prawns, Calamari Fritta, Chicken Shawarma and Lamb Kebabs. There cannot be a single dish amongst these two platters that I would dare to say was good rather all the dishes were just outright excellent. The three cheese rolls just melt in your mouth while the falafel was one of the best I’ve tasted in Chennai while the Shawarmas was straight forward the closest one can get to the authentic Lebanese shawarmas. The calamari fritta, prawns, baked mushrooms and the lamb kebabs all were remarkable in their own ways. 

(Vegetarian Italian Platter)

(Falafel with Pita Bread)

(Non Vegetarian Italian Platter)

(Calamari Fritta)

Being stuffed with all the platters, the main course was a complete pass for me. But the foodie in me did not agree. So the next adventure was on a roll. With a soft corner for pizzas, I couldn’t resist having one. I was served with a ‘BBQ Chicken Sausage, Mushroom & Oregano’ pizza. The pizza was truly mind boggling. One of the crispiest crust I’ve ever had in my life time. The toppings were absolutely fresh and was perfectly balanced with all the flavours. I just can’t wait to visit again just for their pizzas. The pizza was followed by a very typical Burmese dish known as ‘Khow Suey’. The chicken version was served along with 7 condiments. The moment this dish arrived, it stroke a chord to me that I have had this same exact dish somewhere earlier and this wasn’t the first time. I was so engrossed that I had a complete flashback of my travel over the last 3 years figuring where I had this. I had to eventually give up as it just didn’t trigger. Later in the evening, when I returned home to talk about this dish, I was enlightened by folks at home that I had tasted this dish at a place called Home and it was cooked by none other my mom. I was taken aback with my forgetfulness and had to shower the formal apologies for my ignorance. 

(Pizza)

Coming back to the Khow Suey, it is basically noodles soup meal. It consists of Noodles, a chicken gravy prepared in coconut milk and range of condiments. The chicken gravy at Azzuri Bay is similar to the Thai Yellow Curry while the range of condiments included Fried Onions, Lemon, Chopped Spring Onions, Fried Garlic, Chopped Boiled Eggs, Chopped Coriander & Chilli Flakes. The dish is served in a bowl which is first filled with the noodle followed by the curry. The condiments are added according to one’s taste and is had like a soup. This would be a great experience for tasting a dish from one of our neighbouring countries.

(Noodles and Curry)

(Noodles)

(Condiments)

(Khow Suey - Ready to Eat)

With all the mains done and just a small amount of space left to savour some desserts, we quickly jumped to the desserts section. On offering today were the ‘Tiramisu’, ‘Mud Pie’ & ‘Tres Leche cake’. The tiramisu was nice and had a good balance of flavour. The mud pie was truly and outstanding creation as it had me scooping spoons and spoons of it. But the best of the lot and my personal favourite was the “Tres Leche Cake” which in Spanish means ‘Three Milks Cake’. Being soaked in three different types of milk, this cake was super soft and spongy and had an amazing assortment of fruits to top it off. It was a perfect finish to an otherwise amazing dinner experience. 

(Tiramisu)

(Mud Pie)

(Mud Pie)

(Tres Leche Cake)

A perfect setting for some great dining experiences, a meal for two at Azzuri Bay would cost you about INR 1200/-. But the good news is that they have an array of discounts for their patrons. If you are an American Express card holder you get 20% off, for a Gandhi Nagar Club member it is 10% off and for the Chennai Food Guide members a discount is on the offering shortly. For all the women out there, be all happy as Azzuri Bay offers a 15% off for an all women table. These discounts are available for both Lunch & Dinner. What is now keeping you all back, get set go and head to Azzuri Bay for an amazing gastronomic experience.

For an earlier experience of mine at Azzuri Bay please visit http://www.foodinchennai.com/2013/01/azzuri-bay-adyar.html

Azzuri Bay is located at 13, 1st Crescent Park Rd, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600020, India. For more on Azzuri Bay, follow their Facebook page at Azzuri Bay – Facebook.

This experience at Azzuri Bay was courtesy of Chennai Food Guide as part of their premium restaurant feature. For more on Chennai Food Guide, visit Azzuri Bay - Chennai Food Guide. 

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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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