Area:- T – Nagar
Cost for two:- ₹2,500 for two people (approx.)
Cuisine:- North Indian, Mughlai, South Indian
I recently had the opportunity to check out Grand by GRT Hotels by staying there and using their facilities. Obviously food is something I wasn’t going to leave untouched. This property has two restaurants, one is the Bazaar – All Day Diner while the other is J. Hind. Apart from these two, they also have a pub called Steam & Whistles. This review will be about J. Hind.
Location
Grand by GRT Hotels is a landmark in T Nagar thanks to the fact that it has stood here for quite a while. It’s located at Sir Thyagaraya Road in T. Nagar, pretty close to the Teynampet signal. It’s right next to the Adidas showroom and its beautiful facade makes it hard to miss.
Considering it’s a star hotel, parking isn’t an issue. They’ve got valet parking service. They have parking space at the basement which is pretty spacious if you’re going to ride here on a two wheeler.
Ambience
Very rarely does a restaurant’s ambience makes my jaw drop and this time, it dropped so low that it fell on the moustache insignia that’s placed at the entrance. Undoubtedly, J.Hind has one of the most brilliantly set up decor I’ve seen in a star hotel. The places oozes with grandeur and opulence.
The multi-coloured seats will be the first ones to hold your sight. Then comes the beautiful pillar in the middle that ends on top with tear shaped chandeliers. The walls are adorned with intricate artworks which complement the furniture. The same set up also extends to the first floor that also has enough space to double up as a meeting hall too. The decor of this place is created intricately which is reflected in the dishes they serve.
Food & Beverages
Where J Hind scores is the way they present the dishes thereby giving enough importance to the visual aspect of the food. Apart from the decor, the plating is somewhere a lot of time and thoughts have been invested in and it’s evident from the end results. As always, I got to try their drinks, starters, mains and dessert.
I kicked off my lunch with a taste of these two spectacular drinks. The all time classic Aamm Ka Panna and Thandai. The former being the traditional Rajasthani drink with raw mango blend and spices, would definitely give the ‘kick’ needed. Thandai is also a famous drink from the lands of Pakistan and UP. This milky drink was rich in flavours and packed a punch that would leave one wanting for more.
My soup of the day was a Tomato Tulsi Shorba and it was served in a beautiful soup bowl with lid on a wooden holder that also had a piece of Indian bread. This version had chicken in it and this well flavoured soup was quite a soothing start. The starters were a surprise package thanks to their uniqueness in both thinking something like this up and presenting it in an even better fashion.
The Karuvembu Annasi, which were pineapple chunks with curry leaf dressing and pomegranate drizzle was quite a tantalising starter. The magic created by the flavours of pineapple and curry leaf dressing together sounded unorthodox in the beginning but one bite into it made me realise how awesome it is. The rice balls deep fried and served with an assortment of chutneys was a lovely snack. The Chicken Tandoori and Lamb platter served on a mini-bbq holder tasted as good as it looked. The succulent pieces of meat, perfectly marinated with the right amount of ‘zing’ to it makes it sure shot winner. Kerala Fried Chicken which was ‘pun’tastically abbreviated as KFC, had quite a twist in taste unlike the usual dishes we’ve tried and tested here in the south.
One of J Hind‘s highlights is the Street Eat Trolley, a chaat drama on our table side to explode ones senses with the forms and textures of the deconstructed Indian chaat using modern cooking techniques. Prepared with liquid nitrogen, the chaat includes a live counter performance of the usual chaat mix with dhoklas dipped in the magical liquid to be made rock solid. When biting into them the cold and chewy pieces along with the list of sauces and ingredients create a pleasant taste that’s got to be tasted to be understood.
The mains were the usual dishes made unusual in Chef Paraminder Singh’s own style. Amrisari Dhabba Murgh Makhani, which were tender chicken tikka cooked in tangy tomato gravy with dollops of cream and butter, is apparently found only on the highway dhabas between Delhi & Agra. Deconstructed to an extent, the dish was simply spectacular with its rich feel and scintillating taste. To balance the flavours of the country, my next main was Karakudi Kozhi Varatha Kolambu, a dish from down south. It consists of chicken marinated in a special blend of spices and cooked in a secret recipe that has been passed on to the next generations by Burmese Chettiyars. Apart from the usual Indian breads, I got to try their Jar Biryani Chicken which is the Tamilnadu version from Dindugal. The name has a story behind it. The daughter, when visiting her parent’s house post marriage, will get this biriyani packed up in a jar and get it to her husband. To keep up with the tradition, the biriyani is served in a glass jar and serving a biriyani hasn’t been any unique IMHO. Tastewise, it had the right spice levels and lived up to my expectations.
My dessert, the Live Mango Frio Ice Cream served with Gulabi is nothing short of a dessert nirvana that’s attained not just by tasting it but also by experiencing the way it’s made.
A beautifully plated Shahi Tukda forms the base of the dish. Fresh cream and mango puree is poured into a container and mixed thoroughly. Following this, the container gets a lavish amount of liquid nitrogen poured into it which makes the concentrate into an ice cream in an instant. The finishing touch is another level of theatrical performance altogether. A fresh rose is dipped into the liquid nitrogen and when taken out, the rose petals have turned rock solid. The chef then flickered the petals which broke into pieces and garnished the dessert. I’ve never enjoyed the making of a dessert so much and the taste, was out of this world.
Service was top notch and the personal touch from the waiting staff was a pleasant welcome to the cold and professional ones we’re used to at star hotels. The chef was kind enough to explain the dishes in his own fun filled way and it was a lovely experience to dine with the connoisseurs of food. Overall, it was lovely experience and after this trip, I’ve come here twice and it has become a great place to hang out. They also do special menus regularly.
Ratings Break Up
Location:- 5/5
Parking:- 5/5
Food:- 4/5
Customer Service:- 4.5/5
Ambience:- 5/5
Address:- Grand by GRT Hotels, 120, Sir Thyagaraya Road, T. Nagar, Chennai
Opening Hours:- 12:30 PM to 3 PM, 7:30 PM to 11:45 PM. 7 Day a week.
Contact No.:- 044 – 28150500
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