Home to an array of Indian food down at Pettah, Chettinad is a popular local joint. Consisting of two floors, its first floor is a juice bar for whoever is walking by, and in the scorching hot sun that mercilessly beats down on those who take up the challenge of exploring the streets of Petta, comes in handy. The second story is where the food is at.
Ambience and Service
While the first floor has a few spacious Indian resto styled chairs, the second story consists of a huge, air-conditioned hall, where the tables are clad in red and are placed in a way that makes it very spacious. They were quite spotless and there is nothing to complain about in this aspect.
The service is 0ne aspect that can be improved upon. While the staff weren't exactly rude, we didn't really feel welcome and they were very curt with everything they did.
The Food
Pictured above: Cheese Naan and Chicken Pulao
The Chicken Pulao (Rs. 350) that we ordered came in a rather generous portion, and one of the little things we loved about this was the fact that there was a lot of cashew in the fray, roasted and not-so-roasted alike, that gave the dish quite an extra kick. The promised chicken was but one leg of a chicken, that had meat, but just enough. There wasn't anything special with the chicken and the rice was slightly dry too, but a lot of carbs to store down on nevertheless.
The Chicken Tikka Masala (Rs. 450) was probably one of the highlights of our meal here at Chettinad. The curry consisting of mouthwatering flavour, a tad bit too much oil and of course, plenty of spice, which was an indication of the fact that the food is being prepared with the usual Sri Lankan palate in mind. The actual chicken in this curry was slightly disappointing. A little too mushy and a lot of skin, it wasn't the best.
The roti options that we went with were not all that glamorous though.
The Cheese Naan (Rs. 200) was a tad bit stringy and although it looked like cheese had been infused, we did not receive the slightest cheesy flavour from the Naan.
The Butter Naan too, followed suit. A bit tough, it had lost its succulent texture that we admire, and neither was it all that buttery. It felt like having paratha that had been in the display box for quite some time.
The Lassi (Rs. 200) that we had was quite refreshing as well. Thick, the curd flavour hitting properly, it was relishing.
Conclusion
Considering how comfy the place is and how cheap the food is, if you want to satisfy your hunger and you're in the area, this is probably one of the more convenient and reliable spots to grab a quick meal.
