Chennai restaurants are waking upto platters?
So, in an attempt to reduce the amount of food that goes in, that really doesn't need to go in......OK, you with me here? Hmmm....an example would be the fourth piece of spring roll. Or the 3rd piece of fried chicken. So, in that attempt, which was herculean earlier, but with easier now with platters, I was really really happy to see a food festival, and one that I quite love being spiced up! With platters.
This year, Benjarong is celebrating the Bangkok Street Food festival along with the Songkran! And real street side sea food with street side drinks. Not street side prices, but hey!
The leaf with condiments is a staple at Benjarong, but today I thought it was unusually tasty and thats why the photo came in.
Anyways, so the street food thing. They've brought in some fresh flavours and according to the staff, who seem to know quite a bit about the food, stuff has been brought straight off the streets of Bangkok. I don't remember eating dim sums or satay at Benjarong, but the fusion stuff, that comes from the streets has made it to the menus of one of the best Thai restaurants in Chennai.
That orange thing in the photo. Its not orange juice. Not a mocktail. It is tea! Yes, tea. Orange colour. Yes, tea. It was fantastic. Why? The flavours of tea were well and truly there, but though sweet, the sweetness did not overpower the tea. So you could distinctly taste the flavours of the tea! Loved every sip of it. Apparently popular in the streets of Bangkok! Intriguing because I would kill to know what all goes into the tea!!! It had ONE unique flavour that I am not able to point my fingers or brain to and it is going to be a life mission to find out what that was!!!
And then starters. Life was easier with a pre plated platter of spring rolls. Two pieces each of chicken, crab and prawn!!! Simple dishes, though. The prawn was a stand out with little spring onion strips coming out adding so much flavour than the usual bland spring rolls. Then came the Thai dim sums. With the niceness of the Chinese dim sum and the flavours of thai, this was excellent.
Then the soup. Again. Street style, tom yummy, but not tom yum. Slightly different. It had noodles like Top Ramen, but different size and shape. The soup was yummy. It was called Tom Yum Mama Goon! Indeed. The thing with soup is that it serves two, which means you will run out space for main course. Not a bad idea. Dinner was filling without being stuffy.
Dessert of course! An excellent Jack Fruit Home made ice cream served with cream and steamed jackfruits was the perfect end to the meal.
Prices are on par with their regular menu and a meal for two will set you back by Rs. 2000. The festival is on till the third week of April, I think.
COMMENTS