On chatting wit
h Nadeem, the consultant behind lobster-jobs and eatitude.com, I discovered that Azzuri was started with the aim of giving customers the best of Chinese and Italian under one roof. The team of consultants, that has eateries like Bay Leaf, Petawrap, Burger man and Java to its credit, is proud in adding to its patron list.
It being a weekend, we reserved our seats well ahead and reached almost 45 minutes late. We were promptly guided to the third floor via a lift which is cramped and if you are a team of ten people, you probably should wait for the next trip. With another Buddha welcoming you, the terrace setting is a great thought, giving just enough space for gossip, chinwag and laughter. As ‘azzuri’ in Italian means ‘blue’, the view of the Bay from our table was romantic. But as luck would have it, rain drops shooed us to the 2nd floor which was in one way a blessing as it was a tad windy above.
“Though we are only about 60 per cent complete, we have taken care in setting two separate kitchens – one for Chinese and one for the Mediterranean cuisines- and two teams cooking diligently. The Chinese food has an Indian touch, but the Italian is authentic”. The decor was mild and pleasant in the 2nd floor and we ordered a vegetarian Chinese soup – ‘Man Chow Soup’ (Rs.160) which was a thick ginger-flavored soup with capsicum, mushrooms and carrots, topped with crispy noodles. It was wonderfully flavored and of right consistency – however, adding the crispy noodles was the secret in making this a hit on the menu.
We then got on to the starters, where we were dumbfounded by the sheer variety on offer. After much deliberation, we settled on ‘Saute Prawn Chermoula’ (Rs.250), which was medium sized prawn sauteed in olive oil, spring onion, garlic, tomato, chilli flakes and coriander.And though early to mention, this was the clear winner of the meal.A must-try item, the prawns were wonderfully cooked in the sauteed onions and tomatoes, and I almost wanted to lick my plate clean. Worth every penny, I must say.
Sum, which was nothing but our very own Mo mos- a steamed dish made of either veg/non-veg filling and wrapped in a Chinese pastry.Finally, the last item to arrive was the ‘Grilled Chicken stuffed with Coriander and Bacon’, and the chef was kind enough to accommodate our request of removing the bacon. The coriander stuffing was very good; however the plate did look like it was grabbed from someone else table. I was not sure if the dish was complete, as the quantity was definitely not worth what we paid for. Even if all that you care about is quality, I would not vouch for the sweet white sauce accompanying the weeping chicken, but the chicken was for sure tender and flavorful. As you can see from the above pictures, “Azzuri Bay” skimps on portions.
In ‘San Francisco Ice Tea’ (Rs. 100) was definitely a treat. The mild lemon tinge along with mint leaves and fruit flavored ice tea was something my taste buds needed to defuse all the food I had and simply close my eyes to choose the winner. Of course I have revealed the champion. Haven’t I?
Though we loved the food, a whooping total of Rs.1250 for just the two of us, left us flabbergasted.
Unfortunately the sad truth is, even people from the envious IT sector are seeing lame promotional hikes of just 10 -12 % and having to spend 5% of our average salary at restaurants for a casual meal would probably mean lesser visits. It would help more if the quantity is increased as I am still not happy with shedding Rs.300 for just 6 small momos – I would have had all of them for the cost of one at Bangalore on Commercial Street (but ambiance?)
The restaurant definitely takes credit for the ambiance, especially the roof top. You can bring a large group here for celebrations, young children, or anyone who enjoys a good, flavorful meal.Azzuri also has dedicated staff who take care of infants while you enjoy your “WE” time. The atmosphere in is laid back and the waiters are very friendly.Will I come to again? Yes… when I get promoted. That said, when it comes to having to propose to your girlfriend or celebrating that special anniversary dinner, Azzuri is the Bay, oops place, to be
Serves : Chinese and Italian
Type : VEG and NON –VEG
BEVERAGES : Non Alcoholic
Rate n a scale of 5 : Ambiance (4),Quality(4),Quantity (3),Service (4)
Budget scale : very expensive
Address: 13, 1st Crescent Park Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar,Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600020. Reservations: +91 -8754490250