Rashmi Uday Singh’s Good Food Guide

Shanghai in Chennai

Chennai charms me! I scour its streets for foodie goodies, sniff out caterers and devour its restaurants for my weekly column. I can tell you that foodies have plenty to smile about in Chennai. For instance did you know that the country’s best Japanese restaurant hums busily in a bylane here? Or that this city has some amazing home caterers and cooking classes ? However, here is your answer for where to go if you are looking for a venue for your next stylish corporate bash or that business buffet lunch. I received many a mail asking for such-like venues in the major metros. Since I’d like to make this column as useful and usable as possible, here is a yet another move in that direction.

Shanghai Club
Ten thousand grains of rice in a bowl, long strands of birthday noodles, unbroken strands of noodles wound around chopsticks and then finally chopsticks over an empty bowl. The restaurant is huge with reddish-maroon pillars and shimmering chandelier dispel all cliched motifs of outworn Chinese restaurants. So, walk right into this lobby-level restaurant and past the tall sculptures and paintings and zero in on Chinese chef Yang Jiayu’s food (who was earlier at the Great Wall Sheraton, Beijing). He not only hand picks his raw materials but also takes pains to ensure the authenticity of the food here. Study the a la carte dinner menu with its tracings of maps, request the maitre de to guide you through it and enjoy the cutlery and glassware and the chang mei containers. This large 84 seater restaurant also has a private dining area which is patronised by corporates, like Hyundai, Ford and others. The city’s who’s who haunt this restaurant including the likes of Rajnikant (who loves the chicken dishes), Lata and Kamal Hassan.

Even the buffet lunch is extremely popular here. For Rs 350 they serve nine vegetarian dishes, four non-vegetarian ones, 10 Chinese salads and they even have a live counter. In the a la carte menu, it is the Peking Duck which is extremely popular. For starters, do ask for the crispy spinach with sesame seeds and green chillies, salt and pepper prawns. Seafood lovers go for the crabs, lobsters and even a steamed red snapper.

Wind up with Chinese custard with whipped coconut cream and don’t forget to sip on Chinese tea served out of an ornate golden tea pot!