Check out Chennai's newest rooftop restaurant that serves fusion chaat, kebabs and more
When we walk into Up North at Pullman Hotel for dinner, we are treated to views of the bustling traffic on Anna Salai below and the twinkling lights on the metro station nearby, all while ensconced in a tastefully done-up glass house.
Pullman Hotel, an international chain owned by Accor, a French group, threw open its doors in February this year, and Up North, which was the rooftop restaurant in the hotel's earlier avtar as the Raintree Hotel has made a comeback.
'This is not your typical North Indian restaurant focussed on sharing portions and family meals. The menu is well thought out and concise, with a combination of small plates, kebabs, crafted cocktails and mains to choose from,' says Vinodh Ramamurthy, general Manager, Pullman Chennai Anna Salai.
While the views do promise a very Instagram-friendly meal, we start off with their cocktails. The Gulaboo martini, a rose and gulkand-infused vodka cocktail is just the right amount of sweet and refreshing. The Imli-Old fashioned, a gin cocktail with tamarind chilli and orange bitters however needs to have dialled down on the sourness.
There are quite a few fusion experiments on the menu, we soon discover and one that proves to be a success is the crunchy ghewar chaat, which blends sweet and spicy flavours with a tamarind chutney topping mixed with berries. The deep fried bite-sized haleem croquettes however definitely needed to be seasoned better.
We move onto the kebabs and the murgh malai kebabs do not disappoint; the succulent, creamy chicken pieces are perfectly cooked. For the vegetarians, the khubani hara bara kebab are melt-in-the-mouth.
Dal makhni here comes much hyped, and does not disappoint and is best paired with crumbly, soft garlic naan. The chicken biryani then follows, steaming hot and placed on the table in a pot with the seal intact. While the rice is light and fluffy and the chicken generous in quantity, the biryani definitely needed punchier flavours to stand out, especially given the rather aggressive competition with regard to the dish in Chennai's burgeoning food scene.
The desserts we dig into; both the falooda tres leches and the kunafa gulab jamun are innovatively plated. The falooda tres leches is an immediate favourite, with a cold, spongy cake that comes soaked in rose-infused milk.
Over the years, a restaurant serving up a good garlic naan or a subzi has become an intrinsic part of most star hotels in the city. Stand-alone restaurants serving North Indian food for years now have been undisputed family dining favourites. We notice Up North's diners are a mix — of large families trooping in for a late dinner and younger diners, eager to take in the views, phones in hand and steaming plates of biryani for company. Vinod says that this is what they hope to cater to, a diverse crowd of diners.
Whatever category you fall into, if you want artsy shots of your dal makhni with the views, we suggest you pick the tables in the corners near the glass-panelled walls. The kebabs are good of course, but the views make them better.
Up North is at Pullman Hotel, Anna Salai. A meal for two including alcohol costs ₹3,500 plus taxes. For reservations, contact 91500 01759
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