Oysters In Chennai

The new rather infelicitously named Taj Mount Road which opened recently on Club House Road, has a Saturday/Sunday brunch buffet which is different from the standard fare that is dished out in buffets in other hotels of the city. While the fresh sea food selection is nowhere as varied as at its sister hotel Fisherman's Cove, it has some unusual items (unusual in Chennai, that is) like salmon topped with caviar in the cold cuts section, a decent selection of cheeses, Gruyere, Brie, Camembert and even more surprisingly, fresh oysters on the half shell with lemon and an interesting sauce of onion, red wine and vinegar, served on a bed of ice. This is the first time I am seeing oysters served anywhere in Chennai and I suspect that they won't last too long, along with the salmon. Most Indians seemed to avoid it ("what, no masala, no jeera dhania just plain, almost raw?"), and so did the foreigners ("watch out for these so called fresh sea food in these third world countries!"). The salmon didn't fare much better, so my advice to people who would like to sample these, is to go soon. They also have a selection of sushi both veg and non veg, as well as Dolma (various condiments and vegetables wrapped in grape leaves).

The ambiance is nice - a long banquet hall like structure with a raised wooden platform, flooded with diffused natural light from a transparent sun roof. Saturdays and Sundays, 12.30 to 3, Rs. 950 per person + 12.5% VAT and includes sangria, a selection of cocktails and beer. It was very crowded when we went though that could be the novelty effect, but it's best to reserve a table in advance.