The Real Taste of Bombaat

We, the deprived citizens of Chennai, are forever envious of Bangalore. Not only do you guys have all the water in the world but also the hippest watering holes, the hottest jobs, the coolest chicks, the rockiest rock shows and even the yummiest restaurant names.

If the last bit is news to you, then you better visit every one of the restaurants listed here and order a Fresh Lime Soda Salted to celebrate your discovery. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to raise a toast to me for serving you this worthless piece of trivia.

Okay, let’s now dive into the meat. Coming from a city full of boringly named Bhavans, I was utterly delighted to stumble upon the South Indian joint called South Indies. Tucked away in Indira Nagar, South Indies is a fabulously franchisable moniker that evokes the joy of sipping a piping hot Kumbakonam Degree Coffee while soaking into the rhythmic riffs of Carnatic Reggae.

Three Quarter Chinese was another quaint name that caught my eye. The reason I flipped for it is simple: All of us have seen so many Chinese joints that also serve Indian food. But no one’s made a virtue of it. Here’s a chain that unabashedly proclaims that its menu has 75% Chinese and 25% North Indian food. I found that cute. BTW, which came first Thermal And A Quarter or Three Quarter Chinese?

Phileas Hogg in Marthahalli, is one more sparkler that can pull any passerby inside with its college humour charm. To me, it’s the perfect restaurant name. It’s not overtly wannabe and yet, it sets the right expectation of cuisines from around the world.

The Vietnamese Phobidden Fruit , the Korean Soo Ra Sang (meaning ‘fit for a king’), the resto bar Ruh (Arabic for ‘spirit’) and the Mexican Habanero (a real red hot chilly pepper) piqued me too.

But the ones that make it to my Top 3 are, Toit (the Irish way of saying ‘tight’ - a slang word that means both ‘with it’ and ‘hooters’), 69 Seconds (69 symbolises the single quotes) and the very playful I & Monkey. Agree maadi?