List of yummy food places in Chennai

How about a list of restaurants / food / snack / take-away places in Chennai that you visited and found worth recommending? I think it may be great for expats or out-of-towners staying in Chennai or for returning Chennaiites.

Mods if such a thread has been done before, my apologies in advance.

I'll start off with mine:

1. Eden The link has a mention of Eden among others
Good veg food. No meat. Home cooked feel. On top of Maharaja store in Besant Nagar (I think its Maharaja. If it's not Maharaja its the one a few metres from Maharaja). Sorry, thats the best for location. You could always google the address if you plan on visiting. I'd guess Rs 200 pp

2. Fruit Shop on Greames Road
Diagonally opposite the big temple in Besant Nagar. Yummy ice fresh fruit juices. No added sugar option. Rs 25~100 (or more). Has branches

3. Annalakshmi
On Mount Road, veg fine dining. Run by volunteers like doctors and lawyers who cook as well as serve (don't know about cleaning). Highly recommended. Pay as you like.

Disclaimer: I've not visited Chennai in a while so some if not all may have closed..

Look at The Metroplus Food Guide, a book published by The Hindu newspaper. Has some good reviews: food, service (btw- is this the worst city in the world for service or what? tons of guys in every restaurant but it still takes an eternity to get your food. Or is it just taking me a long time to settle into the 'sedate' pace of this country...), hours, prices, address. Not bad.
My personal choice: far and away the best place I've been to is Dhaba in Velachery. But then again I'm not a vegetarian, pure or otherwise, so.. Anyway, it's next to Kaaraikudi, which is ok but not as great as a lot of people have told me.

http://chennai.burrp.com/

look no further

dhaba express

2-3 years back it was great.

So far as the very many veggie places are concerned, I'd say that there is not that much difference, one to another.

Just pick a place that looks clean .

But if it is a different cuisine that you seek, then things probably get more competitive.

Enough to keep one busy for a few months!

I've heard a lot about The Hindu guides on various subjects, economy, politics, arts..Must remember to get some..

Sarvana for dosas and such stuff.

Noisy, but delicious.

http://www.saravanabhavan.com/

...you spelt the name right in the link, not in the post!

Have to say that I think it is over-rated, especially by tourists who get the name from the guidebooks.

But... their home-made fresh-fruit ice cream is just wonderful, especially thejackfruit flavour. Also, in my experience it is quite safe to eat.

Oops; the link was cut and paste, the spelling was not

nick: you've lived here about 3 years (am i right?) and the only suggestions you have are:
1: pick a place that's clean (obvious) and
2: tut tutting another suggestion.
any actual concrete HELPFUL advice???

Yep.

Don't get hung up on ideas like the best dosa --- a dosa is dosa is a dosa, unless its bad, eg soggy.

I usually eat at Vasantha Bhavan in Mylapore, if you really want my recommendation --- its on the opposite side of the tank from Saravana Bhavan. But I recommend not to uset their toilets!

My best test of a lace is see if the table tops are clean. They will always be wiped between customers, but how clean was the cloth? How clean was the water?

There: helpful advice

I'm going to add another vote for the Saravan Bhavan, especially the one at Mylapore where there's a permanent sense of bustling "happening". The one at the Central Train Station is pedestrian by comparison.

If the menu confuses you just shout out "Special Masala Dosa!" -- that'll never be misunderstood. And act natural when the staff come around with the portable vat of Sambal. Seconds are free if you act like you expect it.

Avoid the cakes though -- they look tempting but are ghastly (pesticide taste). Moreover there's a fabulous European bakery just adjacent in the plaza, so get your afters there instead.

Some Punjabi stuff in Madras..

This one is good.

Vellore's Gyan Vaishnav Punjabi Dhaba

Exotically named....yeah.

Great vegetarian fare- It is on the mount road(anna salai),
near the Old Anand Theater(somewhere between the Gemini Flyover and
the Spencers Plaza)

Adn their prices are just right.

For dessert....

GRAND SWEETS!!
I believe its in Anna Nagar. Best is to be there when free samples get passed out to eager bystanders.