There are times I miss Cha Bar. The amazingly wonderful quaint little bookshop that had a wonderful cafe and allows you to keep reading to your heart's content. This time around, I had a book in hand. But didn't have a place to read. Car? No. Office, definitely not on a Sunday. Amethyst? Thought about it and almost decided to go there when a friend suggested the Marina Beach.

In the recent years, I've not used Marina beach as much as a good Chennaite should. I don't go there running anymore, I don't go there in the evenings and honestly, I guess, I've forgotten Marina. What else can explain me wondering where to go to spend some alone time reading a book and Marina had to be prompted for me to even consider it? Shame on me! Shame on calling myself a Chennaite!

So I landed. Sunday evening is like a open house with individual family parties. Was very lucky to find a place to park my car. And the food scene was inviting. Marina used to be the place which had only 'Sundal' while Elliot's Beach was the happening place. Not anymore. Marina has transformed! And gotten dirtier in the process, but livelier.

So, started off with a 'sandwitch.' Nice simple roadside style. Rs. 30. And to wash down the spice, I had to get a drink that is almost synonymous with Chennai, the sugarcane juice. This one was spiced with 'Lamon,' ginger and something else. While the spellings amused me, a shoe wearing, camera and book holding guy snapping pictures amused the vendors. In the age of the selfies, I asked them why they were amused with somebody shooting pictures. I was right. The book is what amused them. And the vendors gladly posed for photos. "Padikaravanga beach ku varamaatanga saar.' Loosely translates to 'those who study do not come to the beach.' 'Study' and 'Read' are not really differentiated in their world, I guess.

So after the 15 bucks sugarcane juice with lamon, I ventured to a 'Bombay Chat House.' Having recently explored the street food of Bombay, I knew this was not even close. "Appadi potta dhan saar makkal varango." Only if you put those names, people come to the stalls. Hmmm....So I had the puri channa, Chennai answer to a fusion of pani puri, channa puri and other stuff. Pani puri sized puris, loaded with a very runny gravy and topped with a pasty channa mix. And condiments added to the top. At 30 bucks, this was slurp. How can I not have the sundal? This is the only food that brought back a flood of childhood memories. My grand dad used to take us to the beach as kids and we used to play with frisbee and cars and what not. But being a hotelier, he NEVER allowed us to eat the 'sundal.' NEVER. Inspite of having awesome cutlets and other stuff to eat, I used to look the one dish that I couldn't have - the sundal. The first time I ate it was when I went to the beach while I was in college! (During college hours or after college hours, is NOT the point of discussion here. 10 bucks for paper cone of sundial with raw mango topping! Bajji. Wow! A plate of 'mix' which has potato, onion and raw banana! Slurp. A mango duet ice cream from Kwality Walls and I was done.

Oh. Just in case you were wondering, I did read 20 pages of the book under the lights near the skating rink sitting on a bench! 

What's up with Kati Rolls in Chennai? After the once famous Tic Tac became quiet for a long time, Tibbs Frankie filled the gap with the frankie, obviously not quite the kati roll, but they were quite popular and survived for long, possibly due the attractive price and reasonably good taste, Bay Leaf served (supposedly) authentic Calcutta Kati Rolls and The Hot Kati Roll Shop set up its service on RK Salai to excellent business! And now one more!

Tucked away in one of the outlets, completely away from public view in Wellington Plaza, Egmore (same one that has Donut House, Milky Way, Pizza Republic and a few more), is this new place called the Katti Kebab Company. Now, this outlet is meant to be the base for setting up multiple kiosks around the city and so there is almost no ambiance; just a glorified street shop with a couple of benches and two small tea tables.

But among all the kati roll shops in Chennai, this place probably has the widest choice. The two page menu has at least 30 options in various permutations and combinations and you have a choice of 'healthy' wheat kati rolls or the traditional maida ones. Unless I am eating one every day, when I eat a kati roll, I don't want it to be bland in the name of 'healthy', but I want it to be fluffy and full bodied and so, I did not like the wheat ones at all!

Today when my colleague and me went there for lunch, we had the chicken anda roll - one in wheat and one in maida and he ruefully looked at mine and took a few bites and conceded that his wheat was a bad choice and he loved mine. We decided to share a aloo channa roll in maida and quite liked that too! Most chicken ones are priced around the Rs. 120 mark, while the veg ones are priced around Rs. 100 and the mutton ones around Rs. 150. Good kati rolls with a wide choice for non vegetarians and eggetarians, a about 6 different pure veg ones.

3.5/5 for me!

So, there is another place for kati rolls and you have to walk behind the Wellington Plaza complex to spot it! 

Almost everyone in Chennai knows this place and if not, everyone should. Where else will you get sandwiches for this price and this taste? Located right outside Alsa Mall, Egmore, this guy probably makes more money than the whole of Alsa mall put together.
Just wonderful bread omelettes, vegetable sandwiches and chicken sandwiches. All priced under Rs. 20 and he even has a menu. Everything can be customized as to how much chutney you want, how spicy you want it and how much you want it grilled. The cucumber 'time pass' till you get your sandwich is a really a time pass, but you get it only if you are in a car with a couple of people. My favorites are the chilly cheese toast and bread omelettes while the friend loves the simple veg sandwich, not grilled but with the soft bread, bliss. And you can have a full meal for under Rs. 50 a person with a small 7 up to wash it down.
So this weekend, try the roadside sandwich instead of the fancy restaurants if possible. And don't be surprised to find mercs and BMWs parking on the other side and the driver packing a few sandwiches, it's been happening for decades. Is it healthy and safe? Definitely better than vadas and bajjis fried in super reused oils.
Food 9/10
Price 9/10
Just outside Alsa mall. You can't miss it.
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Ok, on a cash crunchy day, when two ATMs refused to spit out money for some strange reason we landed ourselves at this dingy outlet, a couple of hundred meters from the Kodambakkam bridge and decided to see what the aroma was at this place.

We sat on the dingy bench and saw the 'menu' and ordered ourselves 1 plate of parathas, two romali rotis, a fried rice, a portion of paneer butter masala and a portion of dhal fry masala. Well, the two gravys were priced at Rs 20 each (yes, you read right) and the breads Rs 10 per plate and guess what, I don't know if it was price that made us feel that way, but the food was very very decent. Certainly better in a lot of ways compared to 50 bucks, a proper budget restaurant on RK salai. The food is prepared right in front of your eyes and so there is no problem with it being fresh! The portions are decent, made for one person, so you will be fine with one rice and one gravy dish!!

Obviously you do not expect any service here, so I am not going to talk about it! We also had two lime sodas each and so the 'meal for two' was Rs 100 flat!

Food 7/10

Ambiance 3/10

Service - NA

Price 10/10

Aroma is a tiny eat out located about 200 m before the Kodambakkam bridge (diag opp to Sekar Emporium)