The Crown, Residency Towers

Ok, so picture this. You hear from someone that there is a jar in the kitchen with delicious cookies inside. So you reach out for the jar and put your hand inside, only to find it empty and also get bitten by some nasty red ants. Well, that petty much sums up my visit to The Crown at the Residency. Yes, the dome did look elegant and the outdoor seating that gives you a great view of Chennai was quite splendid, but then, I went there for the food, didn't I? So anyway, here is my impression of The Crown. The trip itself was a few weeks old during a business meet, but found the time just now to actually jot them down.

(Crispy Fried Calamari)

So we admire the interiors and the awesome view and quickly get down to ordering the starters. We picked the Crispy Fried Calamari and the Jumbo Fried Prawns. The waiter informed us that the Jumbo Prawn has only 3 pieces and so we ordered two of those. They arrived pretty fast and oh boy, were they terrible or what. The prawns were huge in size and got you all excited. However, try biting into it and you are met with stiff resistance from the hard coating which is difficult to bite into. Wrestle for a few seconds and you reach the jumbo prawn, which by now is completely dry and chewy. A real waste of those amazing sized prawns. The Calamari was equally disappointing. There were more crumbs and batter than the calamari itself. I can safely say that I have had better Calamari at Fisherman's Fare.

(Pan Grilled Pomfret)

(Prawn Ravioli in Creamy Mascarpone Sauce)

The main course took around 45 minutes to arrive. Thanks to the good night view, we really did not complain and instead waited patiently. The Pan Grilled Pomfret was ok in flavor but a little sad in regards to size. It was thin and could easily be finished in two mouthfuls. The sauce that accompanied it did enhance its flavor. Another big disappointment of the evening was the Prawn Ravioli. The sauce was a little too salty, it had hardly any flavor of the mascarpone and if that wasn't enough, the Ravioli shells were too thick and not cooked well. Biting into it was like biting into raw dough dipped in some gravy. We did not bother finishing that dish and just left it.

(Grilled Tenderloin Steak)

(Oregano Lamb Rack)

The Rosemary Tenderloin and Grilled Tenderloin were decent dishes. Surely not the best steaks I have eaten. Not even close, but considering how the other dishes were, the steaks were given a thumbs up. The plus point was that both the steaks were cooked right as requested. One was to be well done and the other was to be medium rare and they did get that right. The gravy was a little thin on the Rosemary Steak and could have been a little thicker. The lamb racks were again not the best. I felt it was a little too dry with its juices and flavor squeezed out and if it was a little more juicy, it may have worked.

(Rosemary Tenderloin Steak)

The mashed potatoes and the vegetables were the same on all the dishes. The veggies did not seem to have any flavor of its own, unless it was combined with the sauce or gravy. The mash was really consistent in its texture but could have been a little more creamy or moist. At this point, we decided that we really did not want to experiment with the desserts.

All dishes are priced in the range of 500 to 700. I have previously read some good reviews about the Indian food served there and this experience of mine got me wondering if they specialize in Indian food. So maybe I should stick to Indian the next time if I ever go back there.

Ambiance: 8/10
Taste: 5/10
Service: 6/10
Quantity: 6/10