Shom's friends asked him to join them at Annapurna, near the Police Commissioner's office in Egmore. It was gonna be authentic Bengali cuisine. I had a fever but Shom insisted on taking me along. And then, I was on medication anyway. So I went.

Annapurna is not your regular restaurant. Its a small place. We initially rode past without spotting it. I met the entire gang. Everybody there seemed Bengali, or atleast spoke the language. The Menu was penned on a whiteboard in Bengali and I guess there were only 5 dishes.

As the afternoon progressed, I realized this place was unlike any restaurant I had visited in Chennai. Its more like an eatery put up by someone to allow other people sharing a similar taste in food to come and enjoy themselves. And that's what makes it so homely and no frills.

All of us were served the staple bhaat, motor dal, dhoka (something like a kofta) and thor (delta sweet and made of banana). I also got treated to rui maach. The overall feel was like having lunch at a Bengali home. The bhaat was way too much for me to swallow, but the the amer tok chutney did the trick and I rounded up the bhaat with it !

Later that evening.. 11pm and I was starving. Robbie and Maddy tried their luck at the Murugan Idli Shop and quit plans for a Dosa dinner after seeing the crowd. So even I wouldn't get packed Dosa.

Luckily, we've now got a new chain close-by - next to IITM. The decor is a welcome change from the dingily-lit Sangeetha. Its perky and bright in there. I really liked the interiors of the swanky new Hot Chips. Its got a huge inviting entrance. Their lower floor is a self-service restaurant. And the entrance has separate fruit juice and coffee counters on opposite sides - perfect to handle the crowds ! The seating is simple and comfortable. The delivery counters are deep inside and the space has enough fans and openings to keep the place airy. You can't feel claustrophobic in there. Great work by the interior designer !

I got my Masala Dosa pretty quick and spent most of my time thinking how pleased I was - never having to go to Sangeetha again !

They serve Cothas Coffee in plastic cups. And its bloody milky good. The one thing I forgot to ask them is - till what time they're open. The cuppa was worth coming back for more.