A lilting old Bollywood melody plays in the background as I sit sipping on a masala lemonade, lost in my thoughts. For a minute, I imagine I’m sitting in one of the good old Irani cafés in Mumbai. But as I look out the windows past a large brunch table, the sun is beating down relentlessly on what is unmistakably Chennai, for just down the road is the Annai Vailankanni Shrine.
I’m at Patina, the latest café in town. Housed in the Woodpecker building, a stone’s throw from Elliot’s beach, Patina identifies itself as an Indian diner. With a menu boasting Parsi delicacies such as papeta par eeda, anda pav, spicy mutton on khari and rava prawns, it is a hark back to the Parsi cafés that once dotted Mumbai.
The only things missing are the familiar black-and-white checkered flooring and old wooden tables and chairs. Mathangi Kumar, the chef behind That Madras Place and The Summer House Eatery, was keen on a café that was different. “No Italian and European food here. I’ve borrowed a leaf out of Mumbai cafés,†she says. So instead of chicken wings and bruschetta, you can choose from spicy chicken pattice, kheema on khari and okra (ladies finger) fries.
Mathangi recommends I begin with a chilli cheese pav with chicken, then rava prawns and mutton pattice. Zingy green chillies and melty cheese lend it an unmistakable oomph. But the chicken struggles to find a place in the sun, lost in the medley of the oh-so-soft pav and dominant flavours of cheese and chilli. The rava prawns are a delight. Coated in crunchy rava, the prawns are spiced just right and cooked till juicy. The mutton pattice is a take on the Hyderabadi shikampuri kebab, but with toned-down spices. The pattice melts in your mouth but is meaty enough and served with a side of butter-toasted pav and mint mayonnaise.
Up next is a round of Patina’s jhalmuri made with cheeselings instead of puffed rice. The dish sings, with the cheesy crisps melding with the slashing of piquant mustard oil, while the grated raw mango takes the tempo up a notch. I must say, I quite like this remix. One of the things that caught my eye on the menu was the okra fries listed right under the regular fries. I try a portion. The ladies finger is sliced thin and coated in a light mix of cornflour and soda water to form crisp fries that are dusted in a spice mix and served with a side of garlic chilli chutney that makes your tongue tingle. Given a choice between potato fries and these, I’d pick the okra, for innovation and explosion of flavours.
For main course, the kaya toast, with its slightly nutty and gooey filling of coconut and pandan leaf-infused jam, is a rather nice break from all the spice in previous courses. But if subtle is not your cup of tea, opt for spicy tomato macaroni, which with its generous dose of chilli is perfect for those who like a spicy, tangy punch.
If that sets your mouth on fire, I’d recommend the Parle G cheesecake. It is a dish straight out of childhood — the sweet, crunchy biscuit crust is perfectly complimented by the subtle creaminess of no-bake cheesecake. It gets better: the cheesecake is served with a side of kheer. Pour it over your cheesecake and you’ve got your good old milk and biscuits again. What’s not to love?