Area:- Uthandi, Kanathur, E.C.R
Cost for two:- ₹1,100 for two people (approx.)
Cuisine:- North Indian, Italian, South Indian, Fusion
After being cited as one of the ‘must-try’ places in town by reliable sources a.k.a foodie friends, I was at Gossip Bistro one fine weekend morning to try their breakfast buffet. After realising what a great deal it is for the bill amount we paid that day, I’ve been here 3 more times by the time I’m writing this review and after trying their breakfast twice, a la carte menu once and a dessert only trip once, I can very well say this places has turned out to be one of my favourites in town. Not to mention the assuaging feel the place provides and the comforting hospitality the owner couple cater, making this a place that makes it a go-to spot for all occasions with any kind of crowd.
Location
Gossip is located at Uthandi in ECR, just a few meters before the toll booth (a Rs. 50 saved). With well placed name-boards that are illuminated, the place is hard to miss. Considering it’s in a complex, there’s enough frontage for 4 wheelers, making car parking an issue to forget about.
Ambience
Gossip, in my opinion, has one of the most tastefully done decor I’ve seen in recent times. Be it the well stocked chiller at the entrance, the glass bottles of candies guarded by cupid topped lid, the two cow figurines that hangs its neck down the table top precariously as if drinking water off a pond, the artwork above the open kitchen and the even better one at the wall in the far end which could easily be a great idea for a full back tattoo, the decor screams with grace and elegance.
The well distanced furniture are more comfortable than what they look and the set of yellow couches that lean upon the walls are a lovely contrast to the dark cyan colored walls. The vintage posters that adorn these walls are sure to induce a smile on any one’s face across all age groups. What impressed me about the decor is the fact that it’s so subtly and deftly made that any seasonal theme can be added to it without making the entire scene an eyesore. For example, my latest visit to the place was a visual treat thanks to the Christmas theme they’ve incorporated in it which looked beautiful.
Food & Beverages
Considering I’ve been here for their breakfast buffet twice, I don’t think I’ll be able to do justice to this review by not talking about it. Their breakfast buffet is available on weekends from 7:30am to 10:30am.
BREAKFAST BUFFET
Gossip’s breakfast buffet is a wonderful outlay of food with a plethora of items that are spread across different cuisines. The basic includes an array of salads along with some freshly baked bread rolls along with porridge and Chocos (mentioning it specifically just because I love it). One side of the buffet consists of South Indian classics such as Idiappams, Idlis, Chutneys, Chettinad Chicken Curry, Pongal, Vada, Potato Ishtew and so on while the other side has Grilled Tomatoes, Hash Browns, Baked Beans, Boiled Eggs, Chicken Sausages, Minute Steaks in Pepper Sauce and much more. A variety of Omelettes, Dosas are available upon request, just like waffles which is also made fresh and served hot. At Rs. 399 per person, I can’t think of any other place in town that would provide such a spread which is actually lip-smacking enough to find the deal, quite a steal. I personally love their salads and bread rolls as well as their Baked Beans and Sausages. Their Beef dishes apparently change periodically and both the varieties I’ve tried found a fan in me. The last time I was here, they also had the make-your-own style noodles which went really well with dried shrimps and chicken gravy.
SOUPS & STARTERS
- Prawn & Melon Soup: A soup made from the cream of spiced melon and grilled prawns. The intriguing combination made me give it a shot and it was fortunately a hit. The rich creamy soup was soothing while the skewered prawns provided the fusion-istic crunch to the soup.
- Potato Skins: Halved potatoes carved out and filled with jalapenos mozzarella cream cheese and olives served with sour cream. Extra cheese never hurts (at least not at that particular instant) and this simple yet yummy starter exceeded my expectations I had for it.
- Karuvepelai Kaalaan: The name says it all. Mushrooms chunks fried with curry leaf masala powder. We found the masala to be under-powering but the juicy mushrooms are hard to resist.
- Mexican Crab Meat Nachos: Crab-meat with a couple of ingredients which also includes wasabi. The crab along with the medley of additives were delicious but we weren’t happy with the cup shaped nachos.
MAINS
- Braised Peppery Beef & Onion Kebabs: Doesn’t that sound like a haiku? Succulent chunks of beef in a peppery sauce, a combo which was a love at first bite.
- Braised Mutton: Opted for this dish as the list of ingredients consisted of Marjoram, a herb that’s not as frequently used in restaurants here as much as I’d like them to be. Along with the peanut rise, it was a carnivore’s dream on a plate.
- Peri-cardium: For a science grad, it was trip back to my uni where I learnt that a pericardium is a membrane that encloses the heart and for the nerd in me, the word play with ‘peri’ did force a grin on my face. It’s a chicken breast stuffed with peri-peri butter, salad and rice. The perfectly cooked chicken breast disappeared in no time thanks to its rich and delectable taste.
- Moon Shine Battered Prawns: I knew this one was going to be special the minute I read its description. Beer-batter fried prawns sauteed with condiments, it was also served with peanut rice and it was, as expected, a delightful dish. Since it was fried with a coating, it wasn’t easy to remove the tail part of the prawns which was quite a cumbersome process.
DESSERTS
- Traditional Warm Fudgy Nutty Brownie: The classic brownie with ice cream encased on a chocolate case. The theatrics where warm chocolate is poured on top of the casing to melt it and reveal the contents within was quite a sight. With what my city serves usually in the name of Brownies, I anticipated a below-par brownie but past the stagecraft, the brownie was fulled with walnuts, just the way I prefer. I can very well say that I enjoyed a decent brownie after a while.
- Caramel Custard with Irish Cream: What I expected from the above mentioned dish was something that was delivered in this. Just a regular Caramel Custard that could be much better.
- Swan Lake: This was quite a sweet surprise (Pun intended). It consists of two swan shaped meringues which sandwiches a scoop of white chocolate and coffee liquor mousse served on a blue curacao sauce base. While there’s so much that could be said about this dessert, long story short, it’s a must try.
Overall, every single time I walk through the doors of Gossip, it had been a wonderful experience and with consistency being the biggest problem in the industry, these guys make it look as easy as gossiping. Service is good and with a few minor tweaks, they can be even better. A special mention had to be given to the proprietors who’re passionate about this place and takes personal care of those present at every table. While there are some places that warrants a stop during the rides/drives down the highway, Gossip Bistro is a rare gem that deserves to be the reason for clocking miles at ECR.
Address:- New 141, Old 191, Opposite HP Fuel Station, East Coast Road, Uthandi, Kanathur, Chennai
Opening Hours:- Monday to Thurday -12 Noon to 10:30 PM , Friday -11 AM to 11 PM, Weekends 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM, 12 Noon to 11 PM
Contact No.:- 044 – 30205591
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