The name – Basil with a Twist, followed by a couple of posts on the food group had me intrigued. A new place in Tnagar, which served Continental food and actually had European chefs! My daughter and I decided to give it a try. Locating their facebook page and reservation for the weekend followed in quick succession.
The restaurant is situated on Habibullah Road, was fairly easy to find. Ample parking in front of the premises was another plus. The first thing that strikes you as you enter is the fully glass-enclosed kitchen completely visible from every side. The décor too was pleasant.
From our menu we decided on the Balkan Platter starter, the Lamb Sach of the day and the Beef fillet Steak. While we were placing our order the promoter Mr. Bogdan joined us.
I seized the opportunity to try to understand more about him and the restaurant. Mr. Bogdan is from Serbia and is an expert in Supply Chain management. He has been in India for over 5 years and has spent considerable time in North India, especially in Varanasi.
He explained the philosophy behind the restaurant. He likened it to the dish I ordered, the “Sach”. Pronounced Sach (truth) in Hindi, he went on to say that his philosophy was about truth. They believed in being extremely transparent about the process and were particular about hygiene in the kitchen. He claimed that most patrons feared that the kitchen may not be sterile and the due processes may not be followed.
The restaurant is situated on Habibullah Road, was fairly easy to find. Ample parking in front of the premises was another plus. The first thing that strikes you as you enter is the fully glass-enclosed kitchen completely visible from every side. The décor too was pleasant.
From our menu we decided on the Balkan Platter starter, the Lamb Sach of the day and the Beef fillet Steak. While we were placing our order the promoter Mr. Bogdan joined us.
I seized the opportunity to try to understand more about him and the restaurant. Mr. Bogdan is from Serbia and is an expert in Supply Chain management. He has been in India for over 5 years and has spent considerable time in North India, especially in Varanasi.
He explained the philosophy behind the restaurant. He likened it to the dish I ordered, the “Sach”. Pronounced Sach (truth) in Hindi, he went on to say that his philosophy was about truth. They believed in being extremely transparent about the process and were particular about hygiene in the kitchen. He claimed that most patrons feared that the kitchen may not be sterile and the due processes may not be followed.
The open Kitchen is a hallmark here...
The food is predominantly from the Balkan regions and also the Mediterranean. They are very clear that they want to have ample choices for the vegetarians too. The menu, he says, will be constantly evolving based on the feedback from the patrons.
Chef Jovan and Chef Goran are the two Chefs, who are also Serbian. It was a pleasure to watch them at work. Like a live Masterchef session on a large screen! :))
Chef Jovan and Chef Goran are the two Chefs, who are also Serbian. It was a pleasure to watch them at work. Like a live Masterchef session on a large screen! :))
The Balkan Platter The Balkan platter consisted of Chunks of Cheddar Cheese and Feta Cheese, Green leafy salad with strips of Posquitto, assorted olives, fresh figs and almond and a dip.
The Lamb Sach Sach is a dish from the Balkans. It is basically lamb that is soaked in its own juice for over 8 hours and is slow-cooked (usually in a clay pot) along with vegetables, in this case potatoes and carrots. The lamb was succulently soft and the meat was literally just peeling off the bone on touch. The vegetables cooked in the juices of the lamb tasted yummy too.
The Fillet Steak The Beef fillet steak was extremely soft and juicy. We ordered the steak with pepper sauce and it’s always a good sign to see pepper corns in the sauce. I gathered from Mr. Bogdan that a lot of care is taken to procure the right meat. They let the meat hang in order to age. And trust me, it showed in the taste and flavour of the steak. This was undoubtedly the best steak I have had in Chennai
For desserts we ordered the Baklava ice-cream and the Chocolate mousse. I have had Baklava ice-cream earlier and it did full justice to the name. Unlike the Baklava, the ice-cream lacked the pyllo and had nuts predominantly.
The Chocolate Mousse with its cherry based topping, an excellent combination I must say, literally melted in the mouth and was outstanding!
The total cost for two inclusive of beverage and desserts was a little over Rs 2000.
Verdict: A must visit place with an excellent ambience and delicious food.
Verdict: A must visit place with an excellent ambience and delicious food.
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