Went for dinner this is really quite and cosy and rustic with a gentleman playing the flute ...we ordered karvapillay prawns ,Melagu chicken and rasam for starters and for the main course we ordered iddi appam,appam and Porotta with mutton in coconut milk and chettinad chicken ...the food was decent but price is x5 .....
We had their Thali for lunch . It was so good and filling .
Best part was their appam , it was so soft and fluffy . The Eleneer payas was delicious and yummy
This place has just been reopened after renovation. One of my favourite places to have South Indian food. The menu is good but their USP is missing . They used to have a wide variety to chutneys (20 to 30 types) before but the new menu does not have anything like that.
You should bring back that cart full of chutneys which you had earlier. That was your USP and hence I am rating you only 4 stars.
You can find world class cuisine here, lots of variety especially in desserts. But the problem is most of the dishes are not tasty(saying that it's authentic tasteš
) but still you can give a try just for the experience. The staffs are friendly, excellent ambience are the few pros that saves the brand TAJ
Rajarajeswari Mathavan
+4
Visited this place for my parents anniversary ! It has recently been reopened after the renovation works. The ambience, was amazing. It was great. With good lighting and aeration and so much of privacy.
Coming to the food,
STARTERS- for starters, we ordered a vanjaram fry and chicken fry. Both of them were good. They were so yum.
MAINS- for mains, we ordered parotta,appam with vella kuruma chicken, and a mutton.
The vella kuruma was amazing. It is a must try ! The mutton was amazing as well.
They gave us rasam, papad and thatai as complimentary as soon as we went in. The rasam was the best part. Itās a must try. they even gave us a complimentary cake being my mom and dads anniversary. The cake was super yum š
Overall, I had a great experience and I would love to visit again !
we were wondering in egmore for some nice south indian food then idea of heading to this restaurant in taj striked in out mind and we moved to this place.as we entered there it was like going for a grand dinner with nice decor.i dont remember the dishes which we ordered but their presentation was superb.they served multiple chutney which were loaded on a separate trolly meant only for chutney.taste was good. a bit high on pocket but we really enjoyed the food and hospitality of the staff.
Most favourite place for South Indian and Chettinad food. I usually frequent this place for lunch with family. Excellent ambience. Service is very good. We usually have their thali which tastes exquisite.
Amreetha Senkathiravan
+5
I always wanted to try out this place coz of the ambience.They have outdoor as well as indoor dining.The outdoor gives you a feeling of sitting in an isolated forest specially at night plus they have made one part like a temple. We were confused on what to have and the waiter suggested to have their thali.The thali had lots of variety of Tamil nadu dishes .It was perfectly cooked .The waiter was so good that he was explaining what all is included in the thali and once we are done with each dish he was forceing us to have little more. Few dishes which i never eat he had convinced me to eat and told you will really like it.For some dish i wanted pickle (which was not included ) he listed all the pickle which they have and bought it for me.I had a feeling i was eating in a house where i was their guest.Never in my life i saw such good waiter.I strongly recommend all the people to try out this place.It was our anniversary and they gave us complimentary cake which was so yummy.For two meals and two drinks the bill was 4000.Worth the money spend
Vivanta by Taj Connemara, the heritage property in Chennai is closing down on June 15 for a year for restoration. While Raintree, the Chettinadu cuisine restaurant within Connemera will close today itself after serving it's last dinner. It's been 15 days that they serve only dinner and not lunch.Ā . The hotel was a house Ā originally and was given the name of The Coultry Plain by British army as it was on the bend of river Cooum and the travellers could use the space for overnight stay.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Raintree, the speciality Chettinad restaurant is located in an Chettinad style wooden structure situated under an old raintree in the garden of the Vivanta by Taj Connemara complex. With large picture windows and coconut wood floors the setting is quite magical.
We went for lunch and elected to eat the Chettinad thali ā non veg for all 3 of us.
The meal started with a wooden chutney cart /trolley bring brought and offered to us ā several varieties of chutney to eat with a variety of papads. Delicious but one shouldnāt fill up on it as the thali is rather extensive!
This was followed by a delicious lightly flavoured coconut milk based mutton soup,
Then the piece de resistance ā the thali was served ā comprising a dry chicken and different curries of chicken, mutton, fish and a vegetable. Served with rice and parotta.
Pickles from the wooden thali were offered ā including prawn, chicken and mango pickles to complement the meal. I tried the prawn which was delicious.
The sweet ending comprised payasam and something unique made of rose petals, like a preserve. Served with a spice filled white chocolate.
What made the meal so special was the service which was impeccable and just right. Definitely lived upto our expectations and deserved all the great reviews!
I have always been awed by the awesomeness of the Taj group , not because it's a renowned five star group , but by the hospitality that is extended once you step in to the property.
Raintree stays true to the above in every way. The buffet lunch is something one should experience . Along with the special attention you get , the chef is more than happy to take you through the ingredients when asked for ...
I had taken a few friends to treat them , they were sceptical about going to taj and having South Indian buffet .... I don't think they regret it any longer.
It's an experience ....
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I HAD to complete my 150th review with this place because it's one of my favourite South Indian restaurants in Chennai. I usually avoid splurging on south indian restaurants because home is the best, whatsoever. But this one deserves the splurge.
Location and ambience :
It's located in Taj Connemara, one of the oldest star hotels in Chennai. The place is camouflaged inside a beautiful garden. The water features, the vintage statues of God gave us a warm feel. The outdoors are breezy & perfect for dinner. We chose to sit inside. It is built like a typical Chettinad house with the thinnai and all. The inside is SO SO beautiful! It scores a cent for me.
Food :
We had the Aachi Thali and this is what we had :
1. Accompanies - we were given 5 types of chutney (peanut, onion, coconut, Tomato and coriander ) and a few fry-yums! I didn't understand what I would have with the chutneys. I just tasted all and it tasted decent.
2. Vasanta neer shots- Adorable shots of tender coconut blended with mint quenched our thirst! We loved it so much that we ordered it separately. Its 250ā¹ for an extra glass of Vasanta neer.
3. Soup - Rasam! I never thought I would drink Rasam for soup. It was tasty. I mean why wouldn't it? it's RASAM!
4. Main course ( THALI) - Parotta and Idiyappams with the yummiest Manatha Khali, Kootu, poriyal. I had to get it refilled. I loved it that much. They also gave lemon rice which I didn't like. We were also given AAPAMS and it was soft and tasted wow with the chutneys. We also had Rasam sadham and completed our main course with curd rice!
5. desserts - we got a rose petal, date and honey blended sweet. If you like rose petal, you would absolutely love this. We also got cinnamon chocolates and mint leaves coated with chocolate.
Price :
Its a star hotel, of course it will be costly. But worth a splurge.
It's temporarily closing very soon for a renovation. So please call them and confirm before you go!
Overall 4.5/5
Ambience 5/5
Food 4.5/5
Service 4.5/5
Vfm 4/5
Parking *valet*
Vijaykrishna Ranganathan
+4.5
You walk down the pathway with the lighted pillars and cross the water bodies and the muted lights within the restaurant greets you. In the evening, the space is remarkably intimate with a beautiful water lily pond at the center. This is a classy looking space with an old school comfort, which goes well with the rest of the heritage Taj Connemara property.
I had made reservations, to bring in my aunt's 60th milestone birthday, with my family and when we arrived, we were warmly welcomed and seated. The restaurant was not very busy, save for a few hotel guests. At one corner, the musicians were playing classical instrumental music, which went well with the ambiance.
The maĆ®tre- dā offered us the menus and after a bit of back and forth (my parents didnāt want anything very heavy, at that hour), we settled for a seafood thali for myself (as well go whole hog), veg thalis for the ladies, veg stew with appams and a veg pilaf. I also ordered a couple tender coconut mocktail (very refreshing with hints of honey and mint).
Then began the eat-feast! We got a bunch of papads/vaddams(rice crackers) with an assortment of chutneys, then came a plate with lightly spiced peanut mixture and a rava laddu, which were delicious. I got a crab meat soup as part of my seafood thali and the veg option was a drumstick soup. The soups were flavourful and yet light and perfectly spiced. The starters for the veg were podi idlis, which were decent, but my prawns with a curry leaf coating, was simply heavenly! These had to be some of the freshest prawns Iāve ever eaten, absolutely fabulous!
The mains finally arrived and in my seafood thali, I had a semi dry prawn curry, seer fish curry and a shark mince curry, along with a stew, lemon rice and curds. The vegetarians had a couple of curries, The meals were in classic chettinad style. My mom found the tamarind content in one of the koyambu, a little too high for her palate, but the rest were good. We got a selection of parathas, idiyappams and appams to go with the meal. The veg stew and pilaf were excellent too.
We were pretty much stuffed, when the dessert plate came on. It was a warm-cold option of payasam/kheer and a warm halva made with gulkand and a white chocolate with a spice filling. The desserts were good, but a little tepid in nature.
At the end of the meal, they got us a delicious choco mousse cake on the house and while my delighted aunt, did the honours, the musicians played āhappy birthdayā on the flute, classical style! Really sweet.Ā We also got a box of chocolate on the house to take home.Ā
Surely while the meals in such 5star restaurants are expensive, what made the dinner memorable was the unbelievable service. Our server that day was this cool gentleman called Robin and he was faultless. Itās the small gestures like taking feedback, gently goading the older folks in the table to eat a little more etc, making sure the refills were promptly done etc which was really good to experience. Taj for me epitomizes great service and this was a great representation of the brand.
Raintree, ultimately is a fab place for classic south Indian cuisine and I highly recommend it for a special occasion splurge!
Decor/Ambiance ā 9
Food ā 8.5
Service ā 10
Overall ā 9.5
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
When you come across a cheaperĀ deal of some brand on a website, how do you avoid it? Simple, you DONāT. Yes. So when I came across a nice deal of The Raintree,Ā Vivanta By Taj Connemara on Nearbuy, I couldnāt resist it. Bought two coupons that included a Thali for INR 799 each with desserts to end the meal.Ā
Location & Ambiance: Located right next to Spencer Plaza on Binny road, finding Taj Connemara is a cake walk. And who doesnāt know the Hotel anyway?
The Raintree is at the other end of the hotel. So you need to walk all the way down to the other side to find this quaint Chettinad restaurant. Situated in a very calm corner of the hotel, it gives you a very peaceful feeling. They have both ā a greenery filled breezy outdoor seating as well as an elegant indoor seating space. The indoors has a thatched roof, glass windows overlooking a lot of trees, wooden tables n chairs, photo frames depicting village lifestyle..basically everything gives a very vintage feel. I took my mom along and she was mesmerized with the ambiance of the restaurant.
Murali Krishnan Padmavelama
+4.5
It was my best best buddy's b'day and I wanted to take him for a different kind of lunch after being bored with all the elaborate buffets, continental and oriental fare. Chose The Raintree at Taj Connemara having heard a lot about their Chettinad Thali. While reserving the table I gave them a note that we are celebrating a friend's b'day.
Murali Krishnan Padmavelama
+4.5
Happy to write my 50th Review in Zomato and double happy to write about a restaurant in the Legendary Taj Connemara of Chennai.
It was my best best buddy's b'day and I wanted to take him for a different kind of lunch after being bored with all the elaborate buffets, continental and oriental fare. Chose The Raintree at Taj Connemara having heard a lot about their Chettinad Thali. While reserving the table I gave them a note that we are celebrating a friend's b'day.
The restaurant is located in the extreme end of the hotel and takes a good walk from the lobby to reach here. U Will be transferred to a serene world filed with tranquillity. All along the way there are antique rock pillars and other village stuffs.
Mr.Deepan took care of us right from the time we entered the place. The ambiance is so very contemporary yet with major touches of Chettinad style. The whole place was filled up with darker shades and with huge window panes allowing a lot of natural light which was a perfect and pleasing blend.
We were given a heavy Menu book which is more heavier than a marriage album :-) And it narrates short tales about the Chettinad history and their trade routes and about their cuisine. We chose the thalis - Veg. Thali for myself and Non veg Thali for my friend. Along with the Thali we also ordered two #Vasantha Neer. That is a heavenly combination of Cold Tender coconut water with lime and mint.
Vathals / Vadams served with an array of Chutneys from their specialty "Chutney Cart" was awesome. The cart also had many Podis and pickles to try with Rice. I personally became a fan of the Tomato Chutney from the cart and finished all my Vadams in no time.
Veg soup was #Murungakai saaru which was spiced to the right amount and tasted great. And starter was #Vaazhaipoo Vadai - not too great. Idiyappam, Appam, Parotta were all made fresh and served on table with Veg Kuruma, baby Potato fry, Urundai kuzhambu (lentil ball gravy), Poondu kuzhambu (garlic gravy) and curd with white rice. The coriander rice served tasted very bland. They serve a platter of Appalams, and other deep fried goodies that had Lotus stem, okra, and other legumes.
Non veg Thali had Chicken soup, Chicken deep fry as starter and the same staples. It had #Fish Gravy, # Mutton Kuruma, #Chicken Pepper Fry. The #Mutton Kuruma as per my friend was the best out of all. Dessert was #Ilaneer Paayasam, #Gulkandh Halwa and white chocolate. Everything tasted great.
As a final treat my friend was offered a Huge B'day cake which is unusual as all other hotels give a small piece of complementary cake for b'day celebs. . The better part is - the Chocolate Mousse Cake tasted awesome with a light mousse on a thin financier cake as base. It was a great gesture by the team. .
The only issue I had at this place is that the Service was too slow. But it also helped us to enjoy the different courses of the meal and don't feel overfed. . Overall a great lunch on a special day that helped me for my 50th Review. .
This is a getaway from the madding crowd and an awesome place to savour the chettinad cuisine at its best. Very quiet and serene and tastefully designed out. We opted for the veg. Thali. We were served rasam as soup, a guava mocktail, crisps with chutneys as the first course. Rasam was exemplary and then came the thali. We got manathakkali kuzhambu, avarakkai porial, palkatti kurma, mango rice, mango ginger gravy and chettinad kaikari pirattal. The kuzhambu was top notch. Idiyappam and parotta were superb. Rest of the dishes were quite regular tasting. Sambar wasn't good at all. They need to work on their sambar recipe. Dessert was rava payasam and white chocolate. Nothing to rave about. All in all, I would rank their ambience and some signature dishes the best and rest of the food normal. We were attended upon meticulously but service was quite slow. It was a good lunch :)
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
The Raintree at The Vivanta by Taj will rake in as perhaps one of the finest Chettinadu restaurant's in the city. There is such a sense of serenity and quietitude here and it is a perfect getaway to have a lovely fine dining experience. Seldom would you find such a calming influence within the city and this place is certainly an exception on that front.
It's located in the interiors of the Taj Hotel and you would have to do some walking to get there. But what you would witness will delight you. It's spread across a vast space and the outside enclosure looks like you're in the woods. There is sufficient distance between the tables and nicely divided over the large surrounding. If you're the one longing for a perfect private feel, it doesn't get better than this. The inside portion gives the vintage native olden day feel with thatched roofs and decorations depicting the vintage cuisine of down south. Whether it's the outdoor or indoor there is a lot to smile about for the ambiance lovers. There is also some nice mild classical music and the gloomy lights gives the desired feel.
As we were going about placing our order, they served some fry yums as appetizers to go along with a sumptuous spread of chutneys - coconut, tomato, onion, peanut, coriander, gongura and chilli urga. The chutneys were just lip smacking and I just couldn't have enough of them. They also gave papads and chillies as add-on.
And then we got going with the food. Listed below is a brief summary of how each of them tasted:
- Murungakka saar soup:
Set the perfect tone for the dinner. It was liquidy with an aromatic flavoring of drumstick. With the spices crushed in it gave a lovely lingering taste. Great start.
- Kalaan Milagu:
This was a mushroom starter sauteed with spices aplenty and fragranced with karuga pillai ezhai and chillies. The texture made it look more like a semi gravy but it tasted fabulous and a perfect foil for the spice loving afficionado. Definitely not recommended for the spice conscious.
- Paalkatti Pattani Mundhri Parattal:
This was a main course gravy comprising a mixture of cottage cheese, peas an cashewnuts cooked in coconut cream. It was creamy and had a tinge of sweetness to it. It was a mistake on my side to order this as it didn't really go well with the appam and idiappam. From a spiced up start, the direction changed u turn and it wasn't really welcoming.
- Egg Aapam:
It was made really well with the bulging piece of egg right at the center and spruced up with herbs. It was mellow and felt nice on the mouth.
- Idiappam:
It was as soft as a feather. Just like how you would expect to be.
The food overall packed a punch. There was nothing really to complain barring the main course dish which was more a mistake on my side for ordering something off the hook. The portions were large and felt complete. We refrained from having desserts.
The price was however one of the grey areas. To say this place is expensive is an understatement. It can literally burn your credit card hollow. The service was top notch. The servers were very helpful with our orders and had good knowledge about the food at the restaurant.
Be prepared to spend a bomb but rest assured it will end up being one of your finest ever dining experiences.
Well it's the best chettinad food I ever had the variety they have is amazing , have the thali if you go there , would surely recommend this place to friends and family šš
The idea of Candle light dinner in Chennai's oldest hotel was truly astounding. The restaurant's interior comprises of a lot of wood, from Flooring, furnitures to wall panels etc. The service was top notch. The food was good but nothing extraordinary though. Price wise its definitely on the expensive side but the posh looks and the startling experience is really worth a try.
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 3/5
VFM: 3.5/5
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
This place was chosen on impulse . My parents were in town and it was dad's birthday. Coming from the northern part of the country they always have an inclination towards south indian food especially thalis. Till the last minute we were not sure if we were lunching out as we were expecting a few guests. Well later it was decided and i finally decided to take them to The Raintree. I read a couple of reviews on zomato, which had a mix of rating, and immediately booked a table and also asked them to arrange for birthday cake for dad.
The restaurant is quite a walk from the lobby. The restaurant is located in the middle of lush green surroundings. The place felt very calm and the decor was traditional. They specialize in Chettinad by the way.
We were welcomed with some vattal that is papad and other crispies /chips with myriad chutneys. There was small trolley cart which was taken around to every table. This had different kinds of pickles and chutneys , which i didn't know existed.
Well it was decided that we would go for thalis, my mom being a vegetarian by choice chose the Aachi Veg thali, i followed suit . For Dad we ordered a Special Non-veg Thali. Meanwhile we were served rasam as a welcome drink. This rasam was mild, the spices were not harsh on the throat. It was perfect . The staff suggested we have Vasantha Neer which is tender coconut with lime and honey. It was very refreshing and had an amazing taste.
The common item in the veg and non-veg thali were idiyaapam(string hoppers), appam and parottha . Both the thalis were just so delectable.
This was one of the best south indian thali that i have had. In the end they served payasam , white chocolate and a dark chocolate which was okay.
The birthday cake which was a complimentary chocolate mousse cake was heavenly , i have no words. I wanted to have the entire cake by myself but was considerate enough to leave it for the staff there.
Their service is impeccable, food is brilliant .
Final Verdict : Heavy on pocket but worth every penny. Visiting soon again
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
This property itself has a lot of story and soul as it is one of the oldest buildings sitting in the heart of chennai , the soul of the property has very beautifully ascended in the food served here as well, I was very sceptical about choosing this place to have South Indian food as, let's say five stars and three star hotels have a reputation for bland food but boy was I wrong!! Food here has soo many flavours, I had forgotten existed!! And made me realise how accustomed we have become to either sweet or salt overdose!! I chose to have the non-veg thali , it had an awesome balance of dry chicken subji with fish curry and a few side kick veg subji's!! The dry chicken subji made me skip a heart beat, it was spicy, had a strong base of pepper and delicious beyond imagination!! The uppam were tender and complimented every dish perfectly!! The ambiance was beautiful and had a lot of natural elements to it with ample amount of sunlight, plants and water fountain giving it an extremely earthy touch!! The service was top notch and accommodating !! I can go on and on ranting about this place.. I'll definitely go here if I ever happened to be in chennai!!
This is one heck of a restaurant for South Indian delicacies. This restaurant is unknown to many and it is on the extreme on the back end of the hotel. The merry is so pleasing and homely. It is kinda small restaurant with bar counter. The crowd isn't much. Try their set menu, it the best.
PLEASE TRY EELANIR PAYASAM. š£ Bomb it is, you can't get this kinda taste anywhere seriously( you will thank me for this). Other best were fish and prawn fry, mutton curry, biriyani, fish Kulambušš¼, appam with Paya, spicy crab shell less. Their DessĆØrts are great too.
Overall you have a great feeing of having south indianfood.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
It was 1 30 pm and we were looking for a good authentic chetttinad hotel around egmore . It was my first experience to Raintree and undoubtedly the best chettinad style food i could have ever had .Ā
I started placing my order with a Non-veg thali and i was very eager to try their drink . It was elaneer blended with mint and it was exceptional and their meals part was started with a parotta , idiyapam , aapam and everything was soo good . Their chicken curry given along the meals was the best part. we ordered tiger prawn and vanjaram fish fry as starters vanjaram fish fry was good just like how it tastes in other restaurant but tiger prawn was at top notch due to its extra masala which was equally hot and spicy. After a very good and much satisfied they provided an elaneer payasam which was way too unique .The white chocolate which was also given during dessert was good but the taste and elegance of elaneer payasam clearly overshadowed it. I personally liked the way in which the cook was describing his food which was presented to us . Every single dish which was placed to us was at top notch .
The bill was something around 6k.. It may seem bit expensive but the taste of their food was seriously worth that. sum up raintree is surely an underrated restaurant which has great ambiance , great cooks and i would strongly recommend for people who love to have good south Indian food.
I went there fa my bro's b'day last year the food was extremely good and we asked fa a cake they gave an extraordinary and yummy chocolate cake . The set up of the restaurant was awesome wanna visit all other restaurants of vivanta
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
We ate here twice when we stayed at The Connemera. It was sheer bliss to say the least.
The ambiance of this place is just brilliant. I can try to describe it here, but I do not think I will do it justice. The waiters/bearers are unbelievably capable, friendly, warming, etc, etc, etc...
Their Meals/Thali is the best way to savour everything this restaurant has to offer. They start with a bowl of papadums/papad and they serve this a delectable array of chutneys/spreads which they bring it in a trolley. There is some theatre here.
Just to warm up one's palette they serve a glass of rasam which was the best rasam I have ever tasted. Then comes the actual meal. I had the Non Veg and my partner had the Veg. Everything tasted divine. Food was at the right temperature and the bearer who served us explained each dish our plate. Its great to see someone who knows what they are doing/talking about. Each day the menu for the Meal/Thali varies, which is the best part.
They also serve a glass of juice before the meal and also dessert at the end of it. We were served Sweet Pongal, A cold Payasam and White chocolate for dessert. The experience the first time around was so amazing that we eat here again the very next day.
The second time we ate here, I was already full because of the heavy breakfast buffet I had had at The Verandah, that I just had some soup (Kozhi Saaru AKA Chicken Soup), which was bloody brilliant. The same guy who served us the previous day also served us on this day and he was kind enough to offer me a plate of Appam inspite of me not ordering anything other than the soup. He also served me some dessert. This is what I call Service. He knew what to do and when do it. I have never experienced this kind of service anywhere except at the Taj. Its a testament to the people there and the training they go through before they are put in service.
My partner felt the exact same way and she was too bowled over the quality of food and service.
Without batting an eyelid I would eat here again, and would recommend it strongly.
Fabulous space for dining with close ones... I visited this place with my friends and definitely it is one of the best place in Chennai to dine...
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
It's 7 in the evening and the charm takes over as we walk down the quaint entrance, the black granite path dimly lit and the walkway lined with fifteenth century carved stone pillars on either side leading to the restaurant. The dim lighting extends to the outdoor seating area where a couple of tables are beautifully spaced out, perfect for a quiet romantic evening under the green raintrees.
We walk into the restaurant, and the magic continues. Ć la typical Chettinad home, it has an extended roof, pillars, and a spacious thinnai aka verandah. We are seated right beside the large glass windows that look out on to a tree filled courtyard on one side, and an broad tree trunk in the midst of a thriving natural setting on the other. A water body with a bunch of neatly trimmed reeds occupy the centre, while beautiful frescoes near the bar counter capture the spirit of a traditional Chettinad home reflecting village life.
The food and drinks arrive and the chutney trolley is rolled to our table with close to 15 variants - coconut, guava, peanut, tomato, ginger, apple; list is endless. They go well with the vadams ( South Indian crispies ).
We tried the Vasantha Neer, a refreshing drink made with tender coconut water, lime, honey and mint. It most definitely needed the punch which was missing, nevertheless propitiating us. The Corona, as usual is great when tried in tandem with the tangy and spicy chutneys.
The Kezhanga Meen Varuval ( three portions of Smelt fish deep fried in a Chettinad spice mix full of fresh flavours with tomato, ginger, green chilly and lemon juice, served with onions) had me asking for more, rightly made with a beautiful blend of spices.
The Karuvepillai Podi Idly ( Idlies tossed in Spiced Curry leaf Powder ) was far from impressive, but they tasted better when taken with the sharply contrasting apple chutney. Famous for its use of a variety of spices, the dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground masalas.
Since we had a movie booked for the night, we wanted to keep it light, and so went for the Parottas and Vegetable Mandi ( tasty casual blend of vegetables cooked in rice water and tamarind ). The Parottas were flaky and crisp, the best I have had in a while.
Elaneer payasam, being the family favourite, was the dessert of the evening. The presentation is unique, but it was lacking in thick coconut milk, and needed more of the valuval aka tender coconut pulp.
A meal for two costs roughly Rs 4000, totally worth the ambience and the service, if not the food. A lovely evening beckons.
Very good ambience,good service, kickass mocktails. Belgium pork belly was the black sheep-wasnt as good as we expected.The pork was mostly undone and a bit expensive too .... Overall good experience. :)
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Vivanta by Taj connemara is considered to be the only Heritage hotel in Chennai, existing for more than 100 years. Once called the spencer hotel, this place is a museum by itself. A virtual tour of the hotel is a must before heading out to the restaurants with great photos and history attached all over the hotel. This hotel doesn't boast the luxury that other new hotels in the city possess but it is the old world charm that makes it a special place.
Now coming to Raintree. This restaurant also has some history attached to it. Been in existence for more than 25 years, this specialty restaurant was the first luxury south Indian restaurant that was opened in India, even before the popular southern spice, dakshin and karavalli came into the scene. This restaurant serves only Chettinad cuisine unlike its counterparts where u get food from all the southern states. Headed by the famous chef Chandrasekaran, an old veteran of Taj, who has been with them since their launch.Ā
The menu and the restaurant was re launched in 2013. The restaurant has a modern yet traditional look resembling a house from Karaikudi. The entire setup was Art director Thotta tharani's creation and has a calming atmosphere to go with the food.
Food is completely chettinadu inspired from the chettiyar community of Tamil Nadu and all the recipes were handpicked from the households of karaikudi. In local language - it is known as Aachi's samayal. I ve been here before, so knew what to order. Went for the Aachi samayal thali.
First they serve the vadams / papads along with an array of chutneys. There are around 10 varieties of chutneys which comes in a cute little cart. There was coconut, tomato, onion, bitter gourd, raw mango, pineapple, peanut, ginger, pudhina etc. Each and every one can be had on its own. Simply brilliant. Then they serve a complimentary sundal and thattai. Thattai is a common chettinad snack which was crisp and perfectly fried. Sundal was superb with the right amount of coconut, mustard seeds and onions.
Next came the murungakkai saru. This drumstick and lentil soup would cure anyone down with cold. It was divine and the peppers just takes it to another level. Next came the podi idly tossed mildly with ghee and curry leaves. It was served steaming hot and the combination with the coconut chutney was heavenly. Just couldnt get enough of it.
Next comes the thali, which comes with parotta, idiyappam, appam, beetroot rice, vazhaipoo parupu urundai kozhambu, baby potatoes curry, Kaikari kurma, Karuvepalai poondu kozhambu, sambhar, rasam, curd along with parupu podi, curry leaves powder and ghee.
The parotta was easily the best i ve had. Super crispy yet soft, it went really well with all the three curries. Idiyappam and appam were served fresh and hot and again a winner with all the curries. Beetroot rice was disappointing with absolutely no flavors from the dish. Tasteless. Of all the curries, the baby potatoes cooked with chettinad spices was nothing short of spectacular. One helluva dish. One could actually taste the authentic chettinadu flavors in this curry. The vazaipoo urunda curry was unique and tasted really good.Ā
Next i was served some steamed rice with sambhar. Sambhar was just ok, little bit on the bland side. Rasam was terrific to drink. Nice and strong. Parupu podi and karuvepalai podi with ghee was fantastic. Best to have it with their assorted vadams / papads. Karuvepalai poondu kozhambu was another stand out dish. When mixed with ghee, it tasted great. Curd was decent. Not very thick. Their choice of pickles was something to look out for. The garlic pickle and guava pickle stood out.
Next comes the desert. Gulkand (Rose petal) halwa, Elaneer payasam served along with a home made mint chocolate and white chocolate. Gulkand halwa was good, but couldn't eat much because of the strong gulkand flavor. Elaneer payasam was sensational, easily the best i ve had at any hotel. Incredibly light with subtle flavors of elaneer. Helped myself with a second serving. Next on request, i was also served a strong filter coffee, part of the meal. Best way to finish a fantastic dinner.
Service at Raintree has always been exceptional and today was no different. Despite being crowded today, the service was of high standards.
Raintree is such an underrated restaurant despite existing for quite some time. This restaurant should be recommended to those visiting Chennai and wanted to have a taste of the region . Highly recommended
THE best chettinadu food experience you can ever get ! The authenticity of the food , the beautiful setting + ambience and the Service levels are beyond perfection .. If you have not dined here , you are clearly missing out on something very special !
Eashwar Vishwanathan
+4.5
They started the RWI in chennai this year and this was the one restaurant that was perfect to take my grandma to..and it seriously didn't let us down...the food was as awesome as it sounded the ambiance is fab it actually fells as if u'r in a prefect chettinad restaurant and their trademark coconut payasam was awesome!!!!
Recently celebrated my husband's bday at the Raintree... The biggest plus is the venue itself.. The restaurant is located outside the Taj Connemara behind in the garden.. Being located in egmore... it transports you to private garden where you can be with your loved one all alone.. The food is fabulous(love their chutney cart)... and the desert to die for(Rose petal sweet)... the service is prompt...
They make your spl day even more spl for you with their festive cake cutting...
The ambience of the restaurant is awesome and service extended by Mr. Robin was excellent, my first visit to Chennai and feel good that I came to the right place to enjoy the hospitality!!!
Superb hospitality and nice ambience with a quaint, lush surrounding, tucked well inside the taj premise. The rating is primarily based on that, because somehow I seem to have not developed a palate for full blown South Indian meals yet. Thus, I would refrain from judging the taste; I liked the mutton though.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed my first Chettinad thali and it was an excellent experience to be told by the stewards about the process of preparing certain items and the scientific reason behind consuming them. Oh, they have a dozen or so different pickles to be had with papadam and sun-dried okras. Interesting and full of flavours.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
This one tops my list of south indian meals!
Went alone and went for the non veg meals..
They started off with vadams (chips/paapad) and choice of chutneys. Their chutney cart was quite elaborate having over 10 flavours including likes of guava, groundnut and bottleguard. Vadams looked relatively oil free and each variant had a unique taste.
This was followed up with a rasam (to drink). One of the smoothest (if I could say so). I have never been fascinated by rasam as a soup replacement. Mainly because its either too liquid or the spice hits the throat. But this, was nothing like it. Wow!
Onto the main course and it had a chicken dry item (with small onion and garlic- was fantabulous), chicken gravy (good and spicy), vegetable kuruma (sweet and adding variety to the meal), brinjal dry, poriyal and kootu (wrong person to comment on that).
I wouldn't say any of the above was bad, but loved both the chicken dishes.
Breads:
Appam- was too thin and crispy. Made it feel like a crispy dosa; not my style
Parota- best I have ever had. The crisp factor and thickness.. Wow!
Idiyappam- not in my expertise to comment. But its idiyappam.. Who can get it wrong?
Rice- mango flavored rice- was ok
Drumstick Sambar- yum!
Curd- thick and good
They had a big spread of curd rice eats (dried chillies, drumsticks, etc). I havent seen these many options anywhere else.
Dessert- semiya payasam was a let down. Or it maybe so coz my mom makes it better
White chocolate- happy ending ;)
Burp!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
The Raintree is amongst the best premium South Indian restaurant I've eaten at. After 3 years in Bangalore and having experienced the "award winning" Karavalli (also at a Taj property), I had my socks blown off. The service here is incredible, the location with the indoor water feature and nestled amongst trees is serene and beautiful. The food isn't about complications, it's just good.
When you walk in here, they'll seat you politely and bring in the basket of complimentary papadams. And then this trolley of assorted podi (gun-powder type substances), fresh chutneys and pickles will come by. It has everything from fresh tomatoes and ginger to the usual coconut and coriander to the more unusual melon. It is totally surprising and makes you wonder, will I have enough room for any food after a couple of beers and couple refills of those complimentary papadams with the complimentary array of chutneys. Hmmm...
The food is difficult to fault. There are probably several little joints all over the state that make a better Kozhi curry or a more authentic Meen curry, but this food is very good and you're not gonna get this experience anywhere else. You gotta try this.
If you are the sort of a person who believes that a good fine dine meal deserves it's time and yes great chettinad food can be enjoyed in a fine dine format, Raintree is the restaurant to be in.
To begin with, this place believes in actual freshness. Everything is a-la-minute. Secondly, there are no copy paste recipes, thus no two dishes taste remotely the same.
26 years. Recently relaunched, most dishes on menu is still from the original menu and most importantly, the fact that these items came out of actual chettiyar houses is a zing thing.
Must recommend chef chandrashekhar's curry leaf paste prawns and the F&B managers signature cocktail: jasmine martini.
I'd give mixed reviews on Raintree. The Rasam and desserts ate fantastic, but the mains and accompaniments lack the luxury Taj feel. Although the chutney-cart is unique, most of the 12-14 varieties are loaded with ginger. It's worth going to once in a while for someone who likes the Taj brand, but this place used to much better earlier.
This is a place which is a worth to visit. No questions could be there about the service of Taj...
I'm a fan of Taj group now
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Renovated in July 2013, The Raintree offers a quintessential South Indian dining experience set in a gorgeous location in the heart of Chennai. We were invited to try the 'Aachi Samayal' - a 2014 take on the age old style of cooking adopted by the maamis or homemakers of the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu in yesteryears.
While the traditional way of eating a South Indian meal is off a banana leaf, the Raintree team have improvised to place a neatly cut banana leaf on a piece of fine crockery which makes for easy eating for those not used to licking their fingers off the leaf. Expect to be pampered and spoilt over a grand four-course meal replete with the choicest Chettinad fare in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
Must order: The Jasmine Martini - a unique concoction which involves a jasmine infused sugar syrup fused with vodka to make for a stunning drink that tastes better than it sounds or reads!
Veg: Rs. 899
Non-Veg: Rs. 999
The Aachi Samayal is available for lunch. At those prices, you should definitely be planning your next Saturday lunch there.
In pics: The banana leaf plate, a portion of pineapple halwa (dessert) and a cup of filter coffee - the ONLY way to end this meal.
One of the most underrated restaurants in Chennai , I have dined here a number of times mostly for dinners. They have an impressive range of dishes ranging from south indian , continental and tandoori. Their starters are definitely worth trying and am content having to try them completely for a whole meal.
They have an impressive wine list and service is warm , friendly and unobtrusive. I have a special liking for the Crab dish and the cutlery deployed with it. It is a n experience to use the hammer and tongs literally to go after the crab. The biriyani here was a dissapointment the last time over. But the lull was compensated by their desert and ice creams. The erstwhile Connemara always has a wonderful ambience for a delightful and satisfying dinner .
Its a hidden jewel in Chennai's food scene. Tucked away at the far end of Vivanta Connemara it easy to miss it but once you find it, its hard to forget. The south indian decor with the glass roofing in the center gives it a unique ambience. Their cart of chutneys (I think 12-13 of them) is unique and rarely do restaurants give such variety for chutneys. They even have some interesting cocktails with an indian twist - for example with coconut water. Nice and quiet place for a date so check it out.
Tried the thali for dinner with my family. The food was great right from the beginning to the end. The elaneer payasan is fantabulous! Must try!!
Amazing food and ambience. Will highly recommend this for a night out with your better half or a group of friends. They have open to sky seating as well.
This place's ambience is great! The chef is too good. We all had appam, idiyappam and stew.
Well served!! The staff were so cordial and efficient.
Loved the vibe they set in for the melodies numbers that they play from their Carnatic playlist.
Oldest restaurant that serves good southern Indian cuisine.
Great food and service
Great tasting food
Must visit for foodies craving for chettinad cuisine.
Nikhil Srinivasa Reddy
+5
Great ambience, well trained and friendly staff. Food was very good. Got to taste samples of each preparation in both veg and non veg. Special mention to Mr Robert, Mr Venkatesh and Mr Ajay for taking care of us well and being attentive to our needs. Will recommend, however go with a big appetite as the portions served are very filling.
This restaurant has a great chef who knows what heās cooking even if heās blindfolded I imagine! Thanks to the chef and his leadership, eating here made our stay at Taj memorable, erasing any less good experience. Thank you, Mr Robert, Mr Venky, team of this unique restaurant, the kind explanation of cuisine origins and excellent recommendations. Chettinad food which is in harmony perfect balance in taste, not too heavy and leave a warm feeling in throat. Rare baby jackfruit briyani with mushroom first time eating. Coconut milk dessert is deserving of ultimate health drink here. Cool and sweet to soul. Trip to The Taj incomplete if not visit this restaurant. Puts me in a good mood. Thanks to team Raintree. 7 stars.
I recently had the pleasure of dining at The Raintree , and I must say it was an incredible experience from start to finish. From the moment I walked through the door, I was greeted with a warm and friendly atmosphere that made me feel right at home.
The restaurant's interior is tastefully decorated, creating an elegant yet cozy ambiance. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect, from the comfortable seating arrangements to the well-placed lighting that sets the perfect mood.
Very Awesome Place...... You Can Visit Wid Your Family.... Very Nice Behaviour Of Staff..... No Words To Explain... Hote Much Good Is That Place...... Taste Is Mind Blowing...... Amazing! ā„ļøā„ļøā„ļø
Delicious and good food. Have a nice experience and recommend to visit these beautiful place.....
Great Place. Looks better after Renovation. The aesthetics is maintained and its even better now. Feel very spacious. Food is outstanding as usual. The waiters as well dressed and addresses our requests and serves it just like we asked for. One of the oldest and best South Indian Fine dining experience in Chennai.
During my stay at Taj, Connemara, I made a reservation here to enjoy their vegetarian tasting menuā¦ the ambience here is wonderful and we were lucky to experience a bharatnatyam performanceā¦the host was very welcoming and provided us with jasmine garlandsā¦as I was having some digestive issues the same day I requested for some raw lemon and ginger which was promptly providedā¦the food was unique and tasty :)
Nice place to stay with your loved ones. Best accomodation. Superb room service, and way too hygenic and atmosphere.
good quality food. Great ambience
Food is awesome. Definitely visit again
Beautiful ambience with great music. Amazing food, especially pastas, Chinese, Thai curry and rice. Don't miss the baked gulam jamoon for dessert!
Very good experience... In this.. Place.... Feel so good.
Had a very good experience with food and service, Recommended place to visit.
Good for get-together and dining, this is not a place for good music, their console and dance space is like 10 sqft but ambiance is awesome
A must visit place to have good old madras experience, great ambiance and fantastic service by staffs. Live Carnatic music and bharatanatyam dance was a delight for eyes and ears.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes