The Magic of Masalas

Opening on a 'cool' note, with Chaaassssssss (sounds cool, doesn't it?) :D

The recently opened ‘Indiska Magic’, where a lot of the ‘swish set’ of the city live, is a colourful new hotspot in the posh locality. Designed as a ‘grab-and-go’ eatery, there are tall tables where you just stand and eat - no chair or even a bar stool. Just like at Saravana Bhavan, but in a ‘nice’ area, not a congested one. Even the tables with seating have iron grills for seats, painted a bright red. Not very comfy to sit on for a length of time, but ‘cool’ in terms of novelty and design. They also have an ongoing tussle with power in the area and their customer service is improving, from consequent visits. However, once you get past all this and order your food, all is forgiven.

The ‘Sizzler Pav Bhaji’ successfully cools you off with its flavour and spice, even if you wish the ‘pavs’ were puffier. The ‘bhaji’ is served on a sizzler plate and stays piping hot throughout your meal. Rs. 160 a plate might not sound pocket-friendly, but it is worth it. ‘Stuffed Parathas’ served with ‘Dal’ and ‘Raitha’ are tasty and filling. The ‘Pani Poori’ stuffing and ‘paani’ are fresh and light on the palate. There is no ‘Bhel Puri’ on the menu and just when you start to look shocked, they assure you that it exists in a ‘Churmur Chaat’ avatar. This one wins you over completely. Peppered with lots of ‘paapdis’, potatoes and all the goodness of Bhel, although with lesser puffed rice, it is tangy, tasty and meets all your rantings of ‘missing Bombay chaat in Chennai’ tastebuds. Top off with ‘Lassi’ or ‘Masala Chaas’, and you are a satisfied soul stepping back out into the searing heat of Chennai.

The menu options are still growing, till then, you can try the current short and ‘sweet’ one.

The sweets at the counters are novel; a worthwhile indulgence and a ‘different’ gift option. The ‘namkeens’ are of a wide variety, crisp and the minimum take-away quantity is a whole jar of 200 gms! You can keep the jar, which would make our Mums happy (more kitchen storage is always welcome)!

With Bombay/Delhi-styled chaats and parathas, South/North Indian snacks, and Arabic sweets, Indiska Magic seems to have a winner on its hands.

Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., at No. 8, Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai – 31. Phone: 91766 80605.




(This article appeared in a city magazine a year ago. Have not updated the blog in a while and am yet to add in my other write ups. Then again, it's more fun maintaining an irregular blog!! :))