Grubhogs needs critics!

It's a tough job but someone's got to do it!

Eat out a lot and have plenty to say about it? Find yourself inadvertently compartmentalizing the food, service and ambience to rate them? Well then, Grubhogs.com could be the ideal venue to vent, rant and rave!

If you live in any one of the Grubhogs.com cities (B'lore, Chennai, Goa, Mumbai, Delhi/NCR or Mysore) and would like a little pocket money for your words, let us know. We are looking for Grubhogs scouts for each city for a limited time. As a scout you will add informative and interesting reviews of the places you visit.

Email us at grubhogs@grubhogs.com if you'd like to sign on.


Disclaimer: We do not pay for meals at the restaurant, instead we help subsidize the meal with a nominal pay per review. Reviews have to be authored by the Scout. They could have appeared previously on a Scout's personal forum such as a blog. Scout selection preference for those with an exisiting online and/or print presence. For more details email us at grubhogs@grubhogs.com

Bored Kids? There's always Summer Camp - Chennai

Bored kids? Summer seem realllly looong? Here are some summer camp ideas for your kids.
Chennai Edition

Funty by Theatre Y: A 14 day program for kids 8 to 16 years of agethat is an exciting blend of basic acting, voice, story-telling, writing and poetry skills. Special exercises are included that enhance the process of creative visualization as well. Programs will be conducted at studYo

Summer Camp at Hansel and Gretel Play Center: Junior and Senior campers aged 3 to 16 can take part in 2 week programs that include storytime, sing alongs, Puzzles, roleplay, art, public speaking and creative writing. Great flexibility too, they allow you to pick any 2 weeks period!. All programs are held at Hansel and Gretel Play Center.

Summer at Enhanting Elves: There are Summer camps, Summer weekends, Field trips and Evening classes for kids 3 years and upwards. Programs include Barn to the Wildlife, On the Wheels and The Lost World. Summer weekends are 3 hours programs of pottery and art. All programs are held at Enhanting Elves Activity Center.

Claytopia, Harima, Tuscana and more reviewed!

Bangalore

P Shetty reviews her favourite place "Bistro Claytopia" and finds it to be a "typical Bangalorean Place" with a " creative inclination rather than an "alcoholic inclination"!

R Prabu reviews "Harima" 's Sushi platter and says although it cost a "bomb", it was a great way to sample everything on their Sushi Menu

Chennai

M Ranjan enjoyed the unique concept of "On the Rocks" but was a tad bit disappointed with the accompanying sauces.

Tuscana Pizzeria is the new rage in Chennai, at a rating of 4/5 stars our reviewers are all recommending its Italian Food.

Read these and more at Grubhogs.com !

Milky Way - All the way!

-A candid review of Milky way- Chennai by Grubhogs Team Member; Veknash P

‘5000 students holed up in one place -‘school’..........
A heavy pocket and an ever growling belly’......
Perfect market for any coffee shop, bakery, snack giant.

And the latest snack giant to take swoop in is "Milky way". It recently opened a branch on Aligari Sami Salai, right next to Padma Sheshadri Bala Bhavan School in K.K. Nagar.

And since the doors opened you would be hard pressed to find a a single empty table between 3:00 to 5:00pm , so much so that the eatery has spilled on to the pavement with a hastily set up seating area!

Milky way is brightly lit, stylishly decorated and reasonably well priced all in an effort to cater to its target group: Teenagers. A shiny digital board screams out the "Specials of the day" somewhat increasing the novelty quotient of this place.

The place remains a teenage hangout but its patron however are not just teenagers. It even draws families and some times elderly folk who stop by for a bite after their evening walk.

Milky way also retains its appeal by having a mixed menu. Its menu card features softy cones and sundaes ranging in large number of flavors. And to mix it up also on the menu are a range of short eats and snacks. Try their simple Cheese sandwich (Rs 20), Cheesy veg double decker( Rs 70). French Fries or Sweet corn nuggets.

Just when some perpetual critics where starting to say that the charm is rubbing off and that they need something new- Voila! Milky way announces its Chat counter ( on which I cannot comment yet because it is yet to open).

Milky way has taken a lion's share of the student market on Alagiri Sami Salai, leaving the nearby coffee shop, four bakeries and two chat counters wondering how to get back in the game.
On Cricket match days, this place is an uncontrollable jungle of customers and cricket enthusiasts huddling around the television near the counter. Some students often buy a softy or a sandwich just to be able to stand in there and watch the match.

Kids love this place too in part to their promotion; “Eat for more than 150 and get an assured gift free.” These gifts range from Ben 10 files to Hannah Montana pouches, Winnie the Pooh pencils and blow Sketches. Which kid wouldn’t love this place.

So far this place is a clear winner!

Love it or hate? - Cool reviews on Grubhogs.com

People are spilling the beans on Grubhogs.com all the time. Here are some cool restaurant reviews on Grubhogs.com! Do you agree, maybe strongly disagree?

Grubhogs Mumbai

Mayuri S finds Mumbai's Tasting room in "Good taste" She writes "Soak in the atmosphere and munch away on the tray of goodies placed before you, various types of bite-sized breads, crisp bread sticks and a sinful swirl of garlic butter...." Read more here: Review

Grubhogs Chennai

Madras Yogini was disappointed that "Sparky's" did not live up to all the hype. "The food was mediocre but it was the service and presentation that was pretty bad. It seemed like there was no effort made ......" Read more of the review here: Review

Grubhogs Goa

Neil S and his 14 friends could not have liked "I-95" more. He writes "It boasts an excellent menu and lives up to it. We were personally attended to, with a touch of flair, flamboyance and finesse...." Read more of the review here: Review

Read these and more reviews on Grubhogs.com

Chennai's evolving "Grub" Scene

Here are some the most recent openings that are adding to Chennai's food repertoire

Dawn and Dusk: Who says Chennai sleeps at 10? Dawn and Dusk is the latest among the 24 hours delivery windows to open in the Nungambakkam area. Now food is just a phone call away at anytime of the day! Click here for more info: Dawn and Dusk

Mast Kalandar: This 100% Vegetarian Bangalore chain has opened its first branch in Shastri Nagar, Chennai. With various combo meals and VFM food, this place might be a good option for a quick or business lunch. Click here for more info: Mast Kalandar

New Tandoori Tadakka: Meat is not scarce here, have it any way you like cooked in the tandoor. They offer Valet parking, so more time to eat and less to bake in the heat looking for a spot! Click here for more info: Tandoori Tadakka

36 Degrees: Beat the heat in this cool ice cream and dessert place. Leave the heat and traffic behind at this calm spot with its green interiors and beige couches. Its right opposite the Chettinad School. Their smoothies are supposedly pretty good. Click here for more info: 36 Degrees

And two cool Cafes to check out!

Mocha Mojo: A definite stand out in the cafe scene. There is attention to detail and the menu. A very varied menu with foods from around the world. The interiors are colorful and contemporary. Click here for more info: Mocha Mojo

Cafe Evo: Tucked away in the campus of the Russian center this cafe has a great menu and often has some form of live entertainment. The management describes it as " a RestoCafe, a one-of-its-kind, a place for the evolving mind to reverie & recharge to mesmerize the world..." Click here for more info: Cafe Evo

Now go check them out and don't forget to tell us at Grubhogs.com if its a thumbs up or down!

Samithu Par Legend - Book Review

- By Samyuktha PC

In 1950s, there was an absence of the idea of a cookbook. S. Meenakshi Ammal lost her husband, Samanna Iyer, two years after her son, Sankaran, was born. As a young widow with two kids and an old mother-in-law to tend to, she grew up in a tough household.

Even as a child she loved cooking and was brilliant at the art. She recognized cooking as something everyone could learn and that required guidance. She was often requested for recipes and kept writing them out and sending out to her friends and relatives. Her uncle, Rao Bahadur K V Krishnaswami Iyer, persuaded her to publish all her recipes as an anthology............

Continue reading on the Chennai Pages