International Cuisine in Chennai

Chennai which is also called as the Detroit of India has attracted some of the major automobile and ancillary manufactures to set up their production here. Also lot of out-sourcing happening in IT and IT enabled services has seen a flow of business travelers from across the globe. And lot of restaurants offering cuisine from different countries started emerging. For chennaites its a new feel for the taste buds. Here are few restaurants in Chennai offering international cuisine.




In Seoul Restaurant, Alwarpet:
In Seoul is the best Korean restaurant in Chennai. The fine dining Korean set up is an elegant restaurant with Korean appeal.

Benjarong, Alwarpet:
Benjarong is one of the finest Thai Cuisine flavoured with a rare combination of authentic recipes and piquant seasonings with fresh local produce and choice sea foods and meats resulting in pleasantly mild to intensely spicy dishes.


North West Frontier Peshawari, Guindy:

Peshawri, one of ITC's signature restaurants, serves authentic North West Frontier cuisine. It is renowned for its rustic flavours brought alive in simple elegance. Peshawri is a North West Frontier joint that will inspire you with their flavoursome, delicious and rich cuisine. . The view of the kitchen with the busy chefs adds to the warmth of the restaurant, inviting one to take photograph of the activity inside the kitchen.

Little Italy, Nungambakkam:

As the name suggests Little Italy is an authentic Italian cuisine, where you can experience a classic cuisine with a perfect wine. Italian food is simple and yet vibrant. The main characteristic of Italian cooking is its healthy balance, the excellent basic ingredients being simply cooked and retaining their original goodness and freshness. Traditional Italian meals have five courses and may last one or two hours. A full meal usually consists of an appetizer, first course and a second course with a side dish.

Una Mas Mexican Grill, Kodambakkam High Road:
Una Mas Mexican Grill recreates the best of fresh Mexican cuisine with an authentic & modern attitude and the Classic Mexican desserts is a mouth watering signature treats for all.


Mainland China, Nungambakkam:

It is Chinese cuisine where you can feel the flavours, textures and the aroma intermingle and form the perfect blend of heavenly taste. The highlight of the restaurant is that sauces, ingredients and spices are from markets of Beijing, after which chefs scour for original recipes and new methods to add more to the meal.


Kabul Restaurant, Mylapore:

Kabul Restaurant is known for its Traditional North West Frontier Province food. You are being welcomed with Jigger thanda and papad with chutney, good way to start when you are hungry. The food is very delicious and you can enjoy the very unique and signature dishes of the restaurant at very reasonable prices. A good place to spend a quality time with friends and family.

Aki Bay, Velachery:

Aki bay is an Authentic Japanese Ramen noodle Restaurant with limited menu. The Cuisine includes Japanese, Soul Food and Vegetarian Food. The atmosphere brings you the feel of Japanese Sushi or Ramen eatery. They focus mainly on noodles in soup called "ramen", which is very popular in Japan.


Nando’s Restaurant, Velachery:

Nando’s is an Afro-Portuguese chain restaurant serving flame-grilled chicken in spicy chilli sauce. The Restaurant has its own special design with earthy textures and colours that remind us of sunny Afro-Portuguese roots and many feature original South African art and unique design touches. Cool Afro-Luso beats and friendly service add to the vibe, and then there’s the piece-de-resistance – flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken that’s served on beautiful crockery, which is the popular food of Nando.


Fuji Japanese Restaurant, Nandanam :

Fuji Japanese Restaurant at Nandanam, carries a logo of Mount Fuji, also a Painting of Mount Fuji is what one notices, before entering the restaurant. Seating area is divided into two - the traditional Tatami Room and the western tables and chairs. Shoes and slippers have to removed if you are using the Tatami Room. It is a very pleasant experience to dine at Fuji. Japanese Tea is served in a bowl and it was refilled from time to time, till it is asked to stop. The staffs give you your privacy, but seem to appear out of nowhere the minute, you need something. They also explain things in detail, in case you come up with doubts. The ambience is very serene.

Interesting Theme Restaurants in Chennai

Chennai has become foodies hub and the lifestyle of Chennaites has drastically changed in the last decade. Eating out is no more a tummy filler, it is an experience to be nourished and enjoyed. And this changing lifestyle has led to the advent of interesting theme restaurants in Chennai. Here is a list of theme restaurants you would love to dine-in.

Weigh-Out in Greams Road:

Weigh-out is a restaurant where you can pay per gram for the food you eat and can do justice for the price you pay. 

Rainforest Restaurant in Gandhi Road Adyar:

The Rainforest Restaurant is a theme restaurant designed to depict some features of a rainforest including plant growth, mist, waterfalls, animatronic robots of animals and insects. There is a tree that resembles an old Banyan tree in the middle of the restaurant symbolizing ancient India and its mythological reverence.

Kaidi’s Kitchen in Mylapore:

Kaidi’s Kitchen is a premier multi-cuisine restaurant which has the resemblance of a jail and the food is served by prisoners. Opulent prison cells, cheerful Kaidis and a seductive aroma will give you a good dining experience.

House#22 in St.Thomas Mount:

House #22 is a socially interactive place encompassing an event deck, designer boutique and a vintage cafe with a fusion of Gourmet, British and Italian Cuisine. The boutique coupled with an event deck makes House #22 Cafe a majestic place that provides a luxurious indulgence of fine arts and food.

Ciclo Café on Gandhi Mandapam Road Kotturpuram:

Ciclo Café is cyclist friendly café promoting cycling as a lifestyle. Comfortable couches, long functional tables for big groups, and converted cycle frames and saddles to give you an interesting experience is the kind of seating you'll find here. The cafe is decorated with cycling memorabilia, books and photos. The café also houses a fully equipped bicycle store.

Chokhi Dhani in Tandalam:

Chokhi Dhani is an ethnic Rajasthani village life restaurant. The display of traditional huts, live dance and music performance, puppet show, magic show, the artificial forest with roar sounds of animals and tribes, boating, horse riding, camel riding and much more are here to rejuvenate you and your family. It also has a photo studio with traditional look, a national art and craft market, a museum and many more places showing rajasthani village culture, villagers' lifestyle with a dining hall, renowned for typical Rajasthani food.

Swiss Hutte in Greams Road:

A quaint restaurant amidst the hustle bustle of the city yet completely detached from it. The restaurant offers homely ambience with its Swiss style seating arrangement, the chalk boards, the lush green garden and the hammock. They quite simply captured the essence of a swiss cafe in a farm minus the weather with a simple décor. They have a outdoor dining and a indoor dining. It is a good place to dine in.

US101 in T.Nagar:

US101 is a sport bar, a better combination of sports and beer. Taking a break from the regular bars, US101 categorizes itself into a sports bar and they also provide a good dining facility. It works well if you’re looking to have a nice time with a group of friends. They’ve got bands coming to entertain you once a week and of course, Ladies night every Friday. It can be the right place to enjoy a great clubbing experience with live music and popular DJ's on weekends.

Haunted in Anna Nagar East:

Haunted is a nice place for people who love nature. The restaurant looks like a bungalow converted into a restaurant. The ambience of the restaurant with dim lights and some scary faces and sounds will grab your attention. A very well maintained resorts with friendly staff and mouth watering food is a good choice to take your children for lunch.

Few Organic tips to have your Home Pest free

Block Flies with Basil(Thulasi):

Flies hate the smell of Thulasi. To discourage them, place pots of basil at doorways and windowsills and on the kitchen counter. If you don’t have enough sun or space put some dried Thulasi in a small muslin cloth and rub it occasionally to keep the scent strong.

Scare Off Spiders with Citrus

Spiders are not fond of citrus. In a spray bottle, mix water and lemon or lime juice. Wipe your countertops with the mixture or spray down doorways and windowsills. You can deter spiders in your garden by spreading around lemon, orange, or lime peels too.

Avoid Ants with Vinegar

Use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water to wipe down counter-tops and other surfaces—anywhere you've spotted ants. For best results, repeat this several times a day. Doing so destroys the scent trails that ants use to navigate.

Combating Mosquitos

Add 3-5 drops of any one of the various oil to about a teaspoon of a base oil such as jojoba oil, sweet almond or coconut oil and rubbed to the exposed body skin: Lemongrass Oil, Lavender Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, Neem Oil or Neem Seed Oil, Organic Soy Oil, Black Pepper Oil, Blue Cypress Oil, Peppermint Oil, Basil Oil, Geranium Oil, Clove Oil or Thyme Oil. Lavender Oil fives a good fragrance.

A favourite natural mosquito repellent is the essential oil of the Catnip plant. In Taminadu it is called by its Latin name Nepeta Cataria. This perennial herb is a member of the mint family and has many useful medicinal and household applications.

Repel Cockroaches

Again Catnip is a natural repellent to cockroaches too. The active ingredient is nepetalactone, which is non-toxic to humans and pets. Small sachets of catnip can be left in areas of cockroach activity. Catnip can also be simmered in a small amount of water to make a "catnip tea" which can be used as a spray to apply around baseboards and behind counters. This natural repellent should only be used in homes without cats!

Also keep a spray bottle of soapy water on hand. Spraying roaches directly with soapy water will kill them.

Leave bay leaves, cucumber slices or garlic in the affected area as deterrents.

Repel Fleas with Salt

Alternately salting and vacuuming your floors will kill flea eggs. But since fleas have a three-day reproduction cycle, you have to be diligent: Salt every day for nine days and vacuum every third day. Don’t forget to empty the vacuum every time, or the live ones will crawl right back out again!

Diminish Dust Mites with Cinnamon Oil

Cinnamon bark oil has been shown to control dust mites. Mix several drops into a 50/50 solution of water and denatured alcohol. Spray bedding, carpets, and any other places where dust tends to collect. Added benefit? Your house will smell like cookies!

Scare lizards away

Get some fresh Neem leaves and strew them in places around your home, your kitchen in particular. You never like to get your food poisoned by them. The sscent from the Neem leaves are unpleasant to them and they will move out.

List of Hill Stations for Chennaites.

The Summer Holidays are on and if you are looking to chill off and enjoy with your family try these hill stations.

Hill Stations	From Chennai (in KM)	Places of interest	District
Yelagiri	212	Jalagamparai Waterfalls, Swami Malai Hills, Telescope observatory, YMCA Camp Centre	Vellore
Horsley Hills	274	Rapelling, Trekking, Lake Gangotri, Highview Seeing Place, Gaalibanda, Environmental Park, Horsley Hills Museum	Kurnool
Yercaud	350	Yercaud Lake, Lady's Seat, Killiyur Falls, The Servaroyan Temple, Bear’s Cave, Green House, The Gange, Pagoda Point, Silk Farm and Rose Garden, Fairholme Bungalow, Heaven's Ledge, Karadiyur View point, Sri Lalitha Thripura Sundari Amman Temple	Salem
Kolli Hills	380	Arapaleeswarar temple, A serene Pond, Akash Ganga Falls, Viewpoints	Namakkal
Athoor	450	Shri Kasi Vishwanathar temple, Shri Vandi Kali Amman temple, Kamarajar Sagar Dam, Viewpoints	Dindigul
Palani Hills	550	Peaks, Viewpoints, Lakes, Rivers and Waterfalls	Dindigul
Kodaikanal	550	Kodaikanal Lake, Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, Bear Shola Falls, Green Valley View, Pine forests, Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, Pillar Rocks, Guna caves, Silver Cascade, Dolphin's Nose, Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple, Berijam Lake	Dindigul
Coonoor	550	Sim's Park, Pomological Station, Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint, Lamb’s Rock, Droog Fort, Law's Falls, Ooty, Katary Falls, Pasteur Institute	Nilgiris
Ooty	590	The Government Botanical Garden, Fernhills palace, Ooty Lake, Toda Hut, Government Rose Garden, Ooty Botanical Gardens, Ooty Lake, Stone House, Toda huts, Ooty Mountain Railway, St. Stephen's Church, Wax World, Ooty, Ooty Golf Course, Tribal Museum,	The Nilgiris
Coorg	640	Talakaveri, Nisargadhama, Iruppu Falls, Abbey Falls, Dubare, Nagarahole, Bhagamandala, Mallali Falls	Coorg
Munnar	640	Tea Estates, Valleys, lanscapes, flora and fauna	Idukki
Araku Valley	940	Coffee Plantation, Araku-valley, Valley Borracaves,	Visakhapatnam

Top 5 things to know before getting a Home loan

Know your maximum loan eligibility:

The loan amount to be sanctioned depends on your income and previous track record when it comes to repaying your loans and credit card dues. Home loan lenders generally provide 80 per cent of the value of the property as the loan amount, subject to your income. While assessing the income criteria, they do not consider some of your salary slip heads for calculating your net monthly income. They only consider the income heads which can be used to repay your loan. For example, your LTA and medical allowances are deducted from the monthly net salary you receive. You are expected to spend the amount received under these heads for the specific activities they are being provided for. This is one of the reasons why we generally see a difference in the eligibility amount quoted in the website and actual amount realized once the application is processed.

Check your CIBIL score:

The home loan eligibility depends on the credit worthiness of the individual. Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited (CIBIL) provides a credit score on a scale of 300 to 900 based on your previous credit card usage, how you maintained your bank accounts, any check bounces, existing loans, uninsured existing loans, loan repayments, how many times you have applied for a loan or a credit card. Individuals with a CIBIL score greater than 700 are more likely to get a home loan. All the home loan lenders approach CIBIL for this score whenever you apply for a credit card or any sort of loan. Paying the processing fee to know the maximum limit at more than three or four banks is one of the common mistakes committed by many people. The more times you apply for loan, CIBIL considers it as being credit hungry, so the chances of getting a loan are minimized. CIBIL rating, net salary excluding some variable heads and existing loans and EMIs being paid towards existing loans are the vital components which decide the repayment capacity of the applicant.

Type of interest rate:

The type of interest rate you choose has an impact on the monthly EMIs you pay. It is important that you know the difference between fixed rate home loan and floating rate home loan. If you opt for a fixed rate home loan, the EMIs don't vary over the loan tenure. It is beneficial when the interest rates are expected to rise in the near future. In case of a floating rate home loan, the interest rate is determined based on the prevailing base rates plus a floating rate. The EMIs vary based on the movement of base rates. It is beneficial when interest rates are expected to fall in near future.

Loan tenure:

The EMI is calculated on the basis of the amount of the home loan, home loan interest rate and loan tenure. The monthly EMI is inversely proportional to loan tenure, i.e., the longer the tenure the lower the EMI, and the shorter the tenure, the higher the EMI. Similarly, the total interest paid is directly proportional to the loan tenure. The higher the tenure, the higher the total interest paid, and vice-versa. Know the impact of your EMI payments on your finances before deciding on the loan tenure. Calculate the available surplus under different scenarios and assess the available monthly surplus for each scenario.

Read the documents carefully before you sign:

Don't let the bunch of home loan documents bog you down and just sign on the dotted lines. Check the documents to ensure that the terms are the same as what you negotiated and agreed upon. Read the documents carefully and know the different charges applicable. Importantly, know the processing fee, late payment fee, etc.

Courtesy: NDTV Profit

The unknown wonders of Ancient World

Asvini Foundations was awarded the CREDAI REAL ESTATE AWARD - 2012 for the most affordable residential property (Metros)

The CREDAI REAL ESTATE AWARD - 2012 is received by Mr.Sivagurunathan, Director, Asvini Foundations.

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