Clayton Chettinad Restaurant — Restaurant in Melbourne

Firstly background to me going to this restaurant. I have been eyeing this restaurant when I came across this place via Google as they server lamb trotters (Aatukaal paya) and Brain masala with authentic South Indian style briyani. I have been in Australia for 18 years and yet to find an authentic restaurant to make briyani like back home. However I was busy with work commitments, weight loss journey and recently Lent fasting. So as a treat, I finally decided to go here for their famous lunch buffet while dragging my friend who is a wonderful cook.

I did call in advance to book the table and also enquired if I could order the additional dishes la carte which they said yes. As my temptation and craving was getting worst by the day I was worried my expectations will not be met.

Boy oh Boy was I wrong. Food was authentic, constantly topped up keeping the food warm and fresh with wonderful staff who were working hard to meet everyone requirements.

We entered while the restaurant was packed with only one table left which was reserved for us. They were prompt to give us baby chair and take my additional order. Mind you, at this point I haven't seen what dishes are available in the buffet. The lovely gentleman with bright red sneakers came back to me advising that lamb trotters were already part of the buffet today and hence no need to order separately. If anywhere else, people would have taken advantage off and charged me extra. Simple things like this made it even more special.

First my friend got her food and next thing she was in heaven. I was in tears having the food I hadn't had since 2003 and brought back memories of home and my mum's cooking.

I have lived in Australia for over 18 years now and hence my palatte has changed to eating less spicy food. So it was natural for me to start sweating and had watery nose but that didn't stop me from having the ever so delicious food. Worth the wait and what a wonderful way to break my Lent fasting

Kudos to the chef for not changing anything to suit Australian palatte and keeping it real.

The host was a gorgeous lady in a wonderful blue saree with a big smile and very helpful. After a wonderful lunch I needed more, so ended up ordering lots of take away for my friend and myself to indulge for the rest of the week. While we were at the end of our lunch, this beautiful lady brought the bags packed the way I had requested and was so sweet with the Bubba we had in tow.

All in all, an unforgettable experience with exceptional hospitality. From the bottom of my heart, I wish only the best and more success so that they can grow and expand into a bigger place without compromising the food which is what made it stand high and above all the restaurants in Australia.

Thank you once again for making us feel welcome into your home and serving the food from back home without compromising the taste. Can't wait to...

Clayton Chettinad is a place where South Indian gastronomy collides with the fundamental principles of buffet economics. As a man who appreciates both efficiency and gustatory satisfaction, I find their $25 Sunday buffet to be an experiment in maximizing culinary utility. While not without its shortcomings, the overall experience is satisfactory enough to warrant a four-star rating, which, as we know, is a statistically significant score indicative of above-average performance.

The buffet they serve every sunday (25$ per person) features an expansive array of South Indian staples, including biryani, rice, and an assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries. This selection demonstrates a commendable adherence to the principles of a well-balanced meal. The biryani, often the crowning jewel of any South Indian buffet, is aromatic and flavorful—though I must note that an experiment involving controlled variables (i.e., different batches) would be required to confirm consistency.

Gulab jamuns are provided as the sole dessert option, which, while delectable, is a statistical anomaly in an otherwise generous spread. Given that a buffet is theoretically designed to provide variety, one would expect at least one additional dessert—perhaps semiya payasam, which would add both textural contrast and a nod to traditional Tamil cuisine.

Now, let us address a crucial oversight in their buffet structure—protein augmentation. Given the $25 price point, the inclusion of additional egg-based items such as kalakki, half-boiled eggs, or even poached eggs would significantly enhance the value proposition. The marginal cost of adding eggs to an existing buffet structure is negligible, yet the perceived value increase would be substantial. I suspect that if a survey were conducted, patrons would overwhelmingly support such an inclusion.

Similarly, dosa and idli, while available, could be further leveraged to enhance the buffet’s appeal. Offering customized dosas or supplementary chutneys could elevate the overall experience without incurring excessive operational burdens.

Final Verdict: A Rational Dining Choice.... Clayton Chettinad’s buffet is a commendable exercise in South Indian culinary representation. The price-to-variety ratio is reasonable, the food quality is consistent, and the experience is mostly satisfying. However, the dessert section is disappointingly sparse, and the absence of additional egg-based items is a missed opportunity. Should these minor inefficiencies be rectified, I would be inclined to upgrade my rating to five stars. Until then, four stars it remains—a respectable score for a respectable...

Clayton Chettinad are a star attraction of Clayton, in both the quality and variety of South Indian inspired food.

If you are looking for delicious South Indian food that offers a range of dishes across the mild to hot chili spectrum, this is the place to go!

Their main chef is from South India , while some of the other chefs are from Malaysia, enabling them to offer an eclectic mix of Malaysian and South Indian dishes.

The kitchen runs hot during the evenings, constantly churning out dishes like Butter Chicken (mild), Chicken Chettinad (medium spicy), Chicken Curry (hot), Chicken 65 (hot), Lamb Rogan Josh (mild), Fish curry, Goat Chettinad (hot), vegetable curry and yummy Eggplant Masala.

Be aware, that there will be in delay ordering off the menu in the busy time period. Pre-ordering is a good idea.

This is easily a place where a family can eat with kids and snack on deserts afterwards.

In the picture below, I had the Goat Chettinad, Chicken 65 and Eggplant curry, with roti and was not disappointed. I intend to try the fish curry (with Spanish mackerel) on my next visit, along with the vegetable curry.

If you live close by, they also have an all day buffet on Sundays. Just make sure that you book...