Northview Kitchen — Restaurant in St. Thomas Mount Cantonment

Went on a late Friday night after a quick call to know if they'd still be open. The moment my bike was parked, the beautifully lit walkway and decor was turned off- I was wondering if I had tripped out some wire! I checked my watch and it was 11 PM and I was confused because the closing time was mentioned as 12 midnight and moreover I had called them up to confirm. When asked with the security, he told that they are still open and he sent out a howler to 'open it', that was hilarious.

Have to climb a few steps, even for the differently abled to access the lift. Those who are carbon conscious will have a nice walk up the two stories and realise that there is an office space on the first floor. The entrance, the seating, the kitchen, the ambiance and everything was great for a restaurant of this pricing. A table near the balconies and beautiful night skies with cool breeze would comfort you all throughout one's dining.

Going through the popular dishes in Zomato, I realised that this restaurants was among the featured restaurants in Zomato and also that it had great hygiene ratings- the glass covered kitchen does instill confidence also it looks great.

Coming to the food, the cream of tomato soup was just right, not too thick, not sweet and it was pleasant. The German potato salad was a disappointment for me because of the raw, non-cured flavours, maybe also because of my taste palette. The paneer tikka was succulent and well flavoured and is seriously a must try here. The verdure pizza was nothing special though a genuine attempt seems to be made to stick to the Italian style- which I ordered only because the waiter confirmed that it was a wood fired oven that they had- neither did it taste like one nor did I notice one in the kitchen prominently, I may have missed. Of course Mozzarella di Bufala isn't something that is cheaply available and can't really be expected at this price point.

Though the whole description moves around the average line with slight disappointments here and there, the overall experience was a beautiful one and just falls short of 'perfect'. I just wished I had more time- by around 11.15, the waiter had rushed me for the last order and thus had to battle with slightly cold pizza's towards the end, and I may have overeaten :D He was courteous at the end to ask if I wanted to order anything to drink, to which I was confused but also pleased which I kindly refused. The bells and whistles to the experience stripped, a good 4 star :)

Note: I have to restart taking pictures- battling with an...

I've had the opportunity to visit this restaurant three times. My first visit was in July 2022, which was a birthday celebration inspired by an Instagram post. On my subsequent two visits, I noticed significant changes, with new chairs and menus introduced.

The amenities at the restaurant are excellent. I recommend going there after 4:30 PM, as you can enjoy views of the Gulf court and the planes taking off and landing. When it gets dark, the added lighting enhances the beauty of the place. Additionally, St. Thomas Mount is within reach, and I suggest taking the time to visit it as it offers stunning views of Chennai.

Now, onto the food. To be completely honest, I found the food disappointing on all three visits. Despite my expectations, the quality fell short.

During my last visit, we ordered:

Mac and Cheese: Unfortunately, the dish lacked the expected cheesiness; it tasted more like milk. I couldn't eat much of it.

Lollipop Chicken: This dish felt like a letdown. While the outer layer was chicken, the interior seemed to be something else entirely. I wouldn't recommend ordering this.

Noodles and Rice: These were relatively average and decent enough to eat.

One more thing to note is that during our last visit, we requested to sit at a table near the balcony, but the waiter initially informed us that it was booked. However, later on, someone else came and sat there without a reservation. It was a bit confusing why they didn't allow us to sit at our desired table.

Overall, the restaurant excels in its amenities and ambiance, but there is room for improvement in the...

I recently visited North View Kitchen with high expectations, influenced by its overall good reviews and promising menu. However, I was greatly disappointed by the quality of food served, specifically the chicken dish.

The chicken, sadly, was far from acceptable. Upon its arrival at the table, we were hit by an unpleasant smell. It was a scent that unmistakably indicated an issue with the freshness of the ingredient - it was, unfortunately, stale and suspect.

Reluctantly, we took a small bite, hoping the taste might exceed the disconcerting aroma. Sadly, the experience upheld my suspicions. The texture was off, lending significantly to the idea that the chicken was far from fresh or perhaps poorly stored.

Disappointed, we promptly alerted the staff, who, to their credit, were responsive. However, this incident had already taken away from the overall dining experience.

Food is at the heart of a restaurant, and serving fresh, quality ingredients should be of high importance. On this occasion, North View Kitchen fell woefully short of this standard.

I'm hoping this was an isolated incident, but it was certainly alarming and regrettable, contributing to an unfortunate culinary experience. Food safety and quality should always be a priority, and there's a significant need for inspection and improvement in this regard at the North View Kitchen.

Overall, this was a stark divergence from the pleasant dining experience I had anticipated, and I can't recommend dining here based on this...