Next time you go to Elliot's beach, you needn't settle down for the usual tandoori dishes, pizzas and soft drinks. Check out the Hangout where you get Middle East, African, Lebanese, and Mediterranean cuisine. With a total of 10 tables and the capacity to seat 40 customers it is just like a typical outlet on a beach.

However the cuisine consists of Falafil, which is a sandwich shaped like a hotdog and a combination of mayonnaise, vegetables and our own desi sundal. The joint also has a whole range of kebabs from the most common chicken to the more exotic lamb varieties. The potato fry, and brinjal salads are very filling and satisfies the vegetarian palate completely. The portions of each dish is very filling and are priced very nominally between Rs.30 and Rs.50. The house specialty is Garmi chicken which is somewhat similar to Kentucy chicken but much more rich in flavours. Humus is a blend of sesame paste, dal, paste of sundal and lime. It has a very tangy taste and kindles you to indulge in more. To end the meal try their special tea varieties which are very aromatic and just right for this cloudy weather.

All these cuisines are very similar to the Indian cuisine as the same spices are used. One major difference is that they do not use coconut in any of the gravy made. Apart from these fascinating dishes, Hangout also has other tandoori, Chinese dishes and the usual Indian fare for those who are not very adventurous. One thing which strikes you is that both the vegetarians and the non-vegetarians have an equal choice.

The owner of the joint is Jalal Ahmed who studied in New College, and as a foreign student had a tough time trying to find the native cuisine of his country. Hangout was primarily for foreign students from Africa, and the Middle East who are found in abundance here. But now an equal number of Indians are also opting for these dishes. Jalal knows quite a bit of Tamil and is married to a lady from Madurai. When asked whether he has visited that place he replies, "Yes, I have been there and I saw the big Meenakshi temple. It is very beautiful." And he says all this slowly and clearly in Tamil. His favourite Indian dish is our own Biryani and egg dosas as these come close to his native foodstuff.

Address: 
No. 4, T.N. Housing Board, 
Besant Nagar, (near the beach) 
Chennai-90. 
Phone- 4460285

Malini S