Recently received many queries on where to get decent Bengali dishes in Chennai. While Bangalore , Kolkata ,Delhi and Mumbai host several Bengali restaurants of various grades , Chennai unfortunately cann’t claim much on this front. One reason is that Bengali cuisines are usually not commoditised or marketed the way Chinese, Tondoori , South Indian , Thai or Goan cuisines are . In the last few years with many Bengali  entrepreneurs   getting  into food business  and a large population of Bengali  opting for  a career in catering and hotel management  , the trend is fast changing throughout India. The traditional cuisines hitherto known only to moms , maasis and grand moms  have now spread to the cooks in star hotels /restaurants . Even in Kolkata , you could hardly find any Bengali restaurant  about a decade back. However now there is a wide choice of such restaurants. I understand ‘Oh Kolkata‘ is  coming very shortly to Chennai just  above Main Land China on Sterling Road , Nungambakkam. Annapurna hotel next to the police commissioner’s office in Egmore has been  serving Bengali food for the last twenty years. Not very clean but I never had any trouble with the food there. They primarily target tourists and patients who come to Chennai . Priced quite modestly you would find fairly good spread of all popular Bengali cuisine. You would be pleased to find Bengali magazines and newspapers and of course paan in the stall here. However the place gets  very crowded  and I always prefer to visit them either around 12 noon or 2.30 pm.  They don’t have good rest rooms and the ambience is little rustic . But here you get good  vale for money . Over the years this place has become a popular meeting place of Bengalis   especially the students and young professionals living in Chennai . Many  seemed to have found their soul mates in this place – after all you can reach the heart through good food !
The Bay Leaf at  No 14, 6h street, Gopalapuram , Chennai 86 is another Bengali food destination  . To reach there you need to come along Radhakrishna Salai , take the lane adjacent to Gongotri sweets  and opposite to Stella Marris college. The narrow lane would lead you to the destination. There is a food festival  going  on till Oct 31 but the price here is very much on the higher side. Don’t try Aloo posto, they don’t make it well.A complete dish per head can cost around Rs 350 to 500/- . Worth the try .They have a very limited parking space.Ambience and hospitality can definitely impress you.

And finally Bong foods are best made at home only !!!!!! In case you want to know about any specific cuisines, you could write to me.