If you are a foodie in Chennai, there is no chance that you would have skipped the names of restaurants like That Madras Place and The Summer House Eatery. The proud co-owner of these two joints and popular city chef Mathangi Kumar has now come up with an all-new place for delicious eats. Located in a shared space with Woodpecker Furniture, Besant Nagar; Patina is the new kid on the block. It has a warm, casual vibe and serves Favourites from Irani cafes of Mumbai as well as regional favourites like Peas stuffed Luchi, Malaya Kari Fish and Gunpowder Fries.

The 30-seat diner intends to serve wholesome food with locally sourced ingredients without going overboard on spices, oil, etc. The menu is largely regional Indian with a few international favourites like Kaya Toast and Pasta. The star section of the Patina menu is the Pav, Homemade Anda and Khari. From Chilly Cheese Pav to Spicy Mutton on Khari to Papeta Par Eeda (sliced potatoes cooked in tomato sauce topped with fried egg and served along with buttered pav) – there is a delectable variety. If you are missing out on Mumbaiyya things, this section will surely induce nostalgia.

The snacks section also has lovely choices like Kheema Samosa, Spicy Chicken Pattice, Butter Bhutta, Patina’s Jhalmuri and Tawa-grilled Chilly Fish. We loved the Gunpowder Fries, pattice (not deep fried but shallow-fried in ghee) and Papeta Par Eeda.

From the big plates, we tried the Bengali vegetarian Peas Puri served with Aloo Saag. It was absolutely marvellous. We also tried out the Malaya Kari fish curry and the rich curry prepared with coconut milk was one of our pure favourites. For all those who miss South Asian Kaya Toast, we are happy to share, Patina serves the same. They also offer Pasta options like spicy tomato pasta and curry pasta.

But we decided to indulge in desserts like the rich but yummy Mawa Cake, again an Irani cafe specialty and a Ghee and Cardamom cake slice, which was quite novel and delicious. They also have eggless Caramel Custard and Theobrama cake in the menu. We plan to try it out next time!

Location: 40 – 42, Seventh Avenue, Woodpecker Building, Besant Nagar

Timings: 12 pm to 10 pm