The Promenade - Beach Road [Pondicherry/Puducherry]

It’s been close to a month that we visited Pondicherry and this one has been a long time due now. We had put up at this hotel called “The Promenade” and the below mentioned reviews are of the hotel’s different sections. The Promenade boasts of three different food sections – Blueline (the 24 hours restaurant), Lighthouse (The barbeque and grill rooftop restaurant that offers a stunning view of the ocean) and Risque (The lounge bar that also offers an exclusive blend of coffee).

RISQUE: By far, the best of the three. The service is quick, the waiters are polite and your complaints/suggestions are tended to. In fact, we were so impressed with the food here that we skipped lunch for a quick snack while returning back to Chennai. I shall not be quoting about the prices of the beverages (they are same as elsewhere in bars) but the food was simply mind blowing. “Chilli chicken” was so awesome that we actually ordered for a second helping! I liked the “Prawn Balls” too. But what I loved is that when we suggested that the prawn balls were a little bland for our taste, the cook actually took extra care to make it a little spicy for us the very next day! Prices for food products range anywhere between Rs. 250 to Rs. 500 but the quantity is so much that you can almost have a full fledged meal on that!

OUR RATINGS:

Ambience: 4/5

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 4.5/5

Price: 3.5/5

Overall: 4/5

BLUELINE: Will not comment much on it as did not have anything here apart from the buffet breakfast. One thing I liked: Extra ordinary variety of breads and muffins. One thing I disliked: the so called “fresh fruits” were stale!

LIGHTHOUSE: To sum it up – you pay for the ambience! This rooftop restaurant will make you say only one word as you enter – wow! But then the bad part is that you better be there latest by 8 pm or else the tables are all occupied. Even if you reserve earlier on, the maximum limit is 8:15 pm beyond which your reservation stands cancelled. The wine collection  here is good and they have a huge list of available beverages! If you want typical Indian food, you shall be disappointed. We ordered for “Jamaican Jerk Chicken” and “Lamb and Wheat Kebabs”.  The chicken was very average to taste, nothing extra ordinary. You shall enjoy the kebabs if you like your food to be very spicy. I did not enjoy them much though my husband liked it a lot. All meals are above Rs 500/- Some of them are combo meals that come with a bowl of rice. And pray like hell that it doesn’t rain because then you pay for the ambience but don’t get to enjoy it! Overall, it is not too good value for money if you ignore the ambience factor.

OUR RATINGS:

Ambience: 4.5/5

Food: 3/5 (Due to the rain, we had to cancel our order for the Main course. The rating is on the basis of the above mentioned dishes only)

Service: 2.5/5

Price: 2.5/5

Overall: 3/5

OUR TAKE:
 Stick to the bar (Risque) and definitely try out the Chilli Chicken. Do not miss the buffet breakfast at the Blueline.