Friday 17 June 2011

Sachin Ka Dhaba - OMR [Chennai]


The first word that comes to your mind as you enter “Sachin ka Dhaba” is – average. And the word sticks with you throughout your gastronomic journey. True to its name, the atmosphere is as informal and as at-home as is possible for a dhaba. As we seated ourselves, what struck us first was the decor. The ceiling is covered with lanterns that hang down and “khatiyas” (beds) comfortably rolled up. However, the AC just beside the lanterns somehow spoils the attempt at an authentic dhaba look.
Though Chinese was available on the menu, we decided to stick to specific Indian food.  For starters we had “Chicken Kebabs” and “Crumb Fried Prawns”. Though I would definitely ask you to try out the prawns, the chicken kebabs were a little too dry for my taste. For the main course, we stuck to “Daal makhni”, “Butter Chicken” and “Naan”. It was wholesome in the way only a dhaba meal can be. Ordered “Kulfi” for dessert, but I was disappointed. Being a dhaba, I naturally had expectation that they would serve it the traditional way with kulfi being cut out of the coups and served with a sweet sauce over the “faalooda”.  It was the normal kulfi that we get in the shops and ice cream stalls.
However, Sachin ka Dhaba deserves a mention for one very specific reason – it is consistently average. Nothing shall be so good that it shall make you scream with delight. But on the other hand, nothing shall be so bad that you wish you weren’t shelling out the money at all. And that bring me to the money matters. To say that this place is cheap will be an understatement! The veg starters range from Rs. 50 to 150 and the non veg starters range from Rs. 100 to 200 with the sea food platter bordering around Rs. 150. The main course borders around Rs. 100 for Veg and Rs. 150 for Non Veg. The breads are priced somewhere around Rs. 35 to 40 each.
In a nutshell, Sachin ka Dhaba is a place I would visit if I am sure that my money is being well spent. Or maybe even if I am taking someone out for the first time and want to be sure that the food does not cause a fiasco.


OUR RATINGS:
Ambience: 3.5/5
Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5


OUR TAKE:
Low on budget, unsure about the quality of food served at other places or if you simply dig into the “Punjabi tadka” in your khana – this is the place for you.