Chennai| Main Street at The Residency Towers now has a new avatar as Carnaby

For over a decade, dining at Main Street in The Residency Towers, Chennai meant stepping into the restaurant from the lobby and finding yourself transported to a different world. One where you walk along a painted path with lamp posts, gazing at the cheery blue-coloured ceiling, dotted with fluffy white clouds. 

Now rechristened Carnaby, Main Street’s renovation has been rather dramatic. Large floor to ceiling windows offering views of the trees outside have replaced the walls from the past that had windows painted on it. There is sunlight streaming in from every corner, and loud pops of green catch the eye, thanks to the many potted plants that line up near the windows. 

The restaurant is currently open from 7 am till midnight, and will soon be open for a late-night meal. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“Carnaby street in London is famous for its food, art, and culture. We believe that this restaurant is not just synonymous with the food, but a melting pot of people, meetings, and conversations. The restaurant comes with the tagline– global comfort food,” says Ajeeth Janardhanan, culinary director of The Residency Towers, as he takes us on a tour around the new restaurant. For many years now, families have made a beeline to the restaurant to mark special occasions and celebrate milestones, and this legacy of Main Street is something the team was conscious of, he says. 

On one corner of Carnaby now stands a new beverage counter, for the restaurant’s coffee and cocktail experiences. “Chennai holds its coffee close to the heart and we spent a lot of time perfecting our coffee menu,” Ajeeth says. Right next to this, where the buffet spread begins is an artfully arranged row of desserts, another point of focus for the restaurant’s re-launch. Chefs are busy at the live kitchen near the buffet, and not too far away, the fire in a sparkling new clay pizza oven roars merrily. There is also a wellness station now – rows of open freezer shelves stacked with detox water, fresh salads, fruits, yoghurts, and cheeses. 

“All of these new additions have been main points of focus for us to enhance the dining experience here. The a la carte menu is however, something we are very excited by,” Ajeeth says. The new menu is divided into sections that can help you make your choice depending on whether you are at Carnaby for a work meeting, a midnight snack, a hearty meal, a simple plate of comfort food, and even a well-curated midnight menu complete with some local favourites. The midnight menu will be made available shortly.

Comfort bowls and breakfast options at Carnaby | Photo Credit: S Poorvaja

We dig into a poached egg with avocado toast from the late breakfast options, and a quinoa pilaf served with a side of silken tofu and hummus. We also try the butternut squash tortellini from the comfort food menu, one that also lists favourites such as rajma chawal, and curd rice with potato roast. The grilled pickle green peppercorn prawns for a starter has an instant zing of flavour, thanks to its seasonal hero ingredient. The peppercorns, we are told, are procured when in season, pickled and used. A similar emphasis on seasonal produce is something that will reflect in Carnaby’s menu, with a regular menu refresh planned. 

While we recommend the palak chaman kofta and aat anaj ki roti which is made with a mix of grains is a light, healthy meal option, our interest is also piqued by the Ambur kozhi biryani on their late night menu. Served on a platter, with a side of chicken 65, raita, and a thick gravy which you can spoon out from a tiny steel pail, the biryani is hot, flavourful, and perfect for those midnight cravings.

Choose from their extensive buffert or a la carte menu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Carnaby’s special midnight menu which will soon be on offer from midnight to 2 am, also features kari dosai, idiappam with meen moilee, and a veg kurma with nool parotta. There is a Valrhona chocolate brownie to end the meal with, which is just the right amount of sweet and accompanied by a basil ice cream. Our pick however is the thirattipaal- warm, milky goodness in a bowl.

As we finish our meal, the restaurant seems to have slowly but steadily filled up with a mix of the hotel’s guests and regular diners. The changes might be many, but the charm and comfort remains.

Carnaby is open from 7am to midnight. A meal for two costs around ₹2,000, and the buffet is priced at ₹2,000 + taxes per person. Contact 2815 6366 for reservations.