Chennai

That was then. Now there are five-star hotel chains like The Park, Le Meridien and Taj; standalone speciality cuisine restaurants offering Chinese, Chettinad, Mediterranean, Lebanese and Korean cuisine, and bars which are the ultimate hang-outs for youth clad in spaghetti straps or skin-hugging butt jeans and swinging to hip-hop after swigs of shooters and cocktails.

But one thing Chennaiites and tourists still fret about is that the best of restaurants are not permitted to serve liquor. So, you need a couple or more swigs at home with family and friends or a trip to the buzzing bars before moving on to eat. Local fast food chains—the Saravana Bhavan and Sangeetha—are still going fast. And for a local non-veg feast, it’s still yours truly Ponnusamy since the 1950s serving you exotic Chettinad biryani at Rs 50 per plate and crab pepper masala at Rs 40.

Not to forget the good old classic nested-in-sprawling-acreage in the heart of the city, Drive-in Woodlands. There’s also the two-year-old Tangerine, an affordable hotspot for sizzlers. A meal for two, including some starters, may not exceed Rs 600 here. A must-try for dessert freaks—Death by Chocolate, rich chocolate mousse with a richer and darker chocolate sauce.

Bars

• Bike & Barrel: Motorbike theme, with popular ladies night, Residency Towers, T. Nagar

• Pasha: Chennai’s most exclusive nightclub, Park Hotel, Anna Salai
• Zara: Tapas (Spanish snacks, always worth trying) bar, Radhakrishna Salai

Restaurants

• Citrus: Karen Anand brings health-focused fusion style, Hotel Savera, Radhakrishna Salai
• Lotus: Specialty Thai food, The Park, Anna Salai
• New Yorker: All-vegetarian from across the world, Nungambakkam High Road
• Aqua: Eat under a poolside awning, 8 floors up, The Park, Anna Salai
• Murugan Idli Shop: Idlis and pongal keeps bringing the crowds in, G.N. Chetty Road, T Nagar