An affordable vegetarian hang-out spot in Anna Nagar
A new spot in Anna Nagar, Jiiggys, focuses on serving innovative vegetarian dishes. Jignesh Pujara, the founder of the outlet, talks to DT Next about the market for vegetarian food and the three major challenges faced by restaurateurs
Chipotle paneer rice bowl
CHENNAI: The newly-opened Jiiggys derives its name from the nickname of its founder, Jignesh Pujara. Located in one of the prominent lanes of Anna Nagar, the outlet is designed with the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) concept, targeting youngsters and families. “We wanted to offer the QSR concept in a vegetarian version and bring the American diner format to Chennai. One can find healthy food and quick bites here at an affordable price,” says Jignesh.
The ambience of the diner was vibrant and simple. A notable element in Jiiggys is the impressive selection of over 18 varieties of sauces, allowing customers to customize their salads and sandwiches. “There is a lot of demand for vegetarian food in Chennai now. People are trying to recreate the experience of non-veg dishes in veg, which expands the scope for innovation,” adds the founder.
Aglio e olio pasta, More than 18 variety of sauces and mayo, Burgwich, Mushroom popcorn
With the growth of restaurants in Chennai, the challenges are also increasing due to competition. “The three major issues many restaurateurs face are manpower, working capital, and rent. To sustain this business, we must constantly reinvent ourselves according to the market and trends and never give up if something goes wrong,” he explains.
The presentation of the dishes here had the typical QSR diner effect. We started with the loaded taco chips, which were balanced and tasty. The taco was prepared in a different method, which was light. The mushroom popcorn had a crispy outer covering and chewy inner stuffing. The stuffing was a bit bland but it was good with the sauce. The burgwich, a combination of burger and sandwich, was truly filling and each bite was flavourful.
Kaala khatta mojito, Strawberru boba shake, Korean pizza, Loaded taco chips
The chipotle paneer rice bowl had a good portion of rice and paneer. However, the sauce was overpowering. The Korean pizza with a thin crust is a must-try here. It had well-balanced flavours with a good amount of cheese. We tried the classic aglio e olio pasta, which was subtle and appetising.
Do not miss their beverages. The kaala khatta mojito was refreshing and the strawberry bobba milkshake is tempting and piquant. The 18 variety of sauces ranges from spicy to subtle, including buffalo hot sauce, Guntur hot sauce, naga jalokia hot sauce, basil pesto sauce, chimichurri mayo, vegan mayo, mango habanara sauce and chipotle mayo, among others.