A must-go place for delectable Euro-Asian delicacies

CHENNAI: Being the latest addition to the city’s flourishing Asian culinary influence, TapasMe is located in a corner of VR Mall Chennai, with a huge seating capacity that can accommodate up to 90 people. Apart from their food, this diner stands out for its ambience with its dim orange lights.

Sanjeev Verma, one of the partners of TapasMe, says, “We wanted to come up with a pan- Asian theme and small bites concept. So we decided to blend Asian and European, to eat everything under one roof.” Giving a few tips for aspiring restaurateurs, Sanjeev suggests, “Manpower is the biggest challenge in running a diner. One can be successful in the field if the captain of the ship- the chef and the menu falls in the right place with the best quality ingredients.”

He also adds that people are exploring beyond biriyani now. “Nowadays, almost everyone is experimenting with food and the palate of the people has changed here. They are exploring authentic foods beyond biriyani like sushi and salmon, among others. If this builds on, Chennai will have a place in the top four pan-Indian food markets,” shares the restaurateur.

They have a vast menu with more than 70 delicacies, both veg and non-veg. To start with, we tried the scrumptious wok fried chicken thousand and chilies. The Sichuan style crispy prawns with sesame oil were good, but the prawn was a bit overcooked. The rock corn with spicy mayo and wasabi mayo was light and a great small bite. The Sichuan chicken dimsum had a chewy outer layer with mild spicy stuffing. The spicy shrimp is a must-try in TapasMe for all sushi lovers. The flavours of salted and chilli garlic edamame, a Japanese dish, were piquant, with a balance of spicy, sweet and sourness.

The mix vegetable mala sauce has a distinctive peppercorn flavour. It goes well with the Thai basil chicken fried rice. Blending the savours of Turkey and Italy, the turbo mag is served like a pizza but was much lighter than that.

Among the desserts, the chocolate ball on fire was luscious and the way of presentation was novel. This dish should be on the must-try list of all the chocolate fans. The classic New York-style blueberry cheesecake was also good.

Apart from these wide range of dishes covering Asian and continental cuisines, the diner also offers cocktails and mocktails.