ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Phone: +91 9790909631
Address: 8/3, 4th Main Road, Besant Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Time: 1:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 250
Cuisines: Fast Food, Desserts, Beverages, Ice Cream
Facilities: Home Delivery, Indoor Seating, Desserts and Bakes
Kurtos, Besant Nagar, Chennai: Decor
Kurtos. Interesting name for a small outlet, only big enough to qualify as a restaurant. It can accommodate 15 guests quite comfortably in its long space. The inspiration for Kurtos – the Hungarian bread – came from a trip to Hungary, where Saira Shafi ate the breads, and got hooked. There, though, they were used only for desserts. She returned, but the bread lived on in her mind. Becoming an obsession she couldn’t ignore. She wanted to open a restaurant and serve these hollow breads with different fillings. Or by themselves. Two years of consistent practice followed. Trying and tweaking. Finally, she was ready. Five months ago, Kurtos, the outlet opened.
Decked up in pastel shades of pink and green, one small Kurtos section has an interesting display of cones on rods. These are actually the wooden moulds around which dough is wrapped before being baked in a special rotating oven.
Kurtos, Besant Nagar, Chennai: Food
I choose my bread, which is Cheese Garlic, and opt for a Tandoori Paneer salad filling. Hot, fresh-from-the-oven spiral cylinder-shaped bread, with specks of garlic and crusty mozzarella cheese arrives at my table. Aromatic, and wrapped in butter paper, the filling is cold, because it is a ‘salad’. I enjoy breaking the soft, delicately twirled bread (maida though it is!) and scooping some of that Tandoori Paneer, made in Saira’s kitchen. I like the smoky flavors, which, I think, are enhanced because of the paneer’s chilled status.
Next, another classic, Butter Chicken, gets coned. Oh yes. This one appears in a chimney cone, coated with Hungarian paprika. As expected, the bread is light and airy. The Butter Chicken filling is topped with twirls of cheesy sauce, and holds a mint chutney surprise inside.
Topping it all up with some more of that bread, I opt to get Nutty Me as my dessert. It keeps its promise of homemade ice cream, topped with just a few pieces of caramel popcorn… A very appealing combination
Plus & Minus:
Kurtos is a new introduction to Chennai’s palate, and I see Chennai accepting it well. Saira has cleverly made alterations to offer the bread in both sweet and savory combinations. The permutations and combinations on the menu are many. The best part is that it comes to you fresh and warm, as the breads are baked after the order is placed.
My only suggestion is for them to try using healthy flour for those who wish to abstain from maida.
