Pelican Deck – Sheraton Grand, Neelangarai, Chennai

Restaurant Name: Pelican Deck – Sheraton Grand, Neelangarai, Chennai
Phone: 044 33422222
Address: Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, 280 ECR, Vadanamelli, Neelangarai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India
Time: 7 PM – 11 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,600
Cuisines: European, BBQ, Grill
Facilities: Full Bar Available, Indoor Seating

Pelican Deck – Sheraton Grand, Neelangarai, Chennai: Decor

The Pelican Deck’s name is carved in stone. Climbing up the stone stairs I see the deck lives up to its name. Four shelters face the bay on one side. A brightly lit live kitchen and garden furniture form the rest of the decor. For sound, there’s music mingling with the whispers of an evening breeze and gently lapping waves in the distance.

Does Pelican Deck live in the hope that someday pelicans will come visiting and enjoy the sheer beauty of the restaurant named after them? I wonder, and I find out that some pelican varieties do come to India, but rarely to south India.

Sitting in my shelter, I enjoy the view of swaying palms and a calm ocean in the distance. Then, I spot it. The moon. I have discovered a new corner in Chennai that calms my soul with its sheer beauty and closeness to nature.

Pelican Deck – Sheraton Grand, Neelangarai, Chennai: Food

A wooden chopping board menu tells me what is available. But first, the complimentary White Bean Dip with Buttered Brioche. The brioche itself is a rich, classy, milky bread, soft in its crustiness and very interesting with the white bean dip that has a hint of truffle oil. The crumbling bread and the subtleness makes me recognize the sophistication of French food.

Quinoa is the source of complete vegetarian protein, so I decide to get some from the Quinoa Salad with Tortilla Chips. Then, I discover that it has fresh figs, tomatoes, sprouts, onion, cucumber and the crunch of crumbled tortilla chips adding to the elegance of a lemon dressing.

Named after the bar it is served in and the number in the hotel’s address, Pintail 280 is my drink of the evening. Shaken with a whiskey base and containing fresh juices of cranberry and orange, it has a slight bitterness to balance the sweetness.

Pink on the inside, the perfectly browned Lamb Chops are drenched in natural jus with barbecue sauce adding just a tiny, barely discernible hint of sweetness. The edamame and spinach mash add their generous green to the otherwise brown dish. Let me tell you this: New Zealand lamb is denser than its Indian counterpart and is tough to cut through. Very filling, its flavors are also very different from what we get here.

Since I began with Brioche and loved it, I end my meal with Brioche pudding. I’m glad I made this choice, as I look at the golden mounds on the bread from the baking. The sprinkling of pistachio slivers adds to the enchantment.

Then a bite of the 64% cocoa from the Chocolate Mousse leaves me completely satisfied.

Pluses and minuses: Pelican Deck is a beautiful alfresco restaurant. I like the ‘keep it simple’ concept. The service is a little slow, but that could be a plus as you get to enjoy the ambience a little longer and maybe eat a bit more…