Compared
to other metros, there is not much in the form of night life,
say regular travelers. The favorite spot (all 8 kilometers of
it) remains the Marina beach, with families making a picnic of
it.
However
with the newer business areas and software development parks in
the southern suburbs, some changes are taking place. Restaurants
serving exotic Italian, Mexican, Thai, Korean and Chinese cuisine
have come up and while the main clientele are widely traveled
computer professionals and experts like Koreans and Japanese,
desi Chennai residents too have started experimenting. This is
a major change for tradition bound Chennai, really. Even Dhabaas
serving mainly Punjabi and moghlai food have sprung up in the
suburbs.
There
are thousands of vegetarian restaurants in Chennai, ranging from
the simple 'meals restaurants where a Thai lunch (rarely available
in the evening) is served on a banana leaf for under Rs.20/- to
sumptuous spreads for 10 times that amount in the major hotels.
Breakfast
at the simpler restaurants, which open shortly after dawn, consists
of such staples as masala dosa, idli, curd and coffee. The Saravana
Bhavan chain establishments serve excellent vegetarian food. Rajabhavan
is a vegetarian restaurant at the entrance to the Hotel Imperial.
A specialty of Chennai is the hot steaming lunch served on a fresh
green banana leaf. Buharis Restaurant is reputed for tandoori
cuisine.
Clubs:
Well known clubs in Chennai include the Madras Gymkhana, Cosmopolitan
Club, and the Presidency Club.
