DISCLAIMER: Head to this restaurant when it's safe to and you're in the mood to try new things.
Offering a 360 view of the city, Koox is the latest happening thing Chennai can boast of. An Asian rooftop grill at Novotel Chennai Chamiers Road, this place immediately transports you to a European fine dining restaurant with its chic decor featuring velvet upholstery and golden hues reflecting off its spacious bar. The alfresco setting by the pool is perfect for watching the city lights with bae, but we loved the ambience created by the golden lights that fill up the indoor setting of this dinner-only resto-bar.
Koox's menu, curated by Chef Kalai Selvan, is a mix of Japanese and Sichuan cuisine with enough options for meat lovers and vegetarians. Impressed by their long list of sushi offerings, we started our meal with a portion of Black Hoseki that comes with Assamese black rice, asparagus and cucumber along with crab and tempura sushi. Rolled to perfection and served on a boat, these bite-sized beauties perfectly opened up our palate.
Their small plates section has a mix of hot and cold appetizers spread across salads, lite bites and some grills. From this, we opted for their Watermelon Carpaccio and Avocado Beetroot Tartare with strawberry chips. The combination of thinly sliced watermelon with hints of sourness from the feta along with avocado left a creamy aftertaste we couldn't get enough of. This paired with some sizzling Chilly Chicken Skewers beautifully added to the medley of textures and flavours in our mouth.
For mains, we went for a mix of Japanese style cooking and Sichuan spices to include Sichuan noodles, bean sprouts, Garlic sticky rice and New Zealand Lamb Chops. Cooked robata style (Japanese style of slow cooking food on a charcoal grill) and served on a grill, the smokey flavour from the lamb chops was the highlight of the meal. But if you're big on seafood, you can choose from lobsters, Sichuan prawns, salmon and crab. Stuffed you might be, but don't miss out on the dessert here. Their Green Tea Tiramisu and Chocolate Molten cake are to die for!
Open till midnight, the upbeat music and community table setting make Koox also suitable for a night out with friends. The bar is fancy featuring exotic cocktails and pours, and as you descend into the night, you can easily feel the setting evolve into a party place. While at the bar, we recommend you try their Fifty Shades Of Gold. A rum-based cocktail with cranberry, this one tastes just as good as it looks.