Last week, we went out for a family dinner to Eternal, the vegetarian fine-dining restaurant from the Nithya Amirtham group. It’s on the first floor of a building on Haddows Road. There’s no car parking, but valet service was available and worked well.

We were a group of 11 and arrived at 7 PM sharp, just as they opened. For a while, the place was quiet. But by 8:30, it was packed, and there were people waiting outside. Just after we finished eating, the staff politely hinted that we should leave since others were waiting. I found that a bit odd — even in India, where this is common, I expected better from a fine-dining restaurant.

Coming to the food — it was good, with plenty of variety. The soups were a nice start – we had Lung Fung and Spring Veg. Among the starters, Malai Soya Chaap, Signature Chilli Toast and simple Potato Fries were all enjoyable.

In the mains, we tried Panju Bun Parotta with Karipazha Kuzhambu – a fun, sweet-savoury combo. The Virudhunagar-style Salna Parotta was also good. The Indian Sizzler came loaded with Aloo Gobi Masala, Jeera Pulao, Achari Paneer Tikka and a green salad. There was also a Mixed Veg Penne in white sauce – simple, mild, and comforting.

We had Masala Kulcha, Coin Ghee Parotta, and Bhindi Masala to go with it. For drinks, I had the Lemon Mint Mojito – refreshing. The Punjabi Lassi was thick and creamy, but way too sweet for my taste – more like a dessert than a drink.

For dessert, we ended with Elaneer Halwa – light, mildly sweet, and a nice way to finish. The total came to about ₹800 per person.