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Pondicherry, India – a Guide on Where to Eat, Shop, Sleep

Joanna — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:50:00 +0000

3 days in French colonial India by the sea

If any of you have read the Life of Pi, you will remember Pondicherry as the hometown of the main character, Pi, the zookeeper’s son. Well there is no longer a zoo in Pondicherry, there is still plenty to see and do in this quaint French colonial seaside village in South India.

Despite being the main tourist destination in this part of South India, Pondicherry remains a sleepy little village. Things happen in their own time here…”hurry” most definitely is not part of the local vernacular. In part probably because of the heat and also because in this part of the world things are done the way they have always been done…old traditional ways and values are held in high esteem among the locals.

In Pondicherry there are two very distinct sides of town – Tamil Town also known as “Ville Noire” or Black Town and the French Quarter known as “Ville Blanc” or White Town. The dividing line being a main thoroughfare called Quai d’Gingy. Tamil Town is more local and leaves one with no doubt that they are in India…cramped streets teeming with people, strong smells of food stalls and shouts of hawkers selling anything and everything from street carts. The French Quarter has that unique feeling of French colonial towns in Asia…broad boulevards, tall leafy trees and stately residences and buildings with an unmistakable air of quiet elegance. Both sides can be explored thoroughly in a few days.

Here are our top recommendations on things to see, do and eat in Pondicherry.

Tamil Town

Don’t miss the Sunday Market. Lots of local goods are on offer here, but for us it wasn’t as much the shopping as it was the sheer spectacle of local life…haggling over used books, buying hammers at the “hardware store” consisting of tools scattered across a tarpaulin on the street.
Shop at Casablanca Department Store, 165 Mission Street. Several floors of Indian wares…from tunics and pottery to sandals and local leather handbags. We went for a quick visit and emerged 3 hours later. Try a blended iced mint tea at the café to refresh between floors. I bought a linen, hand-embroidered tunic dress for 990 Rupees ($20 USD / $30 SGD) and a silky, soft cotton duvet cover for 1490 Rupees ($30 USD / $45 SGD).
Have lunch on the roof at Hotel Aristo, Nehru Street. Don’t be put off by the dodgy exterior, there is some seriously delicious Indian food here .Try the walnut chicken and lentil dahl. Special tea (beer) is available and served discreetly in teapots. Main dishes 80-150 Rupees ($1.50 – 3 USD / $2.50 – 5 SGD).

French Quarter

The best thing to do in this part of town is wander the wide boulevards and pop in the various little shops and cafes. We do however have some favorites though…
Shop at the gift shop of the Hotel De Orient for carefully chosen treasures. We bought ivory handled cheese knives for a song as well as exotic colored-glass candle holders.
While we had many meals, our favorites were at Rendezvous at 30 Rue Suffren, where the menu is mostly French and Indian (with some Chinese!)… but really, when in India why not have delicious Indian food. We also recommend kashi ki aasha at 23 Rue Surcouf – go to the rooftop restaurant for lunch….a relaxing vibe and yummy local and European foods (including pastries) can be found at this boutique shop-colonial house-café.
Shop at Fab-India, 59 Rue Suffren, for all manner of Indian textiles. You can find everything here from tunics and trousers to tablecloths and carpets. I bought a gorgeous chain-stitched, handmade wool Dhurrie carpet for 1900 Rupees ($69 USD / $102 SGD) along with a cotton crinkle scarf with hand-painted gold detailing for 395 Rupees ($8 USD / $12 SGD).

Seaside

On Goubert Street by the sea, the main event is people watching on the promenade. Grab a seat on the bench and watch Indian life stroll by. Watch children climb sculptures and husbands and wives separate by gender to gossip in small groups. Rickshaws scurry past to drop off visitors, while a brass band plays. From families to young groups of teenagers to yogis….one sees it all at sunset in the festival atmosphere by the sea in Pondicherry.
Eat at the Lighthouse restaurant at the top of the Promenade Hotel. The restaurant has a very international atmosphere We enjoyed the tandoori seafood sharing platter and tandoori vegetables with a couple of glasses of French wine for 1900 Rupees ($38 USD / $57 SGD) for 2 people. Actually an extravagant price by Indian standards but worth dining rooftop with the sea breeze.

If you have time for a day trip, head to….

The communal settlement of Auroville. An international community seeking spiritual enlightenment where people come from all over the world seeking a life of peace and harmony, Honestly it is a bit of a strange place to visit…the highlight being an astonishing spherical golden structure oddly resembling a golf ball where residents go to find silence. But if you have time, it is an interesting curiosity.

Keep in mind…

There is little to no “nightlife” in Pondicherry. Most restaurants / bars close at 11pm and it is not unusual for restaurant not to serve alcohol at all.
This is conservative South India….even cropped pants and v-necked tops can be seen as racy attire, so unless you crave raised eyebrows and (sometimes aggressive) male attention ladies, please dress appropriately.

On hotels….
We chose to stay in the French Quarter in a hotel called Le Dupliex. In the 18th century, Le Dupliex served as the home of the Mayor on Pondicherry and remains today rather stately and elegant in its presentation. The hotel is so lovely – which is why it pains me to have to share with you that the service is rather lacking. Our reservation was botched despite repeated confirmations (confirmed several times because of the lack of confidence instilled during the reservation process – painful phone calls and nary an email to the reservation email address ever returned). Our room, while refined and comfortable, sprouted a leak in the bathroom that seemingly could not be repaired despite multiple visits over multiple days from the handyman. The restaurant is cute and cozy in a tree-lined courtyard with graceful touches, but we repeatedly had to track down our servers even though at times we were the only diners in the restaurant and service staff was forgetful delivering partial orders that required a significant amount of follow-up. And finally the front desk / concierge staff proved itself to be extremely limited in its ability to provide any advice on dining, activities or even helping us with directions to locations that we already had the addresses to. With all that said, it is still the most elegant address in town, so if booking at this hotel just come prepared to “wing it” and expect no local support. Once a member of the distinctive Relais & Chateaux collection of luxury hotels, Le Dupliex no longer delivers the quality to support its presence in the collection. I think next time, I will try the Hotel De Orient run by the Neemrana group – while perhaps not quite as elegant, we have heard the service is much better.

Le Dupliex
5 Caserne St.
Pondicherry India
Ph: +91 413 2226999/2226001-5
Fax: +91 413 2335278
http://www.ledupleix.com
7000 Rupees / night ($141 USD / $210 SGD)

Hotel De Orient
17 Rue Romain Rolland
Pondicherry, India
+91 413 2343067
www.neemranahotels.com
similarly priced to Le Dupliex

Chennai, India – a Guide on Where to Eat, Shop, Sleep

Joanna — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:28:48 +0000

Making the most of a stop-over with some charming shopping, chic cocktails and dining like royalty with a luxurious South Indian meal

The 4th largest city and India and known as the “Detroit of India,” Chennai itself is not so much a destination as it is a hub which travelers stop-over on their way to something else. While I wouldn’t recommend Chennai as a destination, there are a couple of fun ways to spend a day…from strolling through carefully curated boutiques in old colonial homes to eating fabulous South Indian food, there are a few gems in this otherwise rough city.

India can overwhelm the senses….the colors, the cacophony, the smells. Landing in Chennai was no different – come prepared for anything! The taxi ride itself was a test of endurance. Un-air conditioned in 40 degree Celsius heat (105 degrees Fahrenheit), my driver and his midget co-pilot threw my bags in the trunk at the airport with what seemed a loose grasp on my hotel address.

In the 45 minutes from hotel to airport my taxi driver managed to narrowly escape a few collisions weaving in and out of the lanes. Perilously close to other cars in doing so, finally there was he unmistakeable sound of metal on metal. Cars stopped, shouting of insults commenced and then….a big splat of spit hit our windshield as the driver of a bus joined in the “fun” in an effort to break up the argument so he could continue his route. After more spitting and arguing with other drivers, we arrived at the Park Hotel in Chennai.

The Park Hotel Chennai is part of a group of hotels all over India, an oasis of calm after the spirited journey, the cool marble lobby with impossibly high ceilings, felt at once expansive yet welcoming. We had picked this particular hotel because in being in Chennai only one night, we had heard that it had the most happening bar and nightclub in the city.

Although the Park calls itself a boutique hotel, it is not entirely accurate - with multiple restaurants and bars in a rather large high rise it feels more like a big hotel chain, a la Sheraton. And while the restaurants, bar and nightclub were modern in design and high in quality, the rooms themselves were a bit tired and in need of a face lift. With that said, I would still recommend the Park Hotel as the quality of the food and drink and service made me feel a bit more forgiving about the room. While at the Park I would recommend:

Six-O-One restaurant: This is where a lovely breakfast is served – try the made to order Dosas. Also the dinner is repleat with South Indian favorites like Biryani, Dahl, vada, poori bread and much, much more.
The Leather Bar: Enjoy a cocktail and yummy complimentary chili-scented chips in this hip bar where the floors and walls are covered in suede.
Pasha: Also on premises, this city’s most elite nightclub doesn’t get going until about mid-night, so plan accordingly. Depending on where you are from, the décor can feel a bit dated, but it is unquestionably one of the best night spots in the city.

See how the locals chill out
For a bit of local flavour in Chennai, head to Marina Beach to see all walks of life gather at sunset on the beach. The second largest city beach in the world on the Bay of Bengal (Ocean Beach in San Francisco is the first), this is where the local families, groups of schoolchildren and teenagers, grandparents and well…just about everyone…come to have a snack at one of the food stalls, ride a make-shift carousel, play cricket and lounge about while the sun goes down (no swimming allowed). Any taxi driver will know how to take you there. If you are not Indian, and especially if fair / blonde, prepare for lingering eyes to curiously follow your every move. The boys can be a bit aggressive, so ladies, be sure to maintain conservative dress.

Score some fabulous Indian souvenirs
Two truly lovely stores await – filled with Indian jewelery, textiles, clothing, antiques, books, music and more. If you can only see one, I would recommend Amethyst in the Gopalapurum section of Chennai.

A colonial bungalow set in century-old trees, Amethyst is a unique cultural / shopping / café / lounge experience. The selection is immense although not inexpensive as Amethyst features some of the highest quality Indian designers to be found in one location. The list goes on an on… from handmade holy basil soaps, to gorgeous silks, real pashmina scarves, saris and tunics, to costume and gemstone jewellery, to books by Indian authors and local favourites in music, to colonial antiques of the highest calibre. I ended up leaving with some hammered gold necklaces for $60USD each and my friend Gretchen bought an eyecatching ring that we both could not stop admiring. We intended to go for 1 hour but stayed for 4 hours, enjoying the last bit of it in the café’s garden sipping tea and having a sandwich while watching the locals do the same. I loved it so much I wish I could take you there now as my guest just to see it and share a tea with me – and also to pick up those intricate filigree earrings I regret not buying.

Also wonderful is Chamiers and Anokhi on Chamiers Road across from the Sheraton Hotel. Of a similar ilk, these co-located stores offer Indian textiles and handicrafts on a smaller scale than Amethyst…still it is a beautiful place. Also with the Eco Café on site, one can both shop and relax with friends over a tea. My favorite offerings were the printed Indian textiles as well as the beautiful tortoise shell and mother of pearl housewares. While I didn’t buy much here, Gretchen bought some adorable children’s dresses and was tempted by snugly soft cotton duvets and sheets.

Dine like royalty at the Taj Hotel

Outside of Amethyst, my other favourite spot was the Southern Spice restaurant in the Taj Coromandel Hotel in Chennai. Southern Spice has a simple but compelling concept – the menu is broken into the 4 southern states of India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka) and diners can sample famous foods from each region. Part education and part fine dining, the menu describes what the unique tastes and spices of each region are and then details the dishes. We paired the following with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and it was easily the most delectable meal I had while in Chennai.

From Tamil Nadu -> Vendakkai Cholapinji Theratel, okra and baby corn cooked dry with tomato and onion
From Kerala -> famous for mild curries, we tried the king prawn and coconut curry
Andhra Pradesh -> Gutti Vonkaya, aubergine in a tamrind and spiced nut gravy, a delicacy from Hyderabad
From Karnataka -> Mysore Kori, a special preparation of boneless chicken in a mild, tomato based sauce
All served with fresh, hot appam – a bread made of rice batter. And 4 dipping sauces – coriander, coconut almond paste, ginger chutney, and saffron sauce

The service was excellent and meal was accompanied by traditional dance and a fortune telling parrot. A little luxe and a little campy, all at the same time.

Don’t overlook Chennai
The dirty, bustling city on its surface can feel a bit uninspiring and thus, tempting to skip. But if you have time, I recommend that you spend a day in Chennai…enjoy shopping at Amethyst, some local sightseeing, dinner at the Taj and a little nightlife. It’s all an adventure when in India and these are bright spots on an otherwise dusty road.

The Park Hotel, Chennai
Also in Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta and Visakhapatnam
www.theparkhotels.com
#601 Anna Salai
Chennai, India
Telephone: +91 (0)44 4267 6000
Email: resv.che@theparkhotels.com

Amethyst
Jeypore Colony, Gopalapurum
Chennai, India
Telephone: +91 44 2835 1627

Chamiers
www.chamiershop.com
#85 (old #47) Chamiers Road
Chennai, India
Telephone: +91 (0) 44 2431 1495

Taj Coromandel
#37 Mahatma Gandhi Road
Nungambakkam
Chennai, India
Tel: (91-44) 6600 2827