Chilli's

If you're looking for a lively place to hang out with friends ...this is it. Chilli's is a franchisee of the popular American fast food joint and has, thankfully, not yet Indianized it's menu. Located on Airport Road (just next to Total mall), the restaurant has a warm and cheerful feel to it...with good music and a pleasant staff and no dingy or 'smokey' look despite having a bar.

The menu, as I said, is pure continental...ranging from burgers and sandwiches to Fajitas and Steaks. A large part comprises of Mexican cuisine. The starters section of the menu is pretty tempting and, looking at the descriptions...extremely fattening :) which is why we went straight for them! The Hot Spinach and Corn cheese Dip served with tortilla chips was out of the world. Not just the taste, the quantity was enough for 3 people...considering the think layer of cheese in it. A must have!

The Fajitas are a house specialty (as told to us by the staff) and are offered in a variety of flavors. We ordered the Classic Grilled Chicken fajita...served on a sizzling hot plate along with veggies & condiments and, of course, tortillas. The end product was truly wonderful...I'm not just saying it...it was...and here are the reasons why:

- A dish like Fajita...which is usually had with tortillas as a wrap..is essentially dry in nature, and that makes it all the more difficult for the cook - you can't make it too saucy coz it will drip..and neither can it be too dry (in fact no dish should be so dry anyway!). The particular dish in question was a beautiful balance of the 2

- Second, the chicken pieces were marinated to perfection...and aptly complimented with the slightly crispy onions and bell peppers

- And third and of critical importance but often ignored..it was served sizzling hot.

Having said that, a little more spice would have been good, considering the condiments (cheese, finely chopped cold veggies) and tortillas are bland.

Overall, a great experience. The quantity and taste definitely justify the prices. A bar is available too with a good collection of cocktails and mocktails and blends well with the rest of the setting. A cool place to go a birthday party or soccer night!