India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (183 page)

Pudhukuppam Keelputhupet, 605 014 Tamil Nadu.
0413/265-5751.
Fax 0413/265-6351.
www.thedunehotel.com
. [email protected] or [email protected]. 51 units. Nature cooled Rs 5,500 double; A/C cooled Rs 7,950; A/C suite Rs 11,950; A/C luxury Rs 18,250. Rates include breakfast and taxes. Additional person Rs 1,000; child Rs 400. Children under 5 stay free in parent’s room. 20% off Apr–June. AE, MC, V.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; bar; Ayurvedic treatments; beach volleyball; bicycles; children’s playground and activities; DVD library (1,500 titles); kites; open-air auditorium; pool; pottery; room service; spa therapies; table games; tennis; volleyball; yoga and meditation (daily). In room: A/C (some), DVD player, minibar (some).

WHERE TO DINE

Given the Indian and French influences, it’s hardly surprising that Westerner’s feel spoiled for choice in Pondicherry, and space constraints are the only reason the following restaurants are not reviewed in full. Almost all of them, incidentally, are walking distance from one another. When night falls and temperatures are balmy, you’ll definitely want to dine alfresco: Aristo’s rooftop (reviewed below) is a good inexpensive and authentic choice; on the other end of the spectrum is
The Lighthouse Grill,
the rooftop restaurant at The Promenade (see above): a sexy, atmospherically lit evening space, with a slick bar/club-type atmosphere.

For casual restaurant dining, it’s a toss-up between two Pondi stalwarts:
Satsanga
(see below) or
The Bistro
(38 Rue Dumas St.;
0413/222-7409;
www.leclub-raj.com
), located in the gardens of what had become (though currently being revamped) the rather run-down heritage Hotel de Pondichéry. Set beneath a thatched roof, with roll-down blinds, cane furniture (green plastic seats for the spillover), and lots of potted plants, The Bistro (aka Indochine) has a lovely, laid-back courtyard-garden atmosphere somewhat spoiled by the awful piped Western music, and probably the biggest cocktail menu in Tamil Nadu (this, along with the cheap prices account for its popularity with young backpackers). You could also try
Rendez-vous Café
(30 Rue Suffren;
0413/233-0238
), where tables laid with checkered cloths give a cheerful continental atmosphere; try the pork
vindaloo;
the seafood platter (huge) is also good. There is A/C available if it’s unbearably hot; if not, sit on the rooftop terrace. For a slightly more cosseted old-fashioned romantic atmosphere, head over to the leafy, candlelit courtyard at Hotel de l’Orient (see “Where to Stay” above for address). Local chefs, working with the French executive chef, change the menu at
Carte Blanche
pretty regularly but the concept is to keep fusing French recipes with Indian ingredients (predominantly coconut and curry leaves); there’s limited space here so book if you’re not staying here.

For a more informal vibe, and very cheap fare,
Sea Gulls,
located on the beach (near Park Guest House) is also a short stroll away. Food is nothing to write home about but portions are huge. Better still, if all you’re wanting is a light snack-type meal of salads and whole-grain bread (and with the heat this is often ideal), head upstairs to the shaded roof terrace at
Kasha Ki Aasha
(23 Rue Surcouf;
0413/2222963
). It’s predominantly a gift shop; while the all-female staff is helpful and kind, be warned: Service is interminable, so take a book and relax.

Finally, if you find the French-influenced cuisine a little pretentious here on the subcontinent and prefer the deadly hot spices of the local Chettinad cuisine, an alternative to Aristo’s A/C room (see below) is nearby
Appachi
(8 Rangapillai St.;
0413/222-0613
). It’s
very
popular with locals, so get here early or be prepared to wait for a table.

Tip:
If you’re looking to escape the heat after shopping in Mission Street by stepping into an A/C refrigerator, or simply have a sweet tooth,
Sri Krishna Sweets
(86 Mission St.) is a spotlessly clean multicuisine canteen-style restaurant-cum-sweet shop, with a tempting array of traditional treats behind gleaming glass counters.

Aristo
CONTINENTAL/INDIAN If you can take your Indian spicing like a local, and want quick service (a rarity in Pondi), then head for Aristo, a rooftop restaurant overlooking chaotic Nehru Street. Expect little from the decor—plastic seating and plain crockery—but at night the place is breezy, lit with fairy lights, and enthusiastically twittering birds in a cage compete with a background soundtrack of pop songs and the honks and beeps of busy traffic below. Food is very reasonable and for the most part pretty good. Make a beeline for the
biryanis
(prepared for 4 hr.); if you find it’s too hot to eat something meaty (often the case) try the
poisson du chef:
Chef Anwar’s special fish in mushroom sauce. Or try the Ceylon egg
paratha
(pancakelike bread, stuffed with meat and onions, wrapped in egg, and fried lightly); accompany that with just about anything that strikes your fancy—it’s all extremely tasty and excellent value for money.

114 Nehru St.
0413/233-4524
or
0413/430-8202. Main courses: Rooftop Rs 90–Rs 200; Chettinad restaurant almost everything under Rs 100. MC, V. Daily 11:30am–4:30pm and 6:30–10pm.

Salle A Manger
CONTINENTAL/INDIAN Located in a new heritage hotel called Calve, yet another upscale hotel to open in the Tamil part of town, this newbie is currently the classiest dining option in Pondicherry. Like Carte Blanche (see above) Salle A Manger serves Franco-Tamil Creole cuisine, but the emphasis here is more firmly on the Indian (best to choose from this menu), and the surroundings more salubrious. It’s a great place to come and celebrate a special occasion but at press time had been struggling to make inroads in the local dining community, so if you’re not traveling in peak season and you like your restaurants bustling, best call ahead and find out just how busy they expect to be on the night you plan to visit.