Shubh – A Boutique For The Palate

Nestled in a tranquil part of Nungambakkam, Shubh catches the eye with its bright, colorful exteriors that create just the right amount of intrigue that makes you want to step in. With the sweet shop and packaged food section taking up all of the interiors, the outdoor section is dedicated exclusively to a variety of chat counters that serve authentic north-Indian chat dishes in a lawn setting.

We decided to try out their chat menu first. We started out with the Rasmalai, which was easily one of the biggest Rasmalai’s one can see in Chennai. Topped with shaved nuts and saffron strands, the sweet was as spongy as it can get and tasted delicious with just the perfect amount of sweetness.

Next up, we were served with their Chole Bhatura, which we hear is a top special at Shubh. The bhatura was fluffy and light while the channa made it obvious why the dish was their special. It was perfectly spiced, with the chickpeas cooked to such perfection that they melt in the mouth. Packed with flavors, the Chole Bhatura was a definite hit with us.

What is chat food without the perennial favorite that is the Paani Poori? So that’s what we tried next. Shubh serves two version of this chat – one with a semisweet paani and the other with the traditional spicy paani. The poor, again, was bigger than what we are used to and tasted great.

Our next choice was the Aaloo Tikki, which again comes in two versions – one with channa and one with curd. We chose the dhahi Aloo Tikki to balance out our palates after the spice from the paani poori. The Tikki came swimming in a bowl of thick, sweetened curd and topped with freshly grated vegetables. While the veggies gave a nice crunch to the dish, the spicy, fried Tikki and the sweet curd complemented each other very well.

Our next sweet dish was another crowd favorite, the Jalebi. Served so hot that it steams up in front of you, the jalebi was absolutely decadent and makes you want to have more.

We moved to the main section of the place where a vast variety of sweets and savories are displayed for sale. We decided to try out their Kaju Katli platter, a selection of Kaju Katlis that come in different flavors like lemon, rose, apple and pista among others. The sweets which are prepared in the kitchen upstairs were fresh and tasted divine.

Their huge assortment of Petha drew us to their section like a bunch of colorful magnets. We tried their Paan Petha, which again was one of their bigsellers. Real paan ingredients and chopped nuts are rolled in a thin layer of flavored petha that come together to create an explosion of taste in the mouth. We bet that you wouldn’t find a more perfect finish to your meal, especially if you love the taste of paan.

All the sweets, savories and chat items served at Shubh are prepared from ingredients that are brought in from all over the world, including the water, 5 gallons of which is brought daily from Delhi. The reason for this is to bring the authentic North-Indian flavors that are missing in most of the chat shops in Chennai. It isn’t just the ingredients, the chefs themselves are from places like Delhi, Mathura, etc., and specialists of their respective dishes.

Shubh also sells all types of chocolates, packaged savories, nuts, dry fruits and snacks which are all prepared by the in-house chefs and packed the way the customer wishes.

With authentic taste in every bite and a mind-boggling variety of sweets and savories, Shubh is here to stay.