My first experience with Amethyst at Chennai was earlier this month when a friend of mine invited me over to Amethyst to discuss about something. I thought it must be yet another restaurant and was ready to try it out.

Amethyst is located on Whites Road, just before the Satyam Parking Lot on the right side. When I pulled into the parking lot, it reminded me of the typical business center in the US, as I saw a metal detector placed at the entrance. From that point on, I was led into a world of fantasy, which has impressed me a lot as still kept me mesmerized until this minute.

The  moment you step into Amethyst, you are greeted with lush green trees and plants and for a minute you forget that you are in the heart of Chennai. If not for the sound of the horns in cars and bikes on Whites Road, you will surely think you are somewhere in the jungles of Africa (or at least somewhere far away from the city).

There are tables both along the hallway where you sit with cool breeze greeting you or inside with Air Conditioning. I chose a table at the corner along the hallway, which gives a wonderful view of the greenery around.

Amethyst has been around for a few years and there are two more places in Chennai which are similar to Amethyst. This one also has a cake shop inside as well as a boutique in the first floor. I was told Amethyst is often visited by directors, artists, etc who can come and sit in a relaxed environment and discuss their topics at length.

The first time I went there I got a nice milkshake while my friend got a beetroot/carrot/apple juice. I took a look at the menu and realized they change every day – not very unique in Chennai, while it is quite common elsewhere in the world. The second and third times I went there, I got hooked on to their fruit juices as well as custom made omelettes with egg whites. I also liked their decoration of the cappuccino and I heard it was also done quite well. The bill was also quite consistently reasonable on all three occasions I was there in the past ten days. Yes, three times in the past ten days – I think I am in love with this place 🙂

I could not help gaping at the ability of the person running Amethyst – how could some one afford such a large place in the heart of the city and it also scares me that if my math is right, he is running a loss making unit right now and it is just a matter of time before which the business reality kicks in and he/she might have to shut down this place soon.

Overall, Amethyst is the best restaurant I have ever been to in Chennai and it is definitely in my all time top 10 restaurants. I highly recommend you go to Amethyst, if you happen to be in Chennai and are looking to try out a new place to eat.