Droves of influencers launch Chennai’s Entrance Cafe in a flurry of hashtags. But, how is the food?

You have seen the hashtags. Now we try the gnocchi. Does newly-launched Entrance Café in Kilpauk live up to the hype?

Predictably enough, the influencers got here first. As with any new space boasting flattering light and Insta-pretty interiors, Entrance Café was plastered all over social media in an avalanche of pouts, hair flips and hashtags for weeks after the launch. Because #FoodieGoalz obviously. And don’t forget to #TagYourSquad. 

I leave my squad behind so I can sneak in and evaluate the menu in cynical silence. Two girls are busy working on perfect profile pictures at the front door, a project that apparently demands six retakes and multiple reapplications of lipstick. When I am finally inside, I’m pleasantly surprised at how welcoming the space is: over 5000 sq feet divided into indoor and outdoor dining, with a relaxed balcony and smaller rooms upstairs, all lush with palms, orchids and that comfortingly cheery scent of freshly brewed coffee.  

But is the food #DroolWorthy, as they say on the gram? I order the pumpkin gnocchi and a kale salad from a cheerful waitress, who takes my order after running up the stairs balancing an impressive variety of glassware with athletic ease. The menu is thoughtfully designed, offering interesting spins on comfort food and global café staples: Pan seared baos stuffed with banana blossom and mushooms, pickled prawn tortellini and tandoori chicken ‘naanzas’.  

The gnocchi features sweetly savoury pumpkin in a luxurious sauce, perky with chive. It pairs well with the kale, massaged into soft curls topped with slices of dates and shitaake mushrooms. The espresso that follows is dark yet fruity, evidence that there has been diligent planning behind the scenes — coffee poses challenges constantly, from procurement and roasting, to the exacting process of pulling an adequately creamy espresso shot. I pair it with palmiers, crisp with caramelised sugar.  

Service is polite and attentive, despite the seemingly endless waves of food photographers and selfie takers. As it turns out, this is not just another Instagram café. And Chef Mrinmoy Acharyya — who divides his time between biking around Goa and cooking in Chennai — is determined to create and maintain a menu that is more than just photogenic.  

When we catch up at the café later in the week, he describes his food philosophy as a “simple menu, put together nicely.” Stating that he is confident about food consistency, he says his kitchen team, many of whom are from Mumbai, consists of friends he worked with through the years. “We have a great connection beyond work. And they have a sense of ownership, so this is more a team-led menu than a chef-led one.“

Stating that they make an effort to source good ingredients from across the country — their flour is from Madhya Pradesh, the lamb from Rajasthan and chorizo from Goa — Mrinmoy says the menu has been designed to offer options for everyone, whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.