French Village Food Court dishes out food and games aplenty on ECR

French Village Food Court and Game Zone at Akkarai on ECR is a popular pit stop for travellers with diverse food options.

For those driving along the East Coast Road (ECR), the French Village Food Court and Game Zone at Akkarai has become the ultimate pit stop.

This spot has become popular among travellers looking for a quick bite on the way to Mahabalipuram or Puducherry. This food court features a spacious outdoor seating area for those who walk in. It offers a wide variety of options for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. And most of the outlets here have live cooking stations.

“On an average, we get around 500 people on weekdays, and at weekends, the number goes up to more than 3,000,” says Shivarudhran B., proprietor of French Village Food Court and Game Zone. The crowd that frequents this place is mostly travellers. Despite the rain, hundreds of people flocked to this place after 11 p.m. on the night of November 11.

One of the first outlets at this food court was Egg Skew. It offers egg-based dishes, including chicken keema egg skewers, prawn heaven egg skewers, egg popcorn, egg fries, and egg fingers. “I’ve curated all the recipes myself,” says Yogeshwaran Sasikumar, who runs Egg Skew. A civil engineer, Mr. Sasikumar has applied his expertise to the interior design of several outlets at the food court.

Athif Sheriff, a 27-year-old entrepreneur, runs Dhawoods Biriyani. It has been serving delicious biryanis for three months. “We chose this location because the ECR is a prime area, and the spacious environment is perfect for families to relax and enjoy, with a plenty of room for kids to play,” he says. “What sets Dhawoods Biriyani apart is its unique cooking method: each dish is cooked with traditional firewood. It infuses the food with a rich, smoky flavour that keeps customers coming back,” he adds.

People visit here for music and games, too, at weekends. “We now have 45 outlets and we have space for 15 more. We also host various activities at weekends,” says Mr. Shivarudhran. The goal, he adds, is to transform it into a vibrant fun city. In the coming months, this place will feature a salon, a VR gaming zone, and small retail outlets. A restobar is also on the cards.

B. Solomon, who came along with his friends, said this was one of the few places which had a spacious breezy terrace. “If you want to visit food courts within the city, parking is a major concern. There is ample parking space, and this place operates round the clock, convenient for people like me who do night shifts,” he says.