A beach-side restaurant in Chennai serves romance, steak and sea breeze on a platter

The Hindu

16-07-2025

Have you heard of this idea of de-centering romance? A host of young millennials and the Gen Z are done trying to build lives around their lovers. Dating is expensive in this economy. The youth would rather build friendships where they can just be, while spending their finite disposable income on an end-of-the-week treat for themselves. I, for one, have de-centered romance too. I have instead decided to focus all my infatuation and energies on finding the perfect bite of steak. It is all the meat-cute I need.
At the culmination of this new adventurous dating journey between meat and I, is Fifth on Palavakkam. The bar-cum-restaurant overlooking the sea, is quite easily one of the most romantic spots in the city. The final table, offering a picturesque view of the glistening ocean right by the swimming pool of what was originally a villa on this once-rarely frequented stretch, is likely to be the spot where anxious partners profess their love with rings and sweaty palms. I am here, ready to acquaint myself with a gorgeous rib-eye cut of imported Wagyu.
Fifth, which opened a month ago, has come up in Palavakkam at a time of immense hospitality boom in the area. With restaurants like Bask, Origami and Paris Plage packing crowds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it is evident that people are keen to drive out, eat a good meal and sip on a drink, with or without the alcohol, and catch the breeze.
Aishwarya Selvaraj, a dermatologist whose content is fairly popular on Instagram, has always enjoyed food, particularly meat. The doctor-entrepreneur had earlier begun L'amour, a dessert studio in Nungambakkam, but shut the venture down last year. She and her husband wanted to continue being in the business and realised that the ECR was clearly seeing a rise in visitors, which is when Fifth was born. A villa complete with a well, was purchased and eventually flipped into a restaurant complete with heavy-duty grills and smokers. Along with Rajesh Kumar, the principal consultant, the trio worked their way through several tasting menus over the last year to finalise their selection. Rajesh says that they have prepared their own concentrates, sherberts and mixes for drinks that they hope add to the menu once their license is approved.
For now though, the light shines on the food. We begin with a host of appetisers including grilled gongura prawns, Seoul fried wings, gochujang soft shell crab, betel leaf beef, Punjabi chole hummus and avocado thokku. The final two, vegetarian options, are great additions to a tapas platter. The chole is creamed into a paste-like consistency, served with an oozing burrata topped with spicy chilli oil as topping, and is served with tiny methi khakras. Although the last sentence is a handful to type, the dish in itself is not a mouthful, making it an addictive snack.
The prawns, in a mild butter sauce, topped with bits of burnt garlic, with a whiff of the smell of the ocean from the table, makes for a perfect bite. The same however, cannot be said of the soft-shell crab which is unfortunately covered is a sweet-sauce akin to gochujang but mostly tastes of fried oil.
The restaurant however, makes up with three thattai-sized soft and warm tacos topped with a Kodava-style pulled pork full of a smoked red chilli flavour, creamy rajma and a well-known Amritsari chicken kebab-style.
Three appetisers stand out though — their duck pastrami with sliced duck encased in a soft bao bun and julienned vegetables; the tender meat wrapped in a neat, contrasting beetle leaf, dripping in its own juices; and the humble mango chunda with bits of brie, atop a well-buttered sourdough.
Although a bowl full of fluffy white rice appears alongside a frankly fragrant Kerala-style coconut milk-based prawn mappas curry, I pace myself because I know what is next. After a request for an intermission where the restauranters and I chat about the seating (seats 100 pax) and photograph a delightfully orange full moon, whilst observing beach-goers on bikes, the main event arrives.
Served on a cutting board and served with a selection of chimichurri, house jus, mashed potatoes and flaky Maldon sea salt, the wagyu rib-eye is meant to be eaten by cutting through the meat using a curated selection of knives made from various Indian wood. I chose the rosewood knife and cut through the beef. Buttery and indulgent, this cut of steak imported from Dubai, has the perfect char and an elevated depth — smell-wise, thanks to the Santa Maria grill. Rajesh says that they have been booked out through the week and this steak has been in high demand. It is easy to understand why.
The meal ends with a gulab jamun in an Old Monk caramel. Since it is a tad bit too sweet, I keep the dish aside and lock eyes with what I originally came for. My love affair with the steak begins again and a last bite of meat, potato, jus and salt is prepped.
Let romance be de-centered. Let it even perish. I'm alright. I have steak.
Fifth is at 21, MGR Salai, Beach Road, Palavakkam. A meal for two costs ₹3,000. Call 9008245684 for details.