Tanisha (Restaurant)

The Scene
The disadvantage of living in Ameerpet is that you will die of the pollution and traffic congestion sooner rather than later. The advantage is that it's not expensive to live until then, at least where eating out is concerned. Tanisha, the multi-cuisine restaurant in the eponymous hotel, is another example of what the erstwhile Anupama and Swagath demonstrated for years - that it is possible to serve tasty food in reasonably good ambience at fair prices and still feel like there's nothing wrong with you.

Tanisha takes pride in its attire - the ceiling is the most striking part of the decor, done in various shades, hues and levels of glass, embellished by muted and alternating back-lighting that stands out since it is the only lighting the restaurant has. The walls have had plenty of work done on them in both architecture and art - strong colors contrasting against the general pale theme of the place is the motif there - and the seating too has character, sticking to an unusual white.

The streak of individuality extends to the menu too, with the smattering of dark graphics. Which brings us to the food.

The Food
Tanisha serves Chinese, North-Indian and Continental fare, and with about 200 items in the muster, does an elaborate job of each cuisine. The dishes are primarily standard fare - there are occasional names like Pudina Shorba, Mulagtwany Soup, Veg Porizal, Kimchee Salad, Lasooni Kebab, Mushroom Punches and Shrimps Black Bean Sauce, but otherwise it's everything you are used to seeing and are fond of, including even Gongura Pappu, Chicken Chettinad and Nellore Chepala Kura.

The thalis (Rs. 75-110) are a good option for a quick meal, but if you are here for pleasure, you can choose from 20 soups, 10 each of sandwiches and salads, 35 appetizers, 40 Indian and 20 Chinese main course dishes, 15 kebabs/tikkas, 9 biryanis, 10 Chinese rice items, 10 noodles options and 13 Continental varieties. The prices are quite reasonable - you can get soups for Rs. 45, appetizers for Rs. 65 and main course dishes for Rs. 60-90 if you are vegetarian, with non-veg being about 25% higher.

The food tastes good - they surprise with even a stock dish like Tomato Egg Drop Soup, making you ask for more. And there's complimentary mineral water to boot, a service gesture that, given the low prices to start with, warms the cockles.

The Verdict
Tanisha is a good addition to the Ameerpet food map, otherwise comprised mostly of messes thanks to the huge student population and large number of hostels. For all those who find Minerva too bland in ambience and Green Park too upmarket, here's something that combines the best of the two. And did we mention free mineral water?