A simple homely ambience greets you as you step into Rangis’, a small Chinese Restaurant on Nungambakkam High Road. No Chinese décor, no colourful lampshades hanging from the ceiling or the regular Chinese works here. Simple decor and tasty food seems to be the motto at Rangis’. The proprietor, Mr. Govindarajan, welcomes us with a broad smile. As we are ushered to our table to sample the delicacies, we notice that most of the tables are vacant, the jet-setting crowd of collegians breezing in a bit later in the day, after their classes. Despite its limited seating capacity of thirty-eight, Rangis’ is equally popular with the office goers and family folks. Centrally located, shoppers also drop in occasionally to enjoy a succulent meal and to rest their tired feet along with a cool soft drink. Rangis’ is strictly a No Smoking and a No Drinking Zone - so sort of non-polluted air around - a refreshing change from some of the other eat-outs around the metro.

A browse through the menu card and you are faced with a veritable battery of choices from amongst an assortment of spicy and non-spicy vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. On the waiter’s recommendation, we settle for Chilli Garlic Rice, Vegetable Hakka Noodles, (soft noodles) and a spicy Vegetable in Hot Pepper Sauce- a brownish gravy with pieces of cauliflower, carrot and beans and seasoned with pepper and salt. Mmmmm. ……..as the waiter walks in with the hot and piping dishes, a strong aroma whifts through the air. Looks appetising too. A dry dish of Chicken Pepper, sprinkled with fried onions is particularly tasty.

In fact, Rangis' has a wide selection of non-vegetarian dishes to pick and choose from –mutton, pork, chicken, sea-food and beef. Surprisingly where once beef was considered taboo amongst most Chennaivasis, it now seems to be picking up even amongst the most conservative families. Today dishes like beef in green chilli sauce and hot garlic sauce are very popular even amongst the brahmins. Especially exclusive to Rangis’s though, are its meat preparations in chilli plum sauce besides chicken in oyster sauce and hot bean sauce – very different from the run of the mill assortments available elsewhere. Chicken drumsticks, and sour n’pepper Chicken soup is a big seller in this Chinese joint according to the proprietor, besides the traditional and evergreen chilli chicken.

In particular, the food is non - greasy making it more palatable and easily digestible – can’t afford to have shooting cholesterols after a meal. Rangis’ food is pretty affordable too – an average meal per person costs anywhere between Rs. 85-90 – that is a soup, chowmein, rice and a side dish. For those with a sweet tooth, desserts are also available - ice-creams and hot banana and apple pancakes.

In case you are hard pressed for time or prefer to laze it at home on a holiday, you can avail of Rangis’ home delivery services too, at almost similar rates to the dine-in rates. Delivery charges though may be extra at times, depending on the size of the order and the distance. So far, this small eat-out caters to distances as far apart as Thiruvanmiyur and Ambattur – delivery time varying anywhere between 45 minutes to one hour, once again depending on the cooking time. Incidentally Rangis’ also offers outdoor catering. At the moment, this small eat-out is even getting orders on the Net from as far away as U.S.A. – of course for catering to parents or perhaps relatives in Chennai.

Interestingly the cooks are all locals who have been given special training by the proprietor, who himself has specialised in Chinese cuisine while undergoing training in cooking and catering at Delhi.

Rangis’ is open on all days between 12 noon - 3 p.m. and 7 - 10.30 p.m.
Contact: 8256041

Shobha Mathur Pandian

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