Smoked Pizzas and Sandwiches at Ox and Tomato | Chennai
What you see – Located where Karmaa Café once was in Alwarpet, Chennai, Ox and Tomato is a franchise of Ox and Tomato, ChennaiSandy’s Chocolate Lab. Wondering how the name of this restaurant came about? The name Ox and Tomato is specific to their specialty in pizzas. The Ox refers to the mozzarella cheese used (the Ox is where it comes from). Tomato is a standard base for all pizzas. And hence the name Ox and Tomato that signifies their typical New York style of pizza preparation.
This restaurant is getting quite popular in the neighborhood. Come lunch time, and it’s the aroma of pizzas and sandwiches that greets you. A busy chef puts together a delicious meal. You can watch your food as it is prepared if you are sitting near the kitchen counter – great if you want to pick up some cooking tips! The restaurant area is otherwise quite small and can seat about 15 people at a time. The interiors are modest and the few T-shirts on display for sale add some color to it.
What you get – The restaurant boasts of being continuously innovative. The menu mainly comprises Pizzas, Sandwiches, Salads, Starters, Soft Drinks, Shakes and Desserts.
We started off with a Chocolate Milkshake and a Vanilla Cola Float. The milkshake was thick and rich with chocolate ice cream. The Vanilla float was light and looked like a cloud when served. In starters, we had the Potato Wedges which were crisp on the outside but soft inside. We also had the Bruschetta (roasted bread with toppings). The portions were just right and left enough space for the main course.
We ordered the Margherita pizza with tomato, basil, mozzarella and olive oil apart from Roast chicken and Tomato and mayo sandwich. We also sampled a vegetarian dish with Corn, spinach and mushroom sandwich. The pizza that was served was a thin crust one suffice for one person. The sandwiches came with the choice of being plain or toasted. We found the food simple and well prepared. But if you’d rather have it extravagant, they offer additional cheese and toppings too. Combo meal options with soup, salad, main course and dessert in vegetarian and non-vegetarian are also available.
The other must-haves are the Chicken Strips and the Indian temptation pizza with roast peppers, onions, cottage cheese, tomato and mozzarella, The Mafia pizza with ham, pepperoni, onions, tomato and mozzarella seems interesting too. Their Caeser salad, Roast chicken and Greeko Romaine salads are also light and perfect for an after gym quick bite. You can also try their Shawarma and Falafel.
For dessert, we had the Cheesecake (most sought after) which was simply divine. The Chocolate tart was delicious too. Considering it comes from the same management as Sandy’s, the desserts anyway come with a good reputation.
Our verdict – Ox and Tomato is perfect for a quick, light meal. The food is good though you might feel it is a little high priced. The quality is fine though. It’s great for an office luncheon, stopover meals and after gym snacks. The restaurant does free home delivery within a 3 kilometer radius. It is recommended that you ask for the specials of the moment / day. They undertake large cake orders too. If you plan to use a card, then you should have a minimum billing of Rs. 250. Service is good though sometimes since they have only one steward who doubles up as a chef, your order might tend to be a few minutes late. Be prepared to come out of the restaurant carrying the aroma of smoke on you. Parking space is available.
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