(For Anna Nagar outlet) The review is a bit old, as my last visit to this place was some weeks ago. I've been busy since then, and was able to write only now. I've been here couple of times and both the times, I found the place just ok. The first time I was here, it was a lazy afternoon, I ordered for a Badam Kheer and a Ghee roast. The waiter was polite, served the item and left without further ado and didn't come till I was almost finished, to ask if I want anything else. The kheer was pretty decent and the dosa was ok. For the price they charge for the ghee roast, it could've been better. The second time I was here, I settled for a simple chapathi and coffee. They were decent enough. I'll skip to the ratings now: Overall rating: Quantity: 3 / 5 Taste: 3.5/5 Cost/VFM: 3 /5 Service: 3.5/5 Ambience: 4.0/5 Total: 3.5 / 5 The place is better if you wanna spend some peaceful time with your family. Not good for a quick bite.

There you go.. just a few pics from the last ever time I am stepping in to a GSS

Looks like I am trying out every other GSS poping up like potti kadas in the city and as the number increases the qualitu is steadily decreasing. The one at CIT Nagar which looks the most inviting from outside looks the most horrible when inside. Crampy spacing, very small and smells. The idli asked for my 1 yr old baby was served old and was microwaved and given back when asked about it! We had to cancel the juice too as the waiter argued that there is no sugar in it when we obviously knew it has sugar in it. It was very frustrating. To add to it, the dosa was served cold, I mean we ordered a dosa thinking nobody can serve that cold, now they proved us wrong again! Yuckiest dosa I have ever had. The north indian were unavailable, gettng sick of the menu alreayd anyway. The Indo chinese was only only serving grace, the fried rice and manchurian were okay no complains I guess. The service was the worst part. Nobody was interested in serving or seemed to be even interested in running the business. Never again am I stepping into a GSS again!

A very tempting menu board rite outside the huge restaurant in the road connecting pondy bazaar and gn chetty road! Two floors full of yumm as always, the chaat and juice stall - the sweets n snacks and ready-mix stalls in the ground floor. The restaurant on top is very inviting too. We tried the south indian mini thali and the north indian (punjabi) thali. The mini meals was average nothing special. The punjabi thali is lip smacking yummy made hot hot - includes biryani, naan (very yummy), gravy, gobi 65, a small cup of pulao, a sweet, etc. The only problem with this place is very HIGHLY intrusive service! The guy (manager i geuss) literally hovers over your table, listening to every word of you conversation, giving u instrcutions on what to eat firstin ur plate, seriously irritating when someone walks up n down watching u eat, its like ur in prison or something! Really wanna taste the punjabi thali again and some more stuff from the menu, but dreading the guy! Might go after sometime, as of now, am not very keen, there are too many GSS in town now than bakeries and thatukadais.

The Grand Sweets and Snacks in Habibullah road is very nice too. Have been here quite a few times now and love their open kitchen style and the paniyarams made there! Everything snacky n sinful is here! Like Rava and Kanchipuram idlis too. They made new trials once in a while and i happened to be one of the lucky ones to taste their apple jelebi - omg yummy! but never got to find it again! Lotsa murukus and podis and thokkus available here.

Well, GSS has become our daily destination and nowdays there is absolutely no service in there. As any restaurant that loses customer importance with time and fame, the managers seem to be reluctant about your satisfaction. There are lotsa flies and the hygiene of the place is horrible. Tables and chairs are dirty. The fly that sat on my uthapam didnt move and i couldnt eat a bite when I told the manager he just walked away without even an acknowledgement leave alone an apology for the poor hygiene or a replacement offer. The cleaning guy just took it away and went and I had to pay for it of course. Anyways the quality has also lost its consistency. Maybe tis time to just stick to the sweets and savories and podis and pastes in here and forget the restaurant! Or give it another try someday. Ashok Nagar needs more places i say!

Yay! The foodie heaven has arrived in Ashok Nagar, right next street to home! Sunday mornings will never be the same again! And the view of 11th avenue from the restaurant is quite nice too. Before i say anything else, the Rava Roast here changed my idea about Rava Dosa which i always hated. Crispy yummy divine! Any other Dosa should also do the trick, one of the yummiest I have had after the ones in ID. Well Idli Pongal Vada, you name it, its awesome for breakfast with a cup of hot south-indian filter coffee. They have Punjabi thali for lunch and for dinner you can order a la carte North Indian, the breads are awesome, the gravies are I wouldnt call authentic but good to taste. The building is like a multi-floor food paradise. The first floor has sweets and snacks and the readymade powders grand sweets is famous for. must-try their mixture and potato chips, nothing compares to it. Never ever had another mixture that comes close to Grand Sweets yet. The vathakozhambu paste and tomato pickle are most wanted by NRI bachelors and students all over the world! Sweets I would recommend the mini jangri, jelebi, kaju katli and the double-decker. They also serve some short eats in here if you do not have the time to go upstairs and have a meal in leisure. Awesome samosas, quality speaks for itself in there. They also have some rolls cutlets, sambar vada and curd vada too. There is also a fresh juice stall and chaat stall in this floor. Bhel Puri and Sev Puri are a class of its own and a must-try. Fresh watermelon juice has never failed to make me happy! Evenings you have a special counter in the ground floor, they make live appams and kuzhi paniarams (sweet and karam). They also make yummy Masala poli (almost close to the ones by Krishna Sweets) and very good sweet polis too. And there is adai avial and potato bajji special for dinner. Now I have been here more than 5 times and still lots more to try out!

Thirty plus. That's how old this shop is. Quite naturally, it has evolved over the decades. Grands Sweets is the city's best known and one of the first shops of its kind. Started as a sweets and savouries (purely South Indian items) outlet operating out of a traditional home in Chennai, with a huge yard and lots of trees in a residential neighbourhood, it has many branches across the city now with modern interiors, and some have added restaurants into the premises. There would not be a typical South Indian Brahmin family that has not haunted this place, whether a local or a visitor to the city. Their sweets, savouries, podis* and pickles are legendary and have traversed continents, seas and shores. Their free prasadam** that is distributed every day is so delicious that there is a queue of people who come by just for that. Grand Sweets takes great pride in ensuring all their sweets are made with pure ghee (clarified butter) and have long been a stamp for quality, hygiene and consistency in their products. The recent split within the family has been a source of great sadness for many who associate Grand Sweets with Chennai and vice versa. Quite naturally, the many branches that mushroomed nearly overnight do not convey the same homely touch, taste, ambience (possibly the swanky glass interiors and polished flooring are the culprits!). They seem to be doing well, however, with people still thronging to their numerous outlets for the sheer brand status, despite the higher pricing. I recently visited one of the restaurants and ordered a simple meal of roti (dry flat bread), kadai vegetable subzi (stir-fried spicy mixed vegetable curry), and dal (lentil stew) - primarily North Indian staple dishes. Wasn't sure I had chosen wisely from the menu considering it is a pure South Indian eatery until I had a bite, or two, and then some more. It was simply delicious. The menu card is a thick bound paper book that reminded me of high school drawing books. It even had pencil sketches of images portraying Indian kitchens of the good old days. The meal and the service was a more than satisfactory experience. One looks forward to more dining experiences to sample their variety fare. This is a newer side to their quick tiffin items that continue to be as popular in the original premises at Adyar. I guess it is better to have less expectations of everything in life. One discovers (and in some cases, rediscovers) and enjoys everything that much more. That's the trick to being constantly amazed :-) *podis - spiced powders **prasadam - 1st offering of food to the Divine, making it auspicious http://suetospeak.blogspot.in/2013/04/g-for-grand-sweets-snacks-gss.html

Atleast once a month am here at GSS, and invariably it is the Spurtank road branch- We go there to pick up snacks - thattai, murukku, and my alltime favorite is vella cheedai. And if anyone is visiting, then a visit here is a must. Gramma always makes sure to pack away a few of these savories to anyone crossing the seas. Last week an aunt had said she was coming home. Knowing that she likes Paruppu boli, gramma made me go buy some. And they were delicious, fresh and soft. I also picked up a few samosas, and quite love the fact that they add raisins in the samosas. On the sly, picked up a plate of kuzhi paniyaram and 2 adai for a friend who lived close by. She loved em :) A must visit place for anyone who wants to try south indian snacks..

Kamalika Krishmy - Janaki Paatis Kitchen : Grand Sweets & Snacks http://janakipattiskitchen.blogspot.in/2012/12/grand-sweets-and-snacks-homely-taste.html