Sanjeevanam is one of the biggest market gimmicks that has been played in the recent times in the restaurant business. The best thing is that people actually fall for the gimmick. Welcome to the world of health food.
Sanjeevanam has couple of branches in Chennai. A friend took me to the one in Indra Nagar (Adyar), which is nothing but the ground floor of a big house turned into a restaurant with a Mallu ambiance thrown in. Why does on usually go to a restaurant? To have good and tasty food and for a change of air. But Sanjeevanam is one place where you should go only if you are totally bored of delicious food, and for once, want to convince yourself that there are worse things in life to eat. Go to this place to stuff cabbage down your gut, all in the name of health food. Visiting this place was a change of fresh air for me for sure. I almost felt like Hrithik Roshan from Dhoom2 who ate green grass and thought Aishwarya Rai would love it.
So far in your life, after having taken your seat in any restaurant, the first thing that the waiter would have asked you, must have been something like: ‘Mineral or regular water, sir?’. At Sanjeevanam, they don’t ask such useless questions. They force you to drink only green colored luke warm water, all in the name of health drink! Hot water in summer? GREEN hot water in summer? Blah. Methi water my ass. I guess they climbed up the roof and filled the glass with raw water from their algae clad Syntax. A two year old kid sitting on the adjacent table got so disturbed by the temperature and color of the water that he spilled it all to his mom’s embarrassment.
The menu was full of funny sounding names. One fourth of every page of the menu card had at least one two-word food-item, Tofu being one of the words (Tofu palak and Tofu fry and Tofu masala and Tofu this and Tofu that). Have you ever heard of a name of a dish that sounds funnier than Tofu? TOFU? And guess what Tofu was supposed to mean all this while? Paneer cooked without salt! I gave up. We gave up! This place, for the first time in my life, made me say this to myself: ‘I am so gonna like my mess food tomorrow’.
Another item idiappam, which at first (going merely by the name) promised to be some kind of idli-uttapam mixture, when served, happened to be a badly cooked sevaiyaan topped with milkmaid. It sucked. The only things that were not bad included the veg clear soup, the rava dosa and the stuffed parantha. We didn’t go for any juice after having finished eating, for the fear of being served some kind of colred electrol powder solution, promising to reduce one’s blood pressure.
Actually, as a parting note, go try out this place. It of course, in no way is going to make you healthier, but it will make you realize that there at least are certain health-foods, which taste fair enough even when they are devoid of regular masala and oil. By the way, if it helps, it is a very economic place where you can easily satisfy yourself in about 150 bucks. All the very best.
Timings: 7.30 AM – 10.30 AM, 12PM – 3 PM, 7.30 PM – 10 PM
How to reach? Refer the map below. The place is marked with A.
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30 replies on “Food Review: Sanjeevanam”
The restaurant may be bad, but you make a fool out of yourself in this post. I had to double check that I was not reading a bad review by a ignorant typical American highschooler on myspace. You find Tofu funny? Have you ever been to any authentic Chinese restaurant? And I can’t believe that you haven’t heard of “Idiappam” before, even after 4+ years in Chennai. For once get out of the insti and go to some sub-40 rs breakfast place!
P.S. This auto-preview thing works damn slow using ubuntu+firefox+adobeflashplugin. I have to wait for several seconds before anything I type appears on the screen
Hi xi. I find most Chinese names funny. 😀 Actually I your name funny too.
And ouch! I made a fool of myself once again… 🙁 Someone eat me as breakfast….
By the way, does the whole commenting time goes up because of the auto-preview thing or it’s just that previewing takes time? Thanks for letting me know about it.
Auto-previewing is done live as I type the comment; probably it sends every prefix of my message to the server, gets the updated preview and then displays it… that sure is lot of work to do (and lot of information to transfer) after each keypress! Or probably I am wrong and it is just a problem with my configuration and therefore you should ask someone else.
I’ve read lot of reveiws .But this is the first time ive come across someone commenting about something without knowing the facts. Did you know that tofu is a dish made from soya bean and not the paneer which you said
“Methi water my ass”
Jeera water. Supposed to be a good digestive ingriedient. According to Ayurveda, supposed to be taken before a meal. Water should not be taken during a meal.
Sanjeevanam is not bad. It is not a regular restaurant, it is by far a “health” restaurant providing ayurvedic meal systems. Initially it had only that. Rajakeeyam and Vishishtam. Served for lunch to be eaten in a particular manner. It is also known as Satvik Ahaar.
The recent updated menu has regular dishes made in minimal oil/margerine or none at all. I find the place pretty decent. Provides a change from the regular floating oil dishes in other restaurants.
Never been to the Adyar branch. But I have no complaints against the Annanagar one.
And seriously you have never heard about Idiappam ?! 🙄
This kinda satvik ahaar… cleans ones system of stuff “if ya know what I mean”
And once in a while cleaning the system isn’t bad.
Disagree with your opionions. 🙂
And I’d call it “healthy” food rather than “health” food.
“which taste fair enough even when they are devoid of regular masala and oil. By the way, if it helps, it is a very economic place where you can easily satisfy yourself in about 150 bucks.”
Agree.
Hmpf! I love jeeragam vellam. That’s what it’s called in Mallu by the way. Oh, and next time you put a wiki link, read it!
..and yet, the very next day you say, “I dont feel like eating in mess.”
Nicely written though. I read it twice. Thanks for the laughs. 😛
I had assumed it to be jeera water. The waiter told that it was methi water.
A breakfast and lunch in mess were enough to make me say that “i dont’ want’ line. 🙂
As long as you agree with the bottomline, I am happy. 😆
I didn’t till I came back and wikied for it. What I have written in the review does not include the newly found knowledge that I gained after googling for certain things. I have presented it from the point of view of a person who had no idea about Tofu and then how it tasted to a person who had never had Tofu all his life.
tch tch.. ze ignorante.
If only you now see an aapam in the menu, now that you have seen an idiyapam, I can imagine the shock on your face.
And havent you heard that flash previews, and dynamic addons JUST suck. They interfere with my whole browsing experience. Flash is for YouTube only. If you do not believe me just check out what happened at http://entertainment.slashdot.org/entertainment/08/04/19/1842208.shtml when dilbert went flashy.
And I dont even feel like typing further. The chars appear so slow in the text box.
It wasn’t a flash thingy, just a javascript code.. anyway deactivated it… so that you and others feel like typing and typing. 🙂
dear Mr.Amrit
I understand you have to get an idea on many food stuff and sanjeevanam concept.Sanjeevanam serves luke warm water boiled with jeera, or vettiver ,dry ginger, or special medicinal powders according to seasons.It helps not only as a digestive and carminative, but to control obesity.The habit of drinking only luke warm water which it self will reduce fat accumulation and obesity.Me a doctor has observed that the weight loss or excess fat reduction up to 3 kg a month.So fancied about mineral water? (which is often tap water bottled duplicates)Sanjeevanam has its own mineral water plant near gummidipoondi to cater the needs of its institutions.Still sanjeevanam supply warm water, that protects its customers from water born diseases.Sanjeevanam caters lunch which serves, juices, soups,and salads, high fiber foods,uncooked, semi cooked and cooked.Also hand pounded rice which is high in b complex vitamins.No oils, or high spicy masala is used.The items used are known to have medicinal values.Learned experts including medical professionals have appreciated it to be helpful to prevent, diseases like colon cancer, high cholesterol,High B.P, diabetus melitus etc.
The supplier would have given you mineral water if you insisted for it.
Sanjeevanam caters more of boiled or steamed food insted of deep fried or rosted.But you ca be assured u are never served old or re heated food since sanjeevanam donot have refregerator.it caters food with in 3 hrs once prepared.Tofu is soya milk based item.U find this funny, but so fancied about names of Chineese foods?
There is a team of doctors, dietiticians behind it.you could have asked them before shooting up comments.
Dear Ajith, I will repeat my last paragraph:
Actually, as a parting note, go try out this place. It of course, in no way is going to make you healthier, but it will make you realize that there at least are certain health-foods, which taste fair enough even when they are devoid of regular masala and oil. By the way, if it helps, it is a very economic place where you can easily satisfy yourself in about 150 bucks. All the very best.
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The only reason I wrote this last paragraph was because of all the precise reasons that you mentioned. I didn’t like Sanjeevanam because it doesn’t fit into my definition of eating out. A health food is something which one should try to eat daily. But what’s the whole point of going out once in a week and end up drinking green water?
to comment on somethin u need to have knowledge on it.. plz do us all a favor and stop writing food reviews …
QUOTE
A health food is something which one should try to eat daily. But what’s the whole point of going out once in a week and end up drinking green water?
UNQUOTE
What does that mean ? Are you suggesting someone to take it up as a rather regular food ?
Anyway, I used to have the Rajakeeyam meals there and I must say it is far better to your stomach than any of those wonderful meal in any of the other restaurants. No digestive problems whatsoever and unlike in other places, you can never feel this food stuffy. But then choice of food differs from person to person.
You are totally correct. Choice of food differs from person to person.
What I meant to say was that, if someone really cares about health, he or she should cook healthy food regularly. No health food can make you fit or healthier till you are regular at it. Things that we do few times in a month are mostly done to break free from the routine good things. Makes any more sense now? It’s okay even if you didn’t get what I mean.
It’s been long since I went there and I guess I will go there again to try out the Rajkeeyam. Hope I like it when so many others have liked it. But for me, it’s an experiment.. 🙂
Came across this after the crowd went by but I don’t understand why such a big deal is being made out of one man’s opinions. Amrit certainly has no responsibility to be factually correct or ensure that he has “knowledge on it” when writing on his blog! You like it – good. You don’t like it – go away and find a blog you like.
While healthy criticism is OK, the Net (atleast!) should be devoid of policing and sticklers like the distinguished people above.
I love Sameer. 🙂
Amrit Vatsa, You’re pic up in this webpage looks like a wanker! Certainly you are one dude, you dont know any sensible stuff and filled up with a shit in your tiny brain. 👿
You should be blowing weeds and and dancing naked in the railway station u dumb kuthaa!!!! 😛
Sanjeevanam Restaurent, Adyar, chennai-20 . Yes, Except the Different , Natural, Healthy food items, It is full of worst. Worst service, Worst A/C, but costs.
Most of these certified & High class hotels like this, sangeetha, aanandha bhavan, saravana bavan , etc in Chennai like cities are in same category.
Worst fellows, they keep banners like quality food, we care for your health, etc.
I visited this sanjeevanam 3 times:
FIRST TIME: went with free coupon for 2 lunch. ordered for 3 lunch. we enquired many times about the billing once we entered. And it was clearly mentioned in the coupon also. But that fools (ISO Certified fools) billed for all 3 lunches and went arguing on that. Finally one genius accepted and we came out by paying only for extra one lunch.
SECOND TIME: Another 2 or 3 fools asked us to wait in reception since it was houseful at 2pm and told he will come and call us. Till 2.20 no one turned up. Then we entered and asked them. The Certified people replied that the meals are over. We were very hungry, tired. Not to disturb the others and the environment we came out quietly.
about Hotels in & around ADYAR Signal, Chennai-600020
2 Categories by current cost of living!!!: Low-class and Middle class
LOW-CLASS:
– items cost Rs. 20/- and above (Snacks from 5 rs)
– if u have 50 rupees, enough for 1 session
– Quality (according to me): may be filled with low-class (govt 1 rs/kg rice!!) rice/impure water/much baking soda(bread soda,cooking soda)/less masala items,
– Quantity : doubles the another category
– Environment: employees with local dress (dirty lungies and shirts/banian) without proper hair dress, without shaving, worst behaviours in front of customers,
– we need to stand and eat in that unclean area
– no proper ventilation, small dining rooms
– cleaning dining tables without water
– toilets: no
– Service: Self service,
Samples:Ganesh bhavan (near signal),Rathna cafe (near signal), Treat out-eat!! (near malar hospital bus stop), Krishna hot spot (opp. to krishna sweets/Sangeetha restaurent, gandhinagar bus stop), Yash (opp. adyar bus stand, not depot!!)
MIDDLE-CLASS:
– items cost Rs. 40/- and above (Snacks from 10 rs)
– if u have 150 rupees, enough for 1 session
– Quality (according to me): Hotels under this category keep big banners, advertise for their quality. But all are only up to that (only in banners and advertisements). Some times my self and our friends found (got!!)species and insects including snails and cockroach (TWO times in Sangeetha restaurent)
may be filled with middle-class (15 rs/kg rice!!) ,LESS baking soda(bread soda,cooking soda)/MUCH masala items,
– Quantity : HALF of the another category
– Environment: employees with Uniforms, they dont come to customers, we should call them every time for every thing including for billing!!
-Water: purified corporation water with their hands inside the cup!!
– Tiles, grand and colorful bulbs with dim light, one will remove the emptied plates(wait for 5 min), one will clean the table, one will take order, one will serve (wait minimum 15-20 minutes for every order), one will supervise
– no proper ventilation, big but congested dining rooms, A/C for namesake
– cleaning dining tables with water if you or the superwisor is present
– Service: Call bearer 2 or 3 times
– toilets: yes
Samples:near Gandhinagar or adyar canal bus stop- krishna sweets and sangeetha, near malar hospital bus stop: Treat, near adyar signal-the great adyar aanandha bhavan(A2B), vaigai woodlands!!,near BSNL Office, LB Road- Vasanth bhavan(better), sri bhavan, another hotel with lady’s name,opp. adyar bus stand, not depot!!-adyar bakery, janapriya (formerly non-veg)
BEST SNCKS in ADYAR Signal (near adyar bakery): there is a nameless snacks shop in a lane,
hot, fast moving & quality,
starts from 3Rs, timings: Evening 3 to 8
people wait and get satisfied every day
[…] […]
I WASTED FEW MINUTES BY READING A REVIEW OF A STUPID.
LOL – I am sorry man but why did you need to waste few additional minutes in commenting after that?
When companies do gimmicks to sell cigarettes and junk food, what is wrong in marketing for quality food based on ayurveda?
I’ve visited this place multiple times with different people and none of them had any negative feedback about it.
your comment is quite old..i know.. but i dont agree with you in placing Treat Hotel in Middle Class.. did you visit the snacks and tiffin side of the restaurant (where there is no A/c) or during the lunch time when this place is crowded with employees of every other company there ( like HSBC, Reliance..). The crowd is so much that people wait outside.. like they do at Grand Sweets.. but that doesnt mean the hotel is bad…
the points you mention for this restaurant ( like namesake AC, dirty water, addition of soda, unhygenic place.. etc etc) are absolutely false..
This place provides very good food at very cheap prices.. total value for money.. serves hot food..and lots of it too.. no shallow vessels.. the one thing they can improve are the plates, they are clean but look old..
Useless post.. you are really a stupid and not fit to live!!!!
you seem to have not understood the concept of sanjeevanam or may be chose not to and have written a prejudiced post here. a very bad review!!