Dunkin Donuts sets shop in Chennai and they threw their doors open for few a day earlier. “Culinary Experimental Workshop” they called it. I call it an indulgent afternoon. What a luxury! To enjoy great food and drinks, hear passionate people talk about their brand and make friends.

I got a chance to meet people behind Dunkin’ Donuts India and let them explain their brand to me. The new outlet at Phoenix MarketCity is styled to encourage conversations. Comfortable, colourful seating. Art work that scream urban India and a menu that reflects the same.Dunkin’ Donuts tries to be sneak into your life as your best friend. The kind who would mock you when you whine how unfair life is. The friend who will ply you with endless cups of coffee and bars of chocolate to cheer you up.

“Food needs to be flawed. Imperfect. Slightly mad. Just like people.” says Mr.Dev Amritesh of Dunkin’ Donuts India. And DD tries to reflect the same in its menu. “Be ready for a 15 course meal” Yes! we were warned.

We started off trying the Naughty Lucy burger. A cheese filled patty with a mango relish and jalapeños reflecting the polar extremities of a woman. Generalisations apart, the burger was good. I preferred the veggie version over the non-veg version and Dunkin’ Donuts should just bottle up their mango relish and sell it. I am totally in love with it.

Wicked wraps came next. This probably was one of my favourites. I love a good wrap and this is one I would pick up. A working lunch for perhaps for a in-between meals snack. A perfect blend of flavours.

Tough Guy Burgers are one of their top-sellers. Served on bagel buns with a specially sourced mustard sauce the burger is quite a mouthful. Maybe I would buy one if they made it mini-slider sized. But that mustard sauce needs to be bottled.

Crunchy Joe – the Indian take on a sloppy joe is quite interested. The bun is almost like a butter fried pav. A rather interesting Indian take on an American staple. This comes in both veg and non-veg versions.

I love donuts and was quite excited to see the exciting flavours DD has. I wish I had tried them all. Alive by Chocolate, Death by Chocolate, Classic Glazed, It’s A Mistake and Brakeup Party Eclair were few I tried. The texture of donuts at DD is quite different from the other donut shops in town. It is more dry and chewy. Not too cakey. It’s A Mistake is definitely worth a try – Chilly and Guava. It reminds you of those guavas you buy on the streets.

I saved the best for the last. Drinks at DD are totally out of this world. My favourite was the Spiked Ice Tea with flavours of cinnamon, anise, pepper, mint, lemon, and cloves. It was refreshing and invigorating. It is the kind of pick-me-up I need to survive this summer.

I am not a coffee drinker but the others who tried DD’s Dunkaccinos, Cappuccinos and Espressos had good things to say.

So stop by Dunkin’ Donuts the next time you are at the mall. You will be surprised that they are much more than a donut shop. And don’t forget to grab a spiked iced tea.

Also get a bag of bite-sized munchkins to-go. They are perfect fun and goodness all over.

I was invited to the Culinary Experimental Workshop at Dunkin Donuts, Phoenix MarketCity, Chennai. All views and opinions are my own.