Some six months ago, when Alliance Francaise of Madras’ famed cafeteria stopped dishing out its iconic lemon tea, cutlets, and chocolate cake, wonder arose among the community about everyone’s changed snack-time circumstance.
By the time their all night festival, La Nuit Blance took place in October though, premonition made it clear that pizzas, measured not by the slice, but with dollops of impressionism, were soon going to be making their way to this French-training institute’s menu.
Van Dough pizzeria, all the way from Coimbatore, seemed to have arrived with a menu full of experimental topping combinations including sherry leek and potatoes; ghee roast chicken; and a mushroom and beetroot pesto, on soft, perfectly charred, well-hydrated pizza dough. Is it worth a try?
Quite simply, yes.
An espresso shot being pulled
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Special Arrangement
We begin the meal with a cherry tomato and garlic confit, full of basil leaves and balsamic vinegar that bursts in the mouth quite literally, as it is in cherry tomato’s nature to arrive with pomp and a fresh sweetness. Served with bread, this dish is for everyone who likes jammy tomatoes and spreadable garlic, a small hint of sweet and umami.
What’s interesting about the Van Dough menu is that it seems to have been constructed from the lives of its many founders. The sugarcane chicken that follows next, is a story that the co-founders, seem to have already told our Coimbatore reporter Jeshi, but it is charming and worth a repeat. “My co-founder Siddharth [Sethi] would often visit a street-side shop in Pune for his meals and asked the vendor if he could make him something new. Within seconds, he walked across to a sugarcane vendor who was selling canes. Added minced chicken on a stick with strong aromatics, and then presented the dish to us. Years ago, I asked the vendor if he’d like to join us, but he likes to fly solo. This dish is an attempt, but not an exact recreation,” says Dhiren Khturia. Eaten with a green chilli oil full of scallion, chives and the likes, the chicken in itself is loaded with a strong hint of kaffir lime. If you like Asian flavours, this is a great pick.
Before we move to the next dish, Dhiren and investor Vignesh KR, ask me to take a breath. What is about to arrive, they say, is their magnum opus, a fan favourite if you may. Double-fried oyster mushrooms in a delicious, light batter, seasoned with a hot and spice powder [blend of cayenne, Kashmiri red, and interestingly, veg broth powder], served with an in-house hot honey and whipped cheese sauce, this dish bangs.
As for the pizzas that arrive quickly, try the ghee roast chicken pizza, sherry leek and thin-cut roast potato slice, and the beetroot pesto with mushrooms. Dhiren says that the kitchen staff spends hours stirring the ghee roast paste made with kandhari chillis to get the perfect level of capsium, along with a hit of sweetness to this wonderfully spicy dish. The cheese is the fat that balances the dish out. Served on a bed of naatu thakkali marinara, this is likely to be an excellent munchie. The beetroot pesto is a homemade recipe that comes from Dhiren’s mother, when Van Dough was a tiny cloud kitchen in RS Puram called The Cloud Kitchen Project. Times have changed but the iteration of this recipe remains untouched.
Pepperoni pie
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Special Arrangement
Van Dough also makes their own handmade pastas including one with capers and artichokes and another with gochujang but the former requires a firmer al dente texture and the latter needs more seasoning. But, “We are also coming up with a burger, sandos, and brunch menu. There is coffee round the clock at the cafe and desserts by Paris Plage at the counter. You should come back for that. We also have an evolving menu. We can’t wait to experiment,” says Chef Pratham.
Van Dough seats 30 at its cafe library where one can read and dine, 20 in its picturesque outdoor space, and 30 more at their private dining area where brunches and private events can be held.
A drink being made at the cafe
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Special Arrangement
A month into running the operations in Chennai, founders Dhiren, Siddharth, and Pavithraa Priya, along with investor Vignesh, say that loyalists of the brand from Coimbatore have been sending their friends to the cafe to sample a slice. When people walk into this transformed space, at Alliance, there’s usually a soft “wow,” says Vignesh.
“We are looking to use the mangoes on campus for a special menu during summer, and also begin a garden for our herbs if all the permissions come through,” says Dhiren.
Where does Van Gogh feature in the grand scheme of things? I’m sure the founders have a solid story that is not just a pun. Have they left an impression though? You bet.
Van Dough Pizzeria and Cafe is at AF Madras, College Road, Nungambakkam. A meal for two costs ₹1,500. Contact 9840894518 for reservations.
Published – December 04, 2025 11:26 am IST
