Sep 18, 2006 12:41 PM
3093 Views
South Indian delicacies available in the Capital according to my expertise till now were hybrid variety. Allmost all restaurants and other roadside eating joints serving south indian vegetarian delicacies had somehow adopted a certain standard quality which was rather like the Indian Chinese. As a result wherever you ate dosas, idlis, vadas etc. all of them tasted more or less the same. Even sadly Sagar Ratna chain which probably started out as the best and most authentic Udupi Chain serving south indian delicacies has of late joined the bandwagon and the zing has gone out of there food. Quantity rather than quality and speed of service which helps in quick turnover have become the mantra for these restaurants. The quality of food deteriorated gradually while the prices kept rising over the years.
However few years back Sarvana Bhavan has come as a breath of fresh air on the scene. I can vouch for the fact that every dish I have tasted so far in Sarvana Bhavan is very good for the quality, taste and value for money. The dishes are not the run of the mill south indian dishes being dished out by the so called dosa joints that we Delhiites have got used to over the years, The taste is different, authentic, the restaurants are clean, the staff is clean and neatly dressed though they may not be overfriendly. anyone who has been visiting Udupis regularly does not expect that and is quite used to the business like behaviour of the staff. anyone who genuinely likes south indian food and visits such restaurants regularly looks for authentic food and accompainments rather than ambiemce and behaviour of the staff. The staff behaviour is not rude or unmindful by any standards but may be called business like. The other thing is that these type of restaurants depend on quick turnover and expect the clients to eat and get going. I think that's OK as long as nobody is rude. The prices are a wee bit higher than a standard Udupi Restaurant but are still value for money as the food is far better. The restaurant has a separate retail counter for selling south indian sweets and snacks which are worth a try. Overall I rate this restaurant as the best in the capital among the Udupi Restaurants and its food is clean, tasty and wholesome. Don't expect to be treated with reverence like in the upmarket restaurants or five star hotels and you will enjoy yourself. Yes, service also maybe slow at times as the restaurant is mostly crowded and they take a little time to serve depending on the item that you order. also if you go at lunch time or on weekends you may have to wait to get a place which just shows the immense popularity of this place.
