Nov 29, 2010 12:29 PM
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When K-Stars Mall was newly opened in Chembur in 2009, Kailash Parbatwas my parents' favorite eating joint in the mall (more so because my parents are strictly vegan and Mom prefers Indian vegetarian fare only). Its service was fantastic, the staff was polite and its meals were always value-for-money ones.
However, since the past few months, the quality of food and service at KP's has started to go awry. The food served is now cold, unappetizing and the staff attitude has become more self-centered than customer-oriented. Does such a behavior deserve a mention in our hospitality industry?
We noticed the first signs of this on our visit to the place somewhere around July-August 2010. We had ordered for a Veg Combo Meal as usual. However, the fare served to us was not even warm, let alone piping hot. Both the dal and the sabzi were cold and the rotis looked like they had been prepared by someone from another planet because nobody on earth can make them like that! They were unappetizing as well as difficult to pull. Yet, we gave the guys a benefit of doubt as we believed that anyone can have a bad hair day.
But, how come they started having a bad hair day on every visit of ours? Because the same thing happened on our second visit as well. On our third visit, Dad gave an earful to the manager and was standing rooted in front of the counter to ensure that the food was hot enough. Though this condition was fulfilled, the meal still scored the least in the taste department. Mom got so furious that she recommended going to another restaurant outside the mall. However, it is a Herculean task carrying our heavy Food Bazaar shopping bags to a restaurant and keeping them there without a trolley (we don't have a car as well). Besides, KP is the only Indian food center at K-Stars (there is Chettinad as well, but we North Indians prefer a complete meal with dal, roti, sabzi and rice). So, my parents had no option but to somehow eat the meal, while my sister and I ordered for Veg Fried Rice from China Land and pasta from Domino's (we requested Mom to share some fried rice from us, even though she doesn't like eating that).
On our fourth visit on Dhanteras, the same thing happened again. Mom somehow got the food in her system. My sister and I stuck to noodles, fried rice and burgers. After a while, even Dad gave up on the Combo meal and ordered two burgers for himself. Mom had to again dig into some fried rice.
However, the experience that we had with KP's food last evening was the last straw. My parents had placed an order for Chhole-Bature and Dal-Pulao. The dal was served in a minuscule cup and the quantity was enough to last only for one morsel of the pulao! Moreover, both of them were placed upon the dirtiest tray I had ever seen. It was a filthy red tray, which looked as if it had been smeared with a black crayon. Fifteen minutes had passed after Mom had finished eating the dal-pulao, yet there was no sign of our Chhole-Bature. So Mom went to the counter to inquire. It seemed that one of the cooks had refused to prepare any more baturas, so the manager was persistently requesting him to start cooking again. Finally, the cook relented and the manager was profusely apologizing to my mother.
But, after looking at the state of the baturas, we thought it would have been better if the cook carried on with his non-cooperation. Because, the conventionally fluffy baturas were totally flat and when we broke them, they were uncooked from the inside. I told Mom to order some more dal-pulao for herself (at least that tasted better yesterday), but fortunately she had a samosa at Food Bazaar, so she was feeling filled.
Now, we have vowed to get some Chinese food and burgers packed for ourselves and Dad will get some Chhole-Patties from Vig Restaurant (located at Chembur Camp)for Mom, the next time we visit K-Stars. We don't trust KP anymore. I guess its eyesight will be resurrected only when another Indian Combo meal center will be opened along side it. After all, competition can threaten even the most established brands of all. Till then, it's the rule of the fast food giants at K-Stars (KFC is coming next)... Sorry, fast-food haters!
