Nov 20, 2009 05:43 PM
7900 Views
(Updated Nov 20, 2009 06:32 PM)
For me going out on lunch on office expenses means a minimum three star expensive restaurant and compulsory non-veg food.
When I was told that we are going to some south Indian vegetarian restaurant in middle of Jayanagar, mood was off, and wasn't really excited about the lunch out. Once I reached jaynagar and looked at the place from outside, it looked ordinary and still didn't excite. It was only after climbing(I chose to climb, there is a lift there) three floors once we entered the air-conditioned hall(a small one, only 4 set of tables.), that made all the difference in the mood. Now I was bit delighted to see the ambience, silver ware, seating arrangement, white napkins, well dressed staff welcoming us.
Credibility of the restaurant suddenly increased when one of my colleague told me that It is owned and run by MTR. But again something started to worrying me, if you have eaten once at MTR lalbagh. You know what I am talking about. “The variety and Quantity of the food”
Anyway having eaten at MTR once, I started to make the strategy, how to eat each dish and still be able to get up and walk and most importantly being able to go back to office and prevent from falling asleep.
I was told that third floor is most expensive(only Rs. 350/-!), because of the service, ambiance, silverware etc. First and second floor it seems food is same but it costs only 150 rupees.
Any way, I was feeling much better by now and eagerly waiting for the food to arrive.
Let’s come to the food now, we were served ginger sharbat, tomato soup and then someone asked how many total varieties of dishes they are going to serve? “40” the answer came. And we had just begun with the “starters”.
Soup was followed by some papad, then chumchum, bissibelle, poori, aloo sabzi, beetroot sabji, some idli like thing etc. etc. And when they announced that they are done with started, everyone was almost 75% full.
By this time, my plate was full of little left over of everything that I had eaten so far. I was expecting that before they serve main course they will change the plates. I was wrong. And I guess the reason was silver plates, since they are expensive they don’t have spare ones, once the plate is given, you have to eat in the same thing.
Anyway, it was not a big issue.
What came in the main course was obviously rice, sambar, brinjal sambar, some curd based sambar, rasam, curd, curd milk, papad, pickle, ghee off course. Well having filled the stomach with started there was little scope for eating more of rice, I took little rice but tried it with all kinds sambars, rasam and made curd rice as well without which south Indian lunch is not completed:-)
And finally came the dessert, chocolate fudge and fruit salad with icecream. Both were decent. No complains.
And lastly after clearing the plates and finger bowls they served maghai paan and we were done. Bill came in no time.
Total time spent 1 hour 15 minutes, 40 different dishes. Not bad at all. Excellent!
Strategy worked, don't overdo, eat little of everything and manage to get up and walk.
Overall, great change of food, excellent service, nice ambiance, calories eaten? – Still feeling guilty about it.
Guys, you must try this place. And if you have guests(especially from north India) make sure that they go through this experience. In 350 rupees this was more than satisfying.
P.S: forgot to mention that after the main course they will give you some chutney like thing to eat, it helps in digesting the food, so don’t worry about stomach upset.
