Staple fare

WHY DO we go out to eat? For fun? For a change from the home food? Or is it for that psychological high of having someone wait on us, making us feel special? Or can it be just plain appreciation, admiration for good food? Those in the last category, the true blue foodies are not common. For the rest of us, it is a combination of all the four reasons. Of course, corporate dining is different.

To me, the need for ambience is directly linked to the little numbers on the extreme right of the menu. If I am paying on an average above Rs. 40 a dish, it certainly calls for a pleasant atmosphere. Or else the food has to be good enough to make one forget all these extraneous details.

The Roof Garden Restaurant at the Dee Cee Manor, on the G. N. Chetty Road falls short in the decor department.

An open terrace means a roof garden restaurant... that seems to be the norm here. Lighting, mosquito control, ambience etc., are minor details that can be, let's say, adjusted. Yet the vital factor, prices, remain the same as the a\c restaurant with white linen and pleasant interior.

A roof top barbecue restaurant is ideal for open air celebrations, karaoke dinners and parties under the moonlight - goes the hotel's publicity write-up. About the moonlight, I can vouch for it. The place relies on it.

After some twisting and turning to catch the light, we managed to choose the dishes from the menu.

Though the Chicken Hawaiian salad (Rs. 60), the starter, had almost drowned in mayonnaise, the evening perked up with the desi fare.

Meen puli kozhambu (Rs. 100) and Dee Cee special dhal (Rs. 50) were good.

The Mutton masala (Rs. 110) will help you discover a whole new cutting edge - of teeth. Some tough meat! All was not lost, the gravy was nice.

The Cheese nan and Paneer kulcha (Rs. 20 each) and Kashmiri pulao (Rs. 60) were okay. The desserts, Gajjar ka halwa (Rs. 40) and Gulab jamun (Rs. 45) too were placid.

Athithi, the multicuisine vegetarian eatery, is offering a special offer for its buffet lunch.

The package priced Rs. 200 (inclusive of two persons) can be availed by two persons. The offer will be valid till August 15.

MARIEN MATHEW

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : Are we cyber-safe?
Next     : Bid adieu to plastic peril