If I visit a certain restaurant the second time, the first visit ought to have been excellent. So, is the case with most people, I believe. The third visit is what judges the credibility of the eatery in question.
My second visit to Le Cafe (Fashion Designer Ravi Bajaj’s rooftop cafe at GK-I N-block) after a superb first one (few month’s back) was ummmmm… disappointing.
With the Ogre-sized hole that the bill left in my pocket, I did not expect to be served a cold grilled sandwich in the least!
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Enter, Ravi Bajaj’s. Head, for the lift. The smell of the Mandarin oil (burnt in the oil-burner) makes you feel happy and relaxed.
Enter, Ravi Bajaj’s. Head, for the lift. The smell of the Mandarin oil (burnt in the oil-burner) makes you feel happy and relaxed.
Enter, the lift. Exit, the lift.Enter Le, Cafe. What a place! What a place! Ambience perfect. Just where one would love to unwind on a hot sticky sunny afternoon. Arrive, the Menu. It says: Spring 2007. They claim: to change it by the season. One can choose from: Soups, Light meals, Salads, Sandwiches, Pastas, Omlettes and Scrambles, Le Cafe specials and beverages. I chose: Capres – A grilled sandwich with tomato, mozzarella, olive oil and basil served with your choice of bread. Ordered: Capres with Ciabbata bread and Iced Tea for a drink. Settled, in the oh-so-dreamy ambience. The meal arrives on time. Impressed, not for long. One bite, and I know why it came so quick. They did not care to let the griller be on for long; saving electricity perhaps. They love their mozzarella, not melted and stringy (slurp), but ugly, fat and rubbery! Huh! Did not expect that of a place which Ritu Dalmia had helped set up. Then came walking to me, sitting in a brown jacket, held by a waiter, the bill. The big FAT bill. And along with that, a comment sheet. Ah! Grabbed it and penned down my displeasure. Got up, to exit. The manager or someone stopped me, saying Ma’am I am really sorry. Next time, this happens, you MUST return the meal straightaway. Now, now now! Which hungry person would like to wait another 10 minutes for the meal to be re-heated and stuff of that sort?! Hence, I had eaten. Otherwise also, I do not like to return my meals, howsoever badly they are cooked (only at restaurants or cafes 😉 ). Politely turned to the the man with that smug of a smile and said, ‘I do not visit restaurants for that. Thank You.’ Embarrassed, he said the ‘sorry’ word again.Now the big question: Will I ever go there again? Perhaps another time, yes. Only for the ambience though, and quite expecting what to get for food.
You should pass on this URL to the places you visit 😉 I’m sure that will ensure efficient service for sure.
What a mess! Nothing more horrible than eating cheese as it is with melted unless it’s American cheese meant for sandwiches.Sorry about that.Arvind would have returned it ,made fuss and everything!I would have shut up and eaten!!:P
More tastier was the sarcasm that was served by Ms. Skeeter than the “could have been hot” grilled sandwich
Actually you should have returned the sandwich and if they were decent they shouldn’t have sent you the bill!
u knw skeeter…if I visit a certain place the second time, the first visit ought to have been excellent..he he ;-D…but for me it has nothin to do with food.Sorry for sayin the wrong thing at the right place..but i found Le Cafe so spectacular that how the food tasted just never occured to me…
If some places are for food, others are for a feel good factor! 😀
btw …u shud really check out CCD lounge, Hauz Khas..i can vouch for the feel good factor, the contempory decor and the cute guy singin some amazin songs..;-)
i really wanna visit this place soon; u’ve bin talkin a lot about it lately…
as for wot u experienced, u shud hv right away returned the sandwich if it was cold…itz a service that they are offering, which you are paying to receive, so it must be gud!
the pictures are nice this time round; gud u took my/asha’s advice seriously! 🙂
J: 😀
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Asha: Even I would’ve but that day I was damn hungry…and I just didn’t want to ruin my outing with anger.
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gonecase: 🙂
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pritika: mmmm….
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Manasi: I see. Plesant surprise! I don’t think I have ever seen u at Delhi Foodies’ Zone before. Well, for a change, at Le Cafe, I went for the ambience first, and then the food. That, I think, is the reason behind me eating the cold grilled-sandwich without making much noise 😉 and as I said, will go there again for the ambience… just love the place 🙂 And u know what? If some places are for food, others are for a feel good factor… I think 😛 CCD Hauz Khas! That’s next for me then. Thank You! And yes one more thing, I remember reading about Le Cafe on your blog(the evry first post), it was one of the many write-ups that drove me there for the first time…
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Ankur: Next time they do that, I will write a letter to Ritu Dalmia and Ravi Bajaj.Simple as that. Photo comments: on gtalk 😛 😉
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eeks…
i better shape up, and get my act together..
promise next time there will be no cold sandwich . yes I do love mozzarella.. and umm yes it does become rubbery when not grilled enough..
Manasi i am glad you go there for the “feel good factor”, but I guess for me the food should be the ‘feel good factor”
Hi Reeta,
Sorry to learn about the disaster. I haven’t be to the cafe, but thanks to you, I guess I haven’t missed much.
**They love their mozzarella, not melted and stringy (slurp), but ugly, fat and rubbery
Yukk!!
but anyways:
Nice blog to be book-marked.
(thumbs UP)!
hey nice post skeeter!
the place seems like eye candy.. not much for the taste buds though.
by the way.. why dont you write about some place for the kadka students like me. 😀
psstt… low on cash doesnt really translate into low on enthu eh? 😉
hi
did not like ravi bajaj’s place either
the staff seem absolutely disinterested in serving !