It is very difficult to rate a particular south Indian hotel as a critic when it carries a hype. It is even more difficult when you are a south Indian. If the food is good, you feel really happy but a tinge of sorrow envelopes you when you wonder " Why can’t I prepare this kind of food?". When you get disappointed your thought is " I can prepare better than this, why are they charging so much from me?". Thinking this, I usually avoided this place despite the fact that my office was a stone’s throw from this place. However, a family friend (my favourite uncle, dad’ close friend) wanted to meet us all before leaving and since he happened to be here, He invited us all. I could not avoid and so promised to be there at the appointed hour. I am on time and see the rest of the members there. A brief smile and exchange of greetings later, the eyes bend down towards the menu card. I must mention here that the dark glass door reflecting the typical Chennai style of restaurant is fine in summer. But during winter those doors make it look dingy. My finger tip is moving on the right side of the card (the price). Finding someone sitting next to me glancing at me, I quickly move my finger away. Uncle notices me with a smile and he reads the menu card again "Mini Meals - masala dosa, idli, vada, sambar, coconut chutney, green chilli chutney, rava kesari, rava upma). My eyeballs slowly move towards the right and I read "Rs. 75/-". Oki, so it is worth it. I instantly approve, so does everyone else in the group. Five mts later (these guys are fast), they bring you huge plates. You find all your favourite dishes except for Upma. The waiter apologizes with a forgettable excuse. We still are fine, since there are so many things provided.
I look at the plate, ready to gorge and find 5-6 idlis as big as the size of lemon (is this a miniature? disappointing but ok). Now, I move onto Vada. 2 vadas , crispy, hot. That is satisfactory. The next one – Masala dosa as big as the size of a puri. Oh God (honey, they shrunk the dosas too?). A tbsp of rava kesari with ghee dripping out making the kesari semi solid. Sambar, chutneys are just side dish. I gobbled75% food up and yet, felt empty. Add to this, the restless waiter glancing 5 times at our table to see how much time would we be taking? No classical music could bring your hunger down. If 75% could not be filling, what would I expect from remaining 25%? But ghee in kesari miraculously saved me. That’s still not a healthy option, is it? I saw someone else eating chocolate ice-cream as dessert, but it was just 3 spoonful, tastefully decorated with cherry. There is a height of misery. In any given place you would go and eat with a hope that however expensive it is, it still fills your stomach. You do not get that kind of satisfaction here. And unfortunately, it is as normal as eating at home.
Now if you miss Chennai, its food, the restless waiters, the music, the dosas, and are ready to shell out money just for the ambience, well, you would not be disappointed much. Otherwise thumbs down.