Jamawar restaurant at The Leela Palace Hotel - Bangalore, is supposed to be one of the ’celebrated’ restaurants in Bangalore, according to Times of India. If you look at the Times Food Guide, this restaurant has the best ratings in various categories. So, when I had to arrange a dinner with some of my US colleagues, I picked this place. I called them at least 5 days in advance to reserve a table.
I was planning to give my overseas guests a chance to try out different specialties from all over India - traditional North Indian to coastal, Chettinadu items etc.
When I mentioned my choice of venue to one of my colleagues, he warned me - ’’they have some arrangement where you do not order anything from the menu, they will serve whatever they feel is good - DO NOT opt for it, they will charge a bomb for it, and one more thing, avoid imported wine, they are really expensive!’’.
So on reaching there, we found that our table has been arranged in the open space, attached to the restaurant. I would have preferred a space indoors, so I asked one of the attendants if we can get a space indoors. We got a curt reply ’’Sir, this is your table, we are sold out tonight’’. well...this is bangalore, with huge amounts of dollars flowing in, we decided not to make an issue out of it and just settle down around our assigned table.
A pleasant looking server approached us, and my guests promptly assigned me the task of ordering for everyone. So our waiter announces:
’’Sir, we only have Kashmiri food tonight, Shall I get you all the three course dinner ?’’
I was really surprised, I go ’’What do u mean, you have only Kashmiri food, what if I do not like it ?’’
he goes ’’Sir, we have food festivals once in while, and today is Kashmiri Food festival’’
I am disappointed..I say ’’well...can I at least take a look at the menu ?’’
he says ’’Sir, the menu will have only Kashmiri items, shall I give you all the three course dinner ?’’
by now, I am clearly irritated ’’Can I or can I not, see your menu ?’’
so he goes and gets me the menu. Obviously it has only Kashmiri items. I look around, my guests are blissfully unaware of all this, except the guy sitting next to me, he is smiling incredulously.
So I decide to order a wine, and I particularly like one of the indian wines, which is naturally less expensive than French ones in the menu (This indian wine is not listed in the menu)
So I call the same guy and ask for a particular brand Indian white wine, and he is again displeased with my choice, he goes ’’Sir, that particular wine doesnt come to market these days’’
I am surprised, being a person who enjoys my white wine, I had bought the same wine about a week back so I shoot back ’’What do u mean it doesnt come to market these days, I bought one bottle last week’’
our man is really pissed now and says ’’Oh!..maybe we are out of stock’’
Then I ask for another Indian wine, immediately he says ’’Sir, we are out of stock, why dont we get one from the menu?’’
I am determined that I will get one of the indian wine, I ask for another one, by now he is bored with the fight he says ’’Sir, yeah we have that one, but your foreigner guests will not like it, its a bit sweet’’
So I ask my guests, they are like ’’Get us some alcohol’’
So finally..., my waiter has given up and he takes rest of my orders without much resistance.
Food was fine...my guests liked it, all the items were Kashmiri.
cost : including an Indian wine - approx Rs.1500 per person.
So if you plan to go, and if you care about the value, rather than cost, be ready to fight of the selling!