I recently reviewed ppl on retro style restaurants and pubs and only 1 in 56 ppl actually said they would go to a retro bar/pub/restaurant.
Walk into tomatos in ahmedabad and this statistic gets smashed. The place is packed, and its a retro hangout. How many ppl in ahmedabad realise this? I do not know. But you almost always have to wait, and in the end the wait is worth it.
The place is beautifully done. It does not refer to a single period in history or the past, but is in general built on the theme of ’’the america of the 60’s’’. The theme is complemented with brilliant detailing. The whole space has those typical colours, the lighting is typical, not too dim, not too bright, all lights (well most) are bulbs. There is a juke box (isnt there always one?)old fog horns, the place is full of posters of celebrities of those days. You can almost say that the space is littered, but that adds to the charm. I have gone there quite a few times and everytime I see something new. one is constantly occupied with the variety of objects. There are old american motor number plates, advertisements of the plymouth and the chrysler, the harley-davidson, well you name it, its there! There is a bar (mocktails only please! this is the land of gandhi) which must be the most nostalgic bar I have ever seen. its small, seems very personal, and the very look of it makes you think back over the years, even if you are 10 yrs old (or so it seems). Though the bar hardly seems functional, ie., there is no one sitting on the barstool drinking mocktails, but its presence adds atmosphere to the whole restaurant.
The colours as expected are rich. the floor in wood and carpet. The tables are not particularly retograde but one doesnt notice that as easily. there are television screens playing videos of Direstraits and floyd and michael jackson.
Food at the Tomatos is good. The proportions range from good to huge and the tandoori chicken is fantastic. Dont try the thai though, its not entirely authentic and if you are someone who has eaten at and loved Thaiban in bandra, you might just murder the chef for it. The indian cuisine is better than the continental fare... and please let me say it again.. that tandoori chicken can win awards.
Service is good for ahmedabad standards, but no great shakes really.
But when you go to Tomatos you dont go there to eat the best food in the world, and you dont pay a bomb for the best service in the city. What you go and pay for is the ambience. Its simply great. Very engaging, and the space has been treated to cater equally well to a couple or to a noisy bunch of teens or even a nice family get together. There is a certain privacy in all that open space there is. one is not seated low, and feel caved in. The seats are comfortably high, the sofas have high back rests which add to ones privacy. the ceiling is at different levels which helps to control the noise inside. The music is not blaring and the selection is very good. Its the kind of place you come out smiling from. It just makes you feel good!
Oh well, before I start sounding like an advertisement for Tomatos let me tell you that the ash trays are simply pathetic and so are the water mugs. apart from that I really cant find anything to complain about in the restaurant.