The Eating out Guidebook

Focus on Food

That we can get near authentic French,Italian and Chinese experiences without leaving the city limits is one of the best aspects of dining out. But many places tend to lose their appeal once the media hype dies down. “What Indian restaurants currently lack is conviction,” says Chef Manu Chandra,executive chef at Olive Bar and Kitchen in Mumbai and Bangalore.

“People running them often lose track of the fact that food and beverage is their primary concern and get carried away with everything else.”

Eating also involves seeing

How often have you squinted at the menu,or even at your food. The dim,sepia-toned lighting gets the surroundings all “romantic”,as we have seen with the pockets of darkness at Spirit in Delhi’s Connaught Place. Unless anyone is going down on the knees to propose to his sweetheart,we wish for a brighter setting.

Spare the senses

While it is nice to walk into a washroom that smells nice,many of them have a very strong diffuser,which literally smothers one’s olfactory senses. The dizziness induced by this may spoil the party.

Too much exposure

The new fad is to turn 7×7 feet of space into a display kitchen. Customers may like to watch their food being cooked but do they really ask for a display kitchen even in a crowded space? The International Diner in Delhi’s Greater Kailash-1 and Toro in Khan market,Delhi,can certainly do without the glass box.

Kid concern

While making a reservation at Mumbai’s Hakkasan,you’re informed very nicely that children aren’t allowed. If you don’t want to disappoint couples and their children,you may want to come up with a gameplan. Flavours,an Italian restaurant in Delhi’s Defence Colony,offers an array of books,toys and high chairs to keep children entertained.

Mumbai-based Blue Frog brings out its Jenga,blocks and Scrabble for Sunday brunches. “These activities keep my three-year-old occupied while the adults get on with their lunch,” says Nidhi Ramachandran,a Mumbai-based HR consultant.

Directives for Diners

Treat the servers well

It’s very important to be polite to the servers. Raising your voice every time their attention strays to another table is,quite frankly,not cool. “Such behaviour makes it very difficult to instill confidence in our staff members and make them believe that they aren’t people’s servants outside their home,” says Gauri Devidayal,owner of The Table in Mumbai.

Keep your expectations real

Your food may be French,but you’re not in France. And no matter how hard the restaurants try,there will be discrepancies. Setting your expectations straight could help. “Dining out has been part of Western culture for more than 200 years,” says Devidayal,adding “But in India it’s relatively new,so people shouldn’t expect us to get it right straight away.”

Check cravings for free meals

Planning hair or insects in dishes when you’re almost finished is not a good idea,even if it can get you a free meal. A Mumbai-based restaurant with CCTVs once caught a group of ladies putting strands of their hair in the food and went on to demand a free meal.

Let the chef do his job

Unhappy with the taste,temperature or presentation of the food? Alert the server or the manager of the restaurant because with more than 200 orders to fill on a busy night,the executive chef has enough on his plate.

“If the chef actually steps out to see customers every time they ask for him,he’s not really doing his job,” said Chandra at a recent panel discussion. “If it’s that easy to get the chef’s attention,I would never go back to that restaurant,” he joked.

Control your children

We know you love your children. But strangers can’t see why they can run around restaurants,kick up a fuss and disturb other diners. “Once,there was a boy who wouldn’t stop playing games and songs on his parents’ phone very loudly,” says Mumbai-based Angelica Pereira. “Other diners asked them to keep it down but the parents ignored them,” adds Pereira.

(With inputs from Sharon Fernandes)