That's the way eet ees

Pea-NUT, Blazing boy and Nearly Headless Nick, all get embarrassed when dining out with Skeeter. The reason being that she takes out either the mobile (with the flash on) or the camera and starts clicking the food before eating, after eating and just about anytime she feels like. Now Skeeter makes an innocent face with a pleading expression (I will die if I don't kinda thingy) and mostly manages to get a "kill you" nod from them to go ahead and shoot. In between, Skeeter also gets "stop-it" stares from them. And does she love it? She does and doesn't. Loves it because she knows that she can have liberties with them around; doesn't love it because the pictures don't come out nice as they keep making her feel so conscious and guilty all the time. Period.
Today, I tell you about the much-awaited visit to Side Wok @ Khan Market. Now what attracted me to this place was the location apart from the so many reviews. The galli in which it is situated, is a sleepy, lazy one. So much so that I can almost hear it yawning. And for some reason I just love to walk down that place for the heck of it. This time, I walked up, up the stairs I mean. Attractive entrance that. The ambience was a welcome change from the regulars.
The food was decent. I absolutely loved my non-alcoholic Pink Mojito. They did a good job on that. The start with the Sushi platter (vegetarian o'course) was a disaster, no matter how lovely it seemed to the eyes. A birdie tells me that Side Wok is not 'the' place to try Sushi for the fist time. Point taken. Next came the Phad Thai noodles and the Stir Fried Chinese Greens with Roasted Garlic. Phad Thai noodles were regular but nice. I can go back for them. The stir fry was quite authentic and delicious.
Main course done, since we were in an indulgent mood, we ordered a dessert each. I ordered Crispy Nutty Rolls with Vanilla ice cream and Pea-NUT ordered a Chocolate Mousse. The Crispy Nutty Rolls with Vanilla ice cream were too greasy and spoilt the flavour. This dessert was not treated subtly and hence the result was bad. The Chocolate Mousse was okay.
The waiters are talented. Very. They are adept at playing hide and seek, hence resulting in customers being anguished over fetching them to take the order. Well, even if that is not done on purpose, the management should assure that a waiter is visible from every damn seat.
I have a second visit lined up to this place, because I couldn't have enough of it the first time. Besides, the menu is dotted with dishes from Burma, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore. They could well get the South-East Asian Cafe (the theme which they had in mind while designing the menu and the place) status, if they pay some attention to the quality and authenticity.
Ah yes, you can view the Side-walk from Side Wok.

Top of the city

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, 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.