After loads of shopping (half way done, mind you!), me n my friend were quite hungry and decided to visit good chinese restaurent nearby.
Imagine for the first time, both of us decided to go the same place - MainLand China , at SakiNaka, Mumbai for that lovely sunday dinner without any disaggrements! And yeoh, rain also helped us to run through streets without letting people know that we are running because of hunger..
Oh, no! what's this? We will have to wait outside as there seems to be long queue here... but wait, darwan is letting us go in!! oh yeh, now I know, these people outside want some shelter from that fading rain... We are in and half of the restaurent is empty, so we un-ncessarily worried of waiting in queue.. And that corner would be good place to comfort these two tired beings. Before we could get to our seats, one of the waiters barged in between our destination telling that the restaurent wants our contacts to be registered first. Waw, customer care is rocking nowadays everywhere!!
So, cross the tables, journey back to the reception, mind you, not after paying the bills, but even before geting seated and have cool water.. Then I noticed that there is only one table for two which is trying to secure its space so that waiters and passers by just dont collide with it.
And whew!! Our names were written and we are again outside the restaurent!! Now, my friend is really pissed off, already hungry and tired like anything and this waiting!! so I insist on going somewhere else.. Meanwhile mom calls and I am engrossed with what I shopped n what is remained... After call, we chat about here n there n still we wait.... Nobody is going in or out of the restaurent.. n then after complete 20 mins someone from hotel management calles us in... N what haapens after that:
I: why we were made sit outside when there is plenty of tables are empty?
Person at MainLand China Reception: The place for two was not free
I: But here so many tables are empty and it is normal custom that 2 people occupy the table of 4.. Are these all tables are booked?
PR at MainLand China: No, tables are not booked. We are expecting the large groups to come in..
my friend: But in last 20 mins nobody has come in your restaurent...
PR at MainLand China: yeah, but we are expecting the large groups to come in as today is holiday.. If you are comfortable, you can sit at table of 8 (I: Is he druken while on duty?)
I(frustrated): So, for those people who may come in next two hours here, you made us to sit outside?
My friend: Are you crazy? you would have asked us at least to sit inside and switch the table once the table for two is free if you really wanted to place 2 people at table of 2.. Just for no reason you made us wait outside?
I: We are not eating here.
PR at MainLand China: O.K. (Both of you leave from here right at this moment, otherwise I will make you leave...)
Me & My friend walked out (furiously is very weak word..) .. walked 3-4 mins.. n hey here is Mahalaxmi Again.. One hot girl stepped out of the hotel.. to go in or not to go..
yes there is plenty of empty space.. but let's check out... hey, rock on the first floor... private party is in full swing.. oh, here is the waitress who is guiding us through and we are sitting at cosy place..
Second minute and cool water cools us down.. We fumble through thai menu and what not.. and decide on magolian soup and starters...
Kids playing around occasionally visit our table and chatter few things..
Here comes delicious hot soup and immediately starter is following.. n mind you, it is so heavy that we are debating if we should cancel the ordered main course or not.. but, let's check out something different - Bamboo Steak Noodles.. Waiter queries how was the starter... amazing..
Meanwhile twice the waiter came and talked something in thai which was totally audible but incomprehensible.. and I kept on nodding ... N again here we are waiting for the main course.
few mins pass by n I generally queried through glass wall with my gestures 'what happened, nothing has come..' and then everybody seems to go in kitchen to prepare our dish..
and it comes after 5 mins, n it's good....
So, we are full stomach and happy all over again....
Mean while more than 4 persons, including 1 waiter, 1 who served our dishes, 1 head waiter, (these all were in zatak uniforms), one in non-uniform who does not belong to dress code, came and apologised for the 5-10 mins delay.
Person who was serving: The problem is whole staff is upstairs today for the party..
We: Oh, no problem.. (actually not much delay has happened in any service except main course..)
Waiter (With the packet of raw noodles): see, these are the noodles, and these take first 20 mins to get properly boiled..
We: Oh, really? (we are amazed. why is going in so much details?)
Waiter(Again): Yes, this is the first time we got the order for this dish ever since we have started this hotel!!!
We: (Speechless........)
Waiter: Yeah, then you need to sauce it for 10 mins and that is why delay happened ..
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PS: The first restaurent in story is MainLand China at SakiNaka which I had heard for good chinese, but unfortunately will never come to know that glory of chinese food..
In the morning my colleague told me, in Andheri East, there is good place called Spirit which serves chinese awesome.. Let's try out some time... When are you free?
