Kalita Cafe — Restaurant in Assam

Hands down, it is the best cafe in Guwahati for anyone (my personal opinion). Everything is good about this cafe, be it the coffee, food, ambience or the staffs' behaviour. That's why it has been able to carve a niche over the last 25 years.

Before discovering it very recently, I had only seen the Kalita Spectrum Dine while passing by it and I thought it as a part of the Hotel Shoolin Grand. So, naturally I thought it would be very expensive. But, one fine day, I decided to give it a try and voila, I found this cafe in the ground floor buzzing with crowd. The outdoor seating arrangement is more for the smokers. The ambience inside the cafe offers a premium vibe.

One of the many interesting things about this cafe is that they have a special BTS corner. BTS lovers will definitely love it. Service executives are young, proactive and professional. I loved their attitude. Food is of course of top quality. Did you know that they serve free panipuri? Ain't that awesome? Go and visit it, if you don't believe me.

Let me add one negative point about this awesome place now. After visiting KS for more than 20 times in the last 8 months, I feel they should have a washroom somewhere in the ground floor itself. Though customers can access the washrooms at the first floor, but at the ground floor, there's not even a wash basin to wash hands which I found quite shocking. I belong to that cohort of people who likes to wash hands...

Mostly show but not a lot of substance. This was the 2nd time we went there and we were very disappointed. Cream of chicken soup was okay, it wasn't bad but bland for our taste, and no I don't mean we want more spices in it. Of course, cream of chicken soup isn't meant to be spicy but it still can have a more "fuller" Taste to it. Now that I remember, the last time we went to Kalita spectrum, they had an Extremely bland tasting pasta as well.. So shouldn't have been much surprised. We did tell the staff even back then, and they were polite . As for the Oyster chicken we ordered which was supposed to come with asparagus and rice was also a downer. There was no asparagus and the waiter said it's not available. I mean then mention it beforehand if you aren't able to provide something.The chicken itself was SOOO bland.. It's the kind which is very generic under the brand of "Chinese".. Was watery . The presentation too was just so basic which isn't expected out of this place. So definitely wouldn't go there...

I was utterly disappointed this time around for a number of things. The service have surely deteriorated from my last visit although they add a service charge of 5% by default which is in clear violation of layed rules. Although, they neither display nor announce the same before the bill is generated. And yes, the bill comes with a declaration that means - "Service charge on guest's discretion." Sorry I forgot the exact words. The coffee was awfully cold not because of the chef, cause the waiter forgot to serve in time apparently.

I missed the service the place previously used to have. Even the Pasta Arabitta which somehow came with a pink sauce, when enquired they said it came like that - which even me as a noob foodie knows is on red sauce for sure. Anyways - hope they read reviews and get better...