Cactus lily — Restaurant in Gurugram District

Most food places are just becoming #instagram worthy and nothing more than that. Today, I had one of the most disappointing dining experiences at #CactusLily, Galleria, #Gurgaon a place I had previously enjoyed and even recommended to friends.

One of my friends ordered a chicken seekh sandwich, only to find an insect inside the sandwich (picture attached). What shocked us even more was not just the food hygiene lapse, but the complete lack of accountability from the restaurant: • The staff only tried to take the plate away, without even addressing the matter. I had to stop them to take this picture. • No apology, no manager or senior staff came forward for nearly 10 minutes. Until I asked them where is someone? • When someone finally did show up, all we received was a casual “sorry” with no ownership, no corrective assurance, no seriousness.

As customers, when we choose a place to dine in, we put our trust in it – trust in the hygiene, trust in the food, and trust in the way they value their patrons. This incident showed the opposite.

For a restaurant, mistakes can happen, but how you respond defines your integrity. Ignoring accountability, brushing it off casually, and not treating it with urgency is simply unacceptable.

This was more than just a poor meal – it was a deplorable experience and a clear reflection of how lightly some establishments take food safety and customer trust. Soham Banerjee I don’t know about Sandwich gods but us mortals need better quality food...

The funny bit is, how can you have so many ingredients in a sandwich and still not hold flavour ? The place is packed coz a sardar somewhere on social media pulled all 10 of his expressions and thus creating a line of waiting. Here is my review of the food :

When the bread and the coke are the only saving grace, you ought to go back to the drawing board and reassess the recipe.

We ordered the Braise the lamb, Sunday roast and the popcorn and none of them is worth a recommendation.

The Braise the lamb is served with lamb jus/ consommé which really lacks any sort of punch or does nothing to enhance the sandwich. The sandwich by itself is again not very memorable. You are hunting for flavors with each bite. If subtlety is the flavor of the season maybe you might like it.

The sunday roast was just plain wrong, the sandwich had a weird after taste. Failing to point it, but it tasted funky. Like the oil used for frying wasn't changed that evening but it just felt wrong.

Chicken popcorn, thank god didn't have a heavy coating but again that dish was lacking, and the sauce lacked everything a sauce could possible possess.

The owners/staff are nice courteous nice and explain the food patiently and with love. But the food lacks, I hope they can improve coz I am rooting for a great sandwich...

Review of Cactus Lily

Cactus Lily is, in my opinion, a highly overrated restaurant. The food quality fails to live up to the hype, leaving much to be desired.

First and foremost, the so-called "authentic Italian bread" was incredibly dry, crumbling apart while trying to eat the sandwich. This disappointing bread base was used for both the Bengal Kaathu sandwich and the braised lamb sandwich I ordered, which felt unimaginative and repetitive.

The meats in both sandwiches lacked flavor. The chicken katsu cutlet was extremely dry, and the braised lamb was improperly prepared with a fibrous texture, indicating ineffective braising and a poor choice of cut. Both sandwiches featured mayonnaise-based sauces that did nothing to elevate the bland experience.

Given the hefty prices, which seem to be based more on their real estate location than food quality, the overall experience was a significant letdown. I don't mind paying a premium for good food, but Cactus Lily did not deliver on its promises.

In conclusion, I question the authenticity of glowing reviews on social media. Are they genuine, or simply paid promotions? My experience at Cactus Lily was far from the stellar reputation it seems to enjoy online. I left feeling disappointed and frustrated by the lackluster food and...