Hungry Mrinal — Restaurant in Kerala

I usually avoid writing lengthy negative reviews, but my recent experience at Hungry Mrinal, located at Vadakkekotta Metro Station, Tripunithura, was so disappointing and frustrating that I feel compelled to share this in detail – not just as a complaint, but as a genuine warning to others who care about hygiene, food quality, and customer service.

This visit turned out to be a huge let-down. From food safety concerns to substandard quality and an attitude of indifference from the management – this place is all hype with absolutely no substance.

Serious Hygiene Concerns – Shockingly Unprofessional The first red flag was the lack of basic hygiene. I personally witnessed staff handling food with bare hands, without wearing gloves. This is not just unpleasant—it’s unsafe and unacceptable. In any food-serving establishment, especially in today's health-conscious world, such negligence raises serious concerns.

The service counters and tables were not clean, and the entire area felt untidy. What shocked me more was the deceptive use of a Bisleri water jar cover, clearly displayed to give the impression that they serve Bisleri water. But for self-service, a completely unbranded and lower-grade water source was being used. That’s misleading and unacceptable, especially for a place that claims to offer premium quality food and charges accordingly.

Low-Grade Food at Premium Prices – Zero Value for Money I ordered a variety of dishes to try and get a full sense of their offerings:

Chicken Dum Biryani

Extra Pickles

Raitha

Onion Vinegar Salad

Kappa (Tapioca)

Poratta

Kadala Curry

Mineral Water etc.

Sadly, none of them came close to even average standards.

The Chicken Biryani was dry and lacked any authentic flavour. The chicken pieces were tough and overcooked.

The curd in the Raitha lacked freshness.

The Kappa was overcooked and good for nothing.

The Porotta was rubbery and far from soft or layered.

The Kadala curry was salty.

Overall, it was a disappointing meal, made worse by the fact that it was heavily overpriced. The quantity was below average, and the quality didn’t even match a basic roadside eatery.

Disorganized Service – Only One Billing Counter As if the hygiene and food quality weren’t bad enough, the service was painfully slow and chaotic. There is only one billing counter, which led to long queues, delays, and confusion. Staff were not trained properly, and there was no one to assist or guide customers during the ordering process.

No Regard for Feedback – Management Doesn't Care After my disappointing experience, I took the time to speak directly to the staff at the outlet to share my concerns about hygiene, water usage, and food quality. While the staff were polite, they seemed helpless and unable to escalate my concerns.

I even went a step further and called Mr. Mrinal Das himself – the name behind the brand – hoping to offer constructive feedback as a local customer who genuinely wants to see local businesses do well. Unfortunately, I was met with indifference. Mr. Das seemed too busy or uninterested in listening to feedback from people like us — native customers who actually support his business.

This lack of accountability and unwillingness to listen says a lot about how this establishment is run. If you’re too busy to hear genuine feedback from your own customer base, how do you expect to improve?

Avoid If You Value Hygiene, Taste, and Service In summary:

Terrible hygiene practices – food handled with bare hands.

Misleading branding – showing Bisleri but serving something else.

Poor food quality – bland, stale, and overpriced.

Untrained staff and poor service flow.

Management that ignores customer feedback.

This place might work for someone looking to take a quick photo and leave, but if you care even a little about clean, tasty, well-served food, I strongly recommend you avoid...

Hungry Mrinal isn’t just another restaurant — it stands for something most people don’t even realize they need: safe, honest food. In today’s world, the right to clean and quality food feels more like a luxury than a basic expectation. That’s where Hungry Mrinal draws the line.

They promise and deliver food made with quality ingredients, without shortcuts or compromises. It’s a place that takes food safety seriously, something that should be the norm, but sadly isn’t.

People usually think about taste and cost — and increasingly, whether the food and setting are Insta-worthy enough to boost social media likes. But the question of whether the food is actually safe enough for our children — whether we’d be comfortable feeding it to a 5-year-old — hardly crosses our minds. Hungry Mrinal brings that question to the forefront and answers it with action, not just presentation.

Now coming to the food — especially the biriyani. I’ve had it consistently, and while some people say the masala isn’t loud enough, I beg to differ. Yes, the flavours are subtle — but paradoxically, that’s what makes them shine. The aroma of ghee, the balance of spices — nothing artificial, just honest flavour. Yummm.

What really sets Hungry Mrinal apart is the level of customization they offer. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. You get to pay only for what you really want — no more, no less. It’s probably a logistical nightmare for the team handling it, but for the customer, it’s brilliant. Extreme value for money and a feeling that the food was made your way.

It’s a self-service counter, and while the system works, I found the staff to be a little naive. Would appreciate it more if tables were cleaned promptly after customers leave, and if the premises — especially the hand wash area — were kept just a tad more tidy.

Hungry Mrinal is not just a restaurant — it’s a statement. One that respects your plate, your health, and your preferences.

Mrinal has taken on a challenging but much-needed mission — one that not many dare to pursue in today’s food scene. It’s a path that demands consistency, care, and integrity. We truly hope you stay true to that promise, because a lot of us are...

Walking into Mrinal's Deli felt less like entering a restaurant and more like stumbling into one of those gimmicky car dealerships where they lure you in with promises of "lowest prices" only to fleece you at every corner. Let’s dissect this car—sorry, biryani—deal. For ₹120, you get their “base model” biryani: a sad, shoddy affair featuring a single, lonely piece of chicken, lukewarm rice, and the enthusiasm of a Monday morning. Think of it as a stripped-down hatchback with no AC, no music system, and manual everything.

Now, if you dare to ask for raita—essential, mind you—it’s an “add-on.” Extra pickle? Another upgrade. You’d think these things were luxury features instead of basic necessities. By the time you’ve added everything that should’ve been standard, you’re looking at a price tag north of ₹250. That’s their “fully loaded” biryani—except even at that price, it still drives like a lemon. The flavor? Nonexistent. The taste? As bland as their customer service. It’s the culinary equivalent of a shiny exterior with a rusty engine under the hood.

And speaking of service, they managed to make it even more appalling. Sure, they dealt with us adequately, but watching them handle a visibly tired pregnant woman was like witnessing a customer at the dealership begging for the spare tire they already paid for. She ordered a simple egg puff and tea. That’s all. And yet, they couldn’t muster the basic decency to bring the tea to her table. Instead, they made her walk back to the counter, exhausted and uncomfortable, to pick it up herself. It’s like buying a car and being handed the steering wheel separately, as if they’re doing you a favor.

Mrinal, if your restaurant were an actual dealership, it would be the kind that slaps “starting at ₹120” on a billboard, only for you to leave paying ₹500 for a car that barely starts. You critique others, but perhaps it’s time to assess your own operation. Your biryani is a base model at best, and your service package? Non-existent. Stop pretending you’re offering a luxury experience when all you’re delivering is a second-hand clunker. Customers deserve...