Supreme Upper Crust — Restaurant in Kerala

First time visiting this place (lunch on a weekday) as a family of four.

The restaurant is on the 1st floor (ground floor is the bakery) and you have to take the stairs (no elevator). The restaurant is large, spacious, well lit and clean. The interiors have been done well. There is ample parking out front which is great.

Staff are friendly and professional.

Food: We tried their Tom Yum Soup as a starter. It usually has a strong taste of lemongrass and tends to be a 'light' type of soup, however theirs was on the thicker side (more like a broth) and the flavours weren't really coming through. It was a decent soup.

For the mains we tried a mixture of Indian and Chinese dishes: Chicken kadai: definitely not what we expected. Chicken kadai usually has lots of bell peppers and what not, this didn't have any of that and was VERY creamy. Would not recommend. Kung pau chicken: this is meant to be a stir-fried Chinese dish made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chilli peppers. What we got was closer to Indian style chilli chicken. The chicken was swimming in gravy so it looks like a big portion but in reality is not. They also used canned mushrooms (traditionally kung pau chicken doesn't have mushroom and definitely not tinned!). It tasted decent but if you're after kung pau chicken, this is not it. Phad thai: mediocre. Felt it could use more peanuts and lemongrass.

Their noodle portions are definitely on the bigger side - can definitely be shared between two.

They have some desserts in a counter by the front so I got the hazelnut brownie. It's a good portion, but the brownie was quite hard (maybe because it was being cooled?) and left an interesting aftertaste. None of us were really a fan of it and I personally wouldn't recommend it.

Would I go back? Maybe. I'd be pretty selective about the...

We always wanted to go here, since from outside, the looks convey a premium restaurant where you can get great food. However, our visit was a let-down and I don't think I'll be going back here.

The ambience is good and the views with the large windows are good too. The staff is courteous (and always wearing masks). The first signs of incoherence was when they brought their cheap fast-food-place-like paper menu, which really was out of place in that kind of ambience. Indeed we overlooked that as a minor detail. It is the food that really let us down.

We had gone there for continental food, but decided to go for an Asian starter. Bang bang prawns sounded delicious, and it was indeed. It had good flavours, the prawn seemed to be fresh and the dip was good too. Then we went for Beef Lasagne and Beef Medallion, and had set our eyes on some dessert options. But these dishes were disappointing. The lasagna was very ordinary - almost like one that you can buy at the supermarket. No richness, just some amped up flavours that are not balanced. I had asked for the Beef Medallion to be cooked medium, but what I got was overcooked and chewy - not the juicy, delicious one that I was expecting. I even doubt whether the meat was fresh. The sauce was too garlicky for my liking. And the mashed potato had the taste of spoilt butter or whatever oil they used in it. I ended up leaving behind a steak and the mash. The only good part of the main course was the veggies served along with the Medallion.

All said, I think the prices are reasonable for the premium positioning (though it doesn't make sense if the food is bad). And it's the continental food that was not good, so may be the other cuisines available are worth...

"The brand name itself is reassuring. I have been eating at this chain in my hometown since my college days. After living in Kochi for 4 years, I tried UpperCrust for the first time and had a pleasant experience. Parking wasn't a problem even though the place was full and a few families were waiting. The waiting area and ambience were good, and the servers helped with the menu. The service was prompt.

I started with seafood chowder, but the classic Brittany dish was presented watered down instead of its creamy rich structure. I skipped the starters and went straight to the main course: spaghetti meatballs and beef stroganoff. The pasta was well-cooked, and the sauce tasted rich and flavorful, even though the meatballs tasted a bit too Asian for my taste. The dish was still satisfying overall. The beef stroganoff was listed on their signature menu, but I've had better versions from other cafes in Kochi. The meat quality was good, but the creaminess was lacking. I wonder if they were short on fresh cream that day.

I decided to end my dining experience with a chocolate lava cake. Hands down, it was the best version I've ever tasted. It was literally like lava, oozing with rich dark chocolate and served with smooth vanilla ice cream. The combination of both elements was perfect and created a dopamine release at just the right time. Overall, UpperCrust is a trusted place to take your family or a date. While the authenticity can be a little off here and there, the quality is never...