Latitude Restaurant - Vivanta Coimbatore — Restaurant in Tamil Nadu

I have been a big fan of Taj properties for a while, until I visited the Taj Vivanta in Coimbatore with my family. We had a dinner reservation at their Latitude restaurant, which boasted a comprehensive menu ranging from traditional South Indian dishes to pastas, salmon, and steaks. It seemed like a good idea to take the family to Latitude for a change from all the Indian food we had eaten so far, especially since a five-star property is likely to have chefs well-trained to prepare any dish on their menu. However, we should have known better as soon as we stepped into the reception. The air was thick with the smell of cheap room freshener, reminiscent of a taxi that has seen better days. The floorboards in the restaurant were loose and creaked beneath us. You might wonder what this has to do with the food. Well, this property carries the Taj banner—a five-star establishment that has been around for ages, hosting presidents and queens and known for its attention to detail. We should have turned around then, but I thought perhaps the book might still be interesting despite its shoddy cover. Long story short, the steak was the worst we have ever had. We asked for a medium steak and received what looked like a crime scene. Out of morbid curiosity, we all tried it just to establish a new baseline for how badly an establishment could ruin a decent cut of protein. The spaghetti carbonara was a milky sludge, that made some of us struggle to suppress our gag reflexes. Frankly, a ten-year-old could make better pasta from a Kraft box. Our waiter misinterpreted our collective shock as positive feedback and asked us if the food was good; we clarified our disappointment. He brought the chef's attention to our situation, who apologized profusely, but the damage was done. If only the same effort had been expended in preparing the food we ordered. The five-star reputation of Taj imploded in our minds. The Vivanta at Coimbatore, in its current state, is an embarrassment to the Taj brand. Frankly, they should lock it up and hand over the keys to their competitor, the Residency, whose restaurants are far more deserving of five stars than this excuse for...

Review after my visit to the restaurant on 26th December 2020

It was my anniversary yesterday and my wife wanted to go to Afghan Grill as she has never been there. Unfortunately, when I called them up for reservation, they informed us that the reservations are full since they had limited capacity owing to COVID regulations.

We then decided to go to Vivanta and I called them up for reservation. It took my multiple calls to get connected to them and finally I was able to get a table reserved. At around 8 45 we arrived at the hotel and I went ahead to park my car. No temperature testing was done for me. We went to the restaurant and to our horror the restaurant was packed. Luckily, we were directed to our table pretty casually. We were planning to have an Ala carte meal but we were informed that it might take some time so we decided to go ahead with the buffet.

Though there were a lot of variety promised, a quarter of those vessels were empty and were never refilled by the time we left the place. The restaurant seemed understaffed and hence the reason for delays in the same. When pointed out about the non availablilty of dishes, the staff was pretty casual about it and seemed least bothered. Ordered 1 Butter Naan from the live counter (Never arrived). Highly disappointing service. Highly u satisfied meal.

A tip to the restaurants out there. Do not overbook your restaurants if you are understaffed. It makes your staff pretty annoyed and also leaves an unpleasant experience to...

Our recent visit to Latitude was truly exceptional, leaving me feeling not just satisfied, but genuinely cared for. From the moment we stepped through the door, the ambiance was perfect—warm, inviting, and sophisticated without feeling stuffy. It set the stage for a wonderful evening. However, what truly elevated this meal to five stars was the impeccable service and the extraordinary effort by the kitchen team. We had a last-minute dietary request that required significant customization, and I was fully prepared for it to be denied or to result in a simplified dish. Instead, our server handled the request gracefully and swiftly, and the resulting creation from the kitchen was nothing short of culinary brilliance. To the Chef Ramesh and the entire kitchen staff: thank you for going the extra mile to accommodate us on such short notice. It takes dedication and skill to pivot a dish so beautifully, and your willingness to adapt without compromising on flavor or presentation is a testament to your passion. The personalized dish was the highlight of our evening. The attentiveness of the front-of-house staff was equally impressive, ensuring our glasses were full and timing our courses perfectly. We highly recommend Latitude not just for the incredible food and setting, but for the rare and genuine care they show for their patrons. We will...