SpiceKlub (Chennai) — Restaurant in Tamil Nadu

There is a saying in Hindi 'Oonchi Dukaan Fiki Pakvaan' which pretty much sums up this place. Here is my horror story basis my visit on 23 Oct 2021 at 3 pm.

We (2 of us) were allocated a table and as we sat wondering whether we need to scan QR code to order or will someone take our order, we saw water dripping on our table from AC duct/vent on top. We thanked our stars that food had not arrived by then and requested to be seated on a different table

The other table had just been vacated by a large group and we requested staff to clean the table before we shift. While cleaning the staff were callous in pushing the food particles back on to sofa and chair from the table. We again requested them to clean the sofa and chair so that we could sit which they did reluctantly after asking us to adjust

The people who take/serve orders are the ones who clean the table too. So you can imagine the level of cleanliness and hygiene being maintained. The person serving your food would be the one who just cleaned a table. Normally housekeeping staff is different from people who serve food even in average restaurants.

We ordered a Minestrone soup, Paneer Tikka (small) and Galouti Kebab (small) to start with. The soup was watery while Paneer Tikka and Galouti Kebab were okayish although liquid nitrogen on them seemed unnecessary. While giving us the soup the staff plonked his finger inside the soup while handing it to us, we were aghast as we saw him cleaning a table just minutes ago.

Since we went at 3 pm, while we were waiting for starters to arrive at 3.15 pm the staff asked us to order main course too since they would be closing the kitchen. Now we were unsure because we wanted to sample starters first before ordering but since they insisted we ordered main course of 4 Rotis and 2 mains (small).

We were waiting till 3.50 pm 35 minutes after placing order for our mains to arrive. What surprised us was that tables who had ordered after us had received their orders by then. And mind you there were only 4 or 5 active tables left by then since it was closing time. We requested them to cancel our mains and hand us the bill. They initially billed us for mains too which was shocking and again we had to ask them to bill us for what we ate

We paid via Dineout after confirming that it is accepted mode but after paying we were again made to wait for 10 mins for confirmation of payment received

The hand wash area was dirty and unclean unbecoming of a supposedly premium restaurant

There was a constant construction/drilling noise as well with staff saying some maintenance works were on

All in all, a place worth avoiding. Please don't fall into the trap of deciding by Google and Zomato reviews like we did. Overpriced and not...

Shared my experience with this restaurant below;

First I would like to mention the cons, because there are already too much of highlights on their food presentation in the reviews.

Cons:-

1. Even If the restaurant is completely vacant while you visit, you are not allowed to seat in the table you wish.

2. No menu card here. You need to scan the QR code for menu. They are not worried if the guests are senior citizens or they do not have access to internet or network in their mobile.

3. The Menu is completely different. The names are fancy and enigmatic for people visiting for the first time. They should include the ingredients or some basic details about the dish for the guests perception.

4. since there is no menu card or details on the dish they could atleast have the pics of the dishes displayed on a tv. Even small restaurants these days have their food displayed.

5. Please do not visit this restaurant if you have small kids. They do not have anything for kids and they will not even feel pity or show sympathy to give atleast some small appetizers for the little kids.

6. Customer service is pathetic. Since the presentation of the dishes are different and people come here because of that, they show too much of attitude. Manager is not polite and courteous. When you call them, in return they ask us to wait.

7. Very unhygienic. They keep the cutlery 🍴 directly on the table, instead of placing them on the napkins or a plate.

8. Lastly, you will have to burn your pockets for the presentation of their food. They have two portions mentioned in the menu medium and large. But they will make you to order large portion saying medium is not available.

Pros:-

1. Huge Parking facility is available in the complex.

2. Ambiance is good, but there is nothing to create hype about it.

3. Presentation of the food is creative.

4. Loved the complimentary pan chocolates...

Well, I had gone with quite a bit of expectation, seeing that this is a premium pure vegetarian restaurant and YOU have to CALL in advance to book yourself a table, especially on weekends. So, my rating and overall experience deserve some elaboration given that I'm usually very accepting of the different experiences across restaurants in Chennai.

Parking is a breeze here. Kudos on that part. You have a dedicated lot with valet parking. Restaurant is visible from the road and entrance is pleasing.

Upon entering the ambience seemed lovely and alive, with an upclass crowd to match. However pictures deceive on account of the cramped table space. Real estate is definitely a bit lacking, understandably due to expensive locality. It was as if we were sharing our table with a couple next to us. Their constant chattering that we became party to, made us feel a loss of sense of privacy.

Molecular Gastronomy isn't something I've had before but we definitely liked the taste of our food. However the quantity was unacceptable for the prices. My parents and I shared 4 starters and main course, A broccoli dish with 4 small pieces, Pani Puri that was yum but too much work making it ourselves on a small table that didn't fit us already, then Panneer lapeta or so and a pav bhaji fondu which was yum. Main course was veg fun biryani which was good.

However - What the hell is wrong with them to serve such tiny portions and charge 100 rupees for 750 ml water and 5% tax for that?

We liked our meal but came away 2200 INR poorer and feeling a bit hungry. So there goes my review. I'm not likely to come back here, unless it is to introduce someone to a different way to eat your meal. Molecular Gastronomy is cool to watch but...