Ishtaa | Vegetarian Cuisine — Restaurant in Telangana

Fly in the Chutneys” - A Disappointing Experience at a Ishtaa Pure Veg Restaurant

Visiting Ishtaa a vegetarian restaurant often brings expectations of fresh, flavorful food and a hygienic, pleasant dining experience. However, my recent visit to this restaurant was far from satisfactory. While the menu appeared promising and the ambiance seemed decent at first glance, my experience was marred by multiple issues that overshadowed the positives. The most off-putting aspect? Finding a fly in the chutney—a clear sign of poor hygiene and lack of proper food handling.

Ambiance & Cleanliness (2/5)

The restaurant had a fairly decent interior with simple yet traditional décor. It was evident that they had tried to create an inviting atmosphere with warm lighting and comfortable seating. However, upon closer inspection, the cleanliness of the restaurant was questionable. The tables were not thoroughly cleaned, and there were food stains visible on the chairs and floor.

The most alarming issue was the presence of flies hovering around the tables and food counters. This was an immediate red flag regarding the restaurant’s sanitation practices. It was extremely off-putting to see insects in an indoor dining space.

Service & Staff (2.5/5)

The staff were polite but seemed inattentive and disorganized. Placing an order took longer than expected, and getting the server’s attention required multiple attempts. The wait time for the food was unreasonably long, even though the restaurant was not crowded. Moreover, when we pointed out the hygiene issues, the response was indifferent, and there was no genuine attempt to address the complaint or ensure better food safety practices.

Food Quality & Taste (1.5/5)

Now, onto the most critical part—the food. The menu had a variety of traditional vegetarian dishes, from South Indian delicacies to North Indian favorites. We ordered a mix of dosa, idli, paneer butter masala, naan, and some beverages. • Dosa & Idli: While the dosa was crisp and fairly decent in taste, the idlis were dry and lacked the softness expected from a well-made South Indian dish. The sambhar was lukewarm and tasted bland. • Chutneys: This was where the real nightmare began. As I dipped my dosa into the coconut chutney, I noticed something unusual—a dead fly floating in it. It was beyond disgusting and immediately ruined my appetite. If one chutney had such an issue, it made me wonder about the overall hygiene in their kitchen. • Paneer Butter Masala & Naan: The paneer dish was overly greasy, and the gravy tasted artificial with an overpowering sweetness. The naan was chewy rather than soft and flaky, which was quite disappointing. • Drinks: We ordered fresh lime juice, which was too diluted, and a mango lassi, which tasted overly processed rather than fresh.

Hygiene & Food Safety (0/5)

Finding a fly in the chutney was the worst experience of the evening. It not only indicated poor hygiene but also raised concerns about how the food was being handled in the kitchen. If such an obvious issue was overlooked, what about other potential food safety violations? The staff’s lack of urgency in addressing the problem only made matters worse.

Overall Verdict (1.5/5)

Pros: • Decent ambiance (at first glance) • Some dishes tasted okay

Cons: • Major hygiene concerns (flies in food) • Unresponsive and inattentive service • Subpar food quality • Long wait times • Lack of attention to food safety standards

Would I visit again? Absolutely not. Finding a fly in the food is a deal-breaker for any restaurant, especially one that claims to be a pure vegetarian establishment where cleanliness should be a priority. Unless the management takes immediate and strict corrective action to improve their hygiene standards, I would not recommend this place to anyone looking for a safe and enjoyable dining experience.

Final Rating: ⭐...

#quest4veg #gandipetroad

Yesterday’s dinner at #Ishtaa was an average affair that I don’t mind forgetting. It was a family dinner hence the veg restaurant . We had called ahead to reserve our table. The staff was courteous n helpful.

Ambience typical South Indian ( same Color palettes and furniture) Food presentation was ok Taste was good

We ordered sweetcorn and ishtaa special soups. I ended up with the sweetcorn which was actually sweet(hadn’t expected that😏), it was extra mild(when I say that, Pakka Hyderabadis cannot even dream of tasting it)

The manchurian we ordered for starters reached the table after the main course( guess lost in transit or must have failed to clear the customs😃)

The older grp wanted to eat only dosa n Uthappam. The array of chutneys alá chutneys style was a regular. Uthappam was generously seasoned with cashews and onions.

Ordered crispy sweetcorn too for the starters, it was a big hit with the kids.

For main course, we ordered malai kofta and veg chatpata (as suggested by the staff) with rotis. I so wanted to try their famous jackfruit biryani, which was the first thing on the order list from me. Malai kofta was as expected but the veg chatpata was finger licking good with its flavours n tanginess.

For a weekday, the place was busy and the staff were busy, hence delayed service.

The notorious wayward 🤪 biryani which finally reached the table after a long wait deceived me and I was left searching for what it was that had ppl n connoisseurs raving abt. In simple words, it failed to impress not just me but all of us.

On the whole, it was a lukewarm impression. I may go back to try...

We have been visiting this place several times for breakfast or lunch. Their service is always slow. There are so many waiters that you will be confused who is taking the order or who is serving you. So went for lunch on 14/4/24. We ordered tomato dal with no spice for our toddler. Our order was placed at 12:30pm. We didn't receive our order till 12:45pm. When we reminded, they got our order at 12:50pm, but the dal was extremely spicy. Scolded them and sent it back as it was unpalatable for our daughter. After 10min or so they come back but this time it's plain dal with some tadka. When asked about our order, the waiter said "tomato dal can't be made non spicy". We were furious that it wasn't informed before. Next we ordered special thali or pelli bhojanam. The person comes with initial serving items even before the banana leaf is laid. He served kheer and then placed the vada on top of the kheer. They call it "pelli bhojanam" which translates to "marriage feast" on the occasion of ram navami. They had 0 specials. They served pickle rice as their variety rice and plain buttermilk. Never seen such dul menu in a marriage or even on ram navami. They charge 495/- for this thali which is an absolute waste. Waiters are roaming around like headless chickens not knowing what to serve when. They came to serve rasam on my leaf where there was no rice. You can have better meals at kamat or Minerva for much lesser price. In sweets it was kheer and rava laddu...the laddu was very dry and semiya kheer was thick like a paste. Would never go back. Ambience is the only thing that's nice. Service and quality of food both are...