Udupi Shivalli

The place was our pride and we would love visiting from London (all the times when we visited the Jain temple that is literally 2 blocks away). What more we did recommend this restaurant to all other of our friends n family. Not anymore.

After some great experiences in my previous visits (pre-pandemic), first time we went there for lunch on Sunday and were truly disappointed with all aspects that makes me update my review. (Did something change during the entire pandemic like change of staff, owner, etc I m just wondering)..

So, we had a table booked for 1.15 but we reached there a little late around 1.40 (informed them about the delay) but they kept the table. Thanks for that. Everything from then just went downhill.

After we were seated on our table, we waited for about 25 mins for our waiter to arrive with the menu card. All the waiters were quite busy serving just the 1 big group that was occupying the entire back area of the restaurant and no one ever had the courtesy to pass by just to check if we needed anything.

Sensing we were getting close to the afternoon closing time and knowing that preparing Jain food might take a bit of a time, I had to go upto the bar counter myself and request for the menu card.

Again the trend of getting ignored continued and we had to keep having to call them to get their attention away from the big group they were engrossed completely.

After placing our orders the food arrive in the expected time, but unfortunately our Jain order was messed a little (something we had never experienced even during the times they had buffet which I believe is more challenging), but was corrected promptly. However, most of our food was cold, including Dosas.

After the food was served, we realized they didn't come with cutleries, so again we ask for it only for them to realize then they had missed on providing the table cutleries of spoons and forks in a glass before our food arrived. That's certainly not the standard I would expect.

The food taste was just average and nowhere close to our previous visits. Didn't feel it was the same place. With shivalli, we have come to expect a certain authentic south Indian food. The desert was a pale shadow of the gulab jamun we had enjoyed here.

Most the service issues were given excuse of having a big group which is understandable but not to this extent.

There is huge gap between the pre pandemic era when they served buffet and still were able manage everything and service was great. But this time post pandemic, with the buffet option gone, I would believe it would be reasonably easier with no-refills Thali options. However, a lot seems to have changed and not just the buffet being missing. Unfortunately, almost all of them have went down.