Not very inviting
21 Feb 2013 1:01 AM GMT
Eating out is not just about good food, it is also about the experience, the hospitality and the service. But sadly — barring the food — Hauz Khas Village’s ‘health café’ Crostini falls woefully short in all the other aspects.
The café is about as big as an average bedroom but since the owner mostly wants to focus on takeaways, it works for them. Dinners are quite slow but you might bump into a few people if you are there during the day. It is easy to miss out the café in the jamboree of restaurants that dot the lane which houses Crostini. Once you have located it, you will have to climb up a narrow staircase (which makes you feel you are in one of the nondescript Malviya Nagar houses) and battle misgivings about where you would land instead.
The service here is plain bad. You will have to constantly remind the waiters to give you plates and cutlery which will again take a long time coming though they are less than one metre away. Not very hospitable that, is it now? And if you are here, make sure you reach and wrap up early since they are very reluctant to take orders post 10pm.
They serve Mediterranean with a healthy twist so expect dishes made from rye, wholewheat and multigrains. It clashes with the spice loving Delhi palette but the food is mostly tasty, though the quantities are quite small. I tried and liked the Grilled fish which was peppered with Middle Eastern spices. Also good are the desserts, but I would say skip the coolers.
All in all, if you would want a bite of something healthy, get it packed and leave. Don’t settle down for a meal here. Note to owner: always remember, the hospitality business goes far beyond business degrees.
DETAIL
At: Crostini, 21, First floor, Hauz Khas Village
Timings: 10.30 am to 11 pm
Phone: 26563599
Meal for two: Rs, 700 approx
The café is about as big as an average bedroom but since the owner mostly wants to focus on takeaways, it works for them. Dinners are quite slow but you might bump into a few people if you are there during the day. It is easy to miss out the café in the jamboree of restaurants that dot the lane which houses Crostini. Once you have located it, you will have to climb up a narrow staircase (which makes you feel you are in one of the nondescript Malviya Nagar houses) and battle misgivings about where you would land instead.
The service here is plain bad. You will have to constantly remind the waiters to give you plates and cutlery which will again take a long time coming though they are less than one metre away. Not very hospitable that, is it now? And if you are here, make sure you reach and wrap up early since they are very reluctant to take orders post 10pm.
They serve Mediterranean with a healthy twist so expect dishes made from rye, wholewheat and multigrains. It clashes with the spice loving Delhi palette but the food is mostly tasty, though the quantities are quite small. I tried and liked the Grilled fish which was peppered with Middle Eastern spices. Also good are the desserts, but I would say skip the coolers.
All in all, if you would want a bite of something healthy, get it packed and leave. Don’t settle down for a meal here. Note to owner: always remember, the hospitality business goes far beyond business degrees.
DETAIL
At: Crostini, 21, First floor, Hauz Khas Village
Timings: 10.30 am to 11 pm
Phone: 26563599
Meal for two: Rs, 700 approx
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