Feb 25, 2005 05:03 PM
3361 Views
(Updated Feb 25, 2005 07:14 PM)
My 20th review here :-)
Ads announcing the launch of OneStores were all over the place. The first time I visited the store, I wasn't impressed too much. And thanks to the store not making much of an impression, I wasn't inclined to walk into CafeOne. The second time I visited the store was when they had their 70% discount sale. The sale was so disappointing that I didn't want to eat at the cafe.
Finally, a couple of weeks ago, a friend wanted to check out their 70% discount sale, so I went along. We were both tired and hungry, but not only did we manage to find nice stuff on sale, we decided to step into the ''Authentically European'' CafeOne.
CafeOne is a nice, spacious eatery. It has a play area for children and a party area. They have stuff that's ready to eat, like pastries and puffs. I haven't tried any of those, so I cannot comment on those. We decided to sit down and order. The restaurant has a nice ambience. There's a TV playing in one corner. But it's not so loud that you have to yell in order to be heard.
We went at an in between time. We were hungry and thirsty. And I found to my surprise that Cafe Odyssey's loss was CafeOne's gain in the guise of a waiter. The menu is extensive and one can choose from soups, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, pizzas, pasta, and desserts. The beverages section has tea, coffee and a nice selection of mocktails. We just ordered two mocktails and a plate of french fries. The mocktails were very refreshing and the fries were simply out of this world. We knew we just had to visit the place again for a full meal.
And that we did. This time, though, after building up a really nice appetite. We ordered Carrot and Coriander soup and Tuscan Bruschetta along with a couple of mocktails. The service is slow at times, but tolerable. The food, however, is absolutely yummy. For the main course, I had mushroom and babycorn with pasta and my friend ordered some chicken pasta. The serving size is just right. It's not for two people to share. And the pasta was enjoyable. We ended the meal with a brownie sundae. Except for the tutti fruity that was sprinkled on top of the ice cream, this was a great way to end any meal.
We shared the soup and the dessert, and the bill was around 500. I won't call this place expensive, but its not inexpensive either. If one were to go and have just pasta, or just a soup and salad, I think the bill would be less than a hundred rupees.
Both times that I visited the place, it wasn't too crowded. But then, no European restaurant in Hyderabad is ever so crowded that you have to wait to be seated. At least I don't know of any such. CafeOne is in the middle of the city - Begumpet. It is on the road leading to Chiran Fort.
If you're in the vicinity, and you're hungry... and above all else, if you love continental fare... you won't be disappointed.
