Try the laughing Buddha at Saki Naka when you feel like a budget monsoon trek and a bizarre Indo-Chinese experience
Try the laughing Buddha at Saki Naka when you feel like a budget monsoon trek and a bizarre Indo-Chinese experienceGetting around Saki Naka is a fantastic appetite-building exercise, even if you live in Saki Naka. The Laughing Buddha, like its neighbour, screams out for attention with its red neon signboard.
An interesting installation greets you as soon as you enter just in case you mistook the place for anything other than The Laughing Buddha.
The rest of the interiors are as striking. Bands of light in various colours right next to giant plasma TVs distract you from the football match for a moment.
u00a0
|
|
| Once you've adjusted to the rainbow light, there are more Laughing Buddhas jumping off the walls and the bronze tables |
Once you've adjusted to the rainbow light, there are more Laughing Buddhas jumping off the walls and the glittery bronze tables make you wish you'd brought a group of hippies along to enjoy the trip.
The staff are a little lost, but extremely hospitable. The cocktail menu is divided into basic cocktails and exciting cocktails.
Of course, we chose the exciting cocktails, after a strange chat with our headwaiter on recommendations. He looked like he wasn't sure what the word cocktail meant.
u00a0
We chose Bee's Kiss (Rs 149), a combination of white and dark rum with cream, which tasted like a watered down cocktail. The cream had split and the mix was beginning to look like a snowflake paperweight.
u00a0
We sent it back but the kind staff sent us two shot glasses filled with a milkshake variation of Bee's Kiss. The barman came along to explain, "We've taken the recipe off the Internet it didn't work.
u00a0
This round should be better." It's impossible to get annoyed with an explanation like that, as we felt a gush of laughter come on. Heck, this was close competition to The Comedy Store.
The eight-page food menu offered both Mughlai and basic Chinese dishes with Mexican rice also listed under Chinese.
Our starters Chicken Mahi Tikka (slightly tough chicken marinated in a green paste that contained ginger, garlic and rose water, Rs 164) and vegetarian steamed wantons (if it's possible for a wanton to have a haemorrhage, then this one looked like it should be wheeled straight into the ER, Rs 109) were not a rage.
u00a0
The main course an assorted roti basket (Rs 79) with Palak Ke Dhol (horrific green sludge with paneer, Rs 139), Kheema Aloo (chilli powder minced with more chilli powder that one barely knew that mutton and potato were part of the kheema, Rs 184) and Dal Bukhara (a generous portion of watery lentils.
We've tasted better dal out of ready-to-eat packs, Rs 109) finished us. The staff accompanied us to the door to see us off. Of course, our exit was quick and brave.
At The Laughing Buddha, 4/35 Sagar Pallazio, Saki Naka junction. Call 28503030
The Laughing Buddha didn't know we were there. The GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for its meals.
