<img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/jun/nanjappa.jpg" align="left" border="0" />Is it the Mumbai air? Or is just the general insouciance which ensures every hip new restaurant is crowded at any given point of time and bad food and indifferent service come as part of the avant decor? Maybe it's just about being seen ufffd and remaining wafer thin on sub-par cuisine.u00a0u00a0 Olive in Mumbai has always been the glittering cousin of Bangalore's more relaxed version. But try the over-priced, over done, over-the-hill food on the menu, and you'll come running back to Chef Manu Chandra's knowledgeable hands. The other day, I was takenu00a0 to this new place called Pali Village Caf ufffd . The food was supposed to be good, the ambience even better. Well, full marks to the stripped-down euro-village bistro feel. The food, on the other hand, was so bad it was more like euro-trash. The sangrias reeked of cheap wine (and if you're charging that much, the least you can do is put in a decent vintage), the waiters still hadn't gotten their act together and the sandwiches we ordered took forty five minutes ufffd and arrived with fillings so basic, they belonged to one of those tired old station cafes. Frankly, the only thing impressive about our meal was the bill at the end of it.u00a0u00a0 The restaurant was full, with fashionistas swishing around in a cloud of chiffon and Chanel. We overheard some of them asking for reservations for the next day and could only wonder why ufffd unless they actually mistook the bilge for cordon bleu. Cut to namma ooru Bangalore where the air from Mumbai now seems to have percolated.u00a0 Everybody, which means some paid reviewers, were raving about this cafe called Spoonful of Sugar. The oreo cookies on the pastries were older than I am. The chocolate was indifferent to rich luxury. All-in-all, a sorely disappointing experience while the glowing reviews tacked to the wall looked merrily on.u00a0u00a0u00a0 Now on to the City Bar, the new hot spot in town flocked by the young and the beautiful. The minimalist interiors are completely hidden by the droves of mini-skirted things hankering for the barman's attention ufffd it's more difficult getting a drink here than in dry Gujarat.u00a0 And, why do they behave like they're doing you a favour serving you when they finally deign to snatch your credit card? That is a question I can never ask the waiter there. He probably still hasn't been told that good service and a smile are par for the course.u00a0

Is it the Mumbai air? Or is just the general insouciance which ensures every hip new restaurant is crowded at any given point of time and bad food and indifferent service come as part of the avant decor?

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