Is it fine to fine dine yet?

HYDERABAD: With the opening up of Hyderabad Metro Rail and share autos from Punjagutta to Jubilee Hills Checkpost, it’s like we are back to normalcy, well almost. Naturally, Hyderabadis and dining out cannot be kept away from each other. However, most foodies are still sceptical about going out with friends and family to eat out. Although restaurants are announcing they are into contactless dining, e-menus and sanitised serving, how much is being followed? We check out a few places in the city to give you the report:

Small is beautiful
Domino’s Pizza, an international pizza chain that promises 30-minute delivery of pizzas with an outlet on SP Road, for example, has two options for diners. One is to order via their app even while you are in the outlet. The other is to order at the counter using a one-time-use menu. The former, however, is pretty tedious as one has to download the app, find the current location and order and pay online. The dine-in also has barely four or five tables and therefore going out in groups more than three or four is ruled out. 

Of cutlery sleeves and zero valet parking
First things first. No more valet parking at ITC Kakatiya Hotel, Begumpet. This is part of their measures to ensure zero contact. After a temperature check and hand sanitisation, you are pretty much on your own in the hotel. Currently, only their coffee shop and K and K are open. The thali meals are still not available, but one can order select items from the specialty restaurants. The stewards sported transparent visors and gloves while serving the guests. They informed us that crockery and cutlery are first washed, UV sterilised and then placed in WeAssure paper sleeves. So one has to rip apart these  envelopes and start eating. 

Disinfectant showers and fog gates
Hotel Daspalla at Jubilee Hills has a Dry Fog C-Gate which is akin to a sanitiser shower for a few seconds. The stewards look like aliens with all the PPE gears. In fact, for a moment, their walking around food reminds one of the Sci-Fi bits in the legendary 80s movie called Aditya 369. It looks like either they are going to perform a surgery with all that blue gear. However, surprisingly, there is no ‘disinfectant shower’ if you enter the hotel post 9 pm for a dinner. Late lateefs always have an edge.

Prep after order
A restaurant like Kshatriya Foods, Madhapur, is buzzing with activity on a weekday, what with the IT employees paying a quick visit for a lunch. That particular weekday, this Telugu food speciality restaurant wore a deserted look. With just four people occupying a 60-pax special, it looked dull. The steward who took orders from us gave us a regular menu card, but mentioned that food will take time as it will be made after the order is placed. With walks-in hitting a rock bottom, they cook only after the order comes in. With a complete lack of eating out vibe there, it felt better to stay home, watch Netflix and eat than to take the time to visit a restaurant.

One Time Menu
Zarin Ajmal, 33, a photographer, went to meet her filmmaker friend Shruti from Mumbai, who was in Hyderabad for a few photoshoots to understand the trail of narratives in the tough period of the pandemic. Zarin went to meet her friend at Taj Deccan where she was staying. They both dined at Spice Junxion. Shares the resident of Banjara Hills, “It was nice to see one-time menu sheets, which were destroyed each time we used it. The two-table seating arrangements really eased out my worry of social distancing.” The restaurant hosts not just in-house guests but those from outside as well with all measures in check. And now their menu has gone digital.

This makes Zarin rejoice, who wants to come back here with her sisters. She adds, “It’s tiring to be cut off from socialising and those weekend dinners. I am planning to be back here for a family dinner soon.” At the same time much to the diners’ delight, many restaurants have decided to go completely digital. Says Ian Dubier, Area Director, Hyderabad and General Manager – Taj Krishna, “We have changed and made many of our processes digital, to ensure a lot of our interactions are contact-less, including the restaurants. The guests can access restaurant menus on their mobile via QR code. We maintain the required distances between the ables and only two guests can be seated per table to ensure social distancing.” And it’s not just the eateries taking the precautions, several denizens, before going to a restaurant, do not forget to wear masks and use sanitiser. 

Safety first
Vikas Dhanani, a civil engineer in his mid-twenties brought his elderly parents to the Levant restaurant, Banjara Hills, known for its Mediterranean cuisine. He shares, “It’s been almost six months since we had a proper sit-down dinner and not worry about greasy plates because as of now we have not allowed our house-keeping staff to resume their services.” He, however, wasn’t quite comfortable the way the eatery filled up by the time it was 8.30 pm. “We had already finished our meal. So we quickly called in for the cheque and left. They could’ve allotted space to the guests maintaining social distancing.”

Four is a crowd
Opposite to the Levant restaurant is Gourmet Baklava coffee shop. Though it is a small outfit, after dinner or for a casual hangout many youngsters frequent it. Says Rajni, 23, a management student, “I live nearby. Since we have children and grandparents at home I can’t hang out with my friends to maintain social distancing. So, I come here with two or three friends to have some Turkish coffee and kunafa.” She and her friends are responsible enough to enter with a mask and use sanitiser. She, however, feels that at a time not more than four people should be allowed inside.

What’s this fuss about contactless dining? What’s an e-menu? Should you stay away or venture out with the safety gear? We bring to you snapshots of a few restaurants in the city so that you can decide for yourself if you are ready to dine out as the city is on #Unlock4.0 mode

— Manju Latha Kalanidhi kalanidhi@newindianexpress.com  @mkalanidhi

— Saima Afreen  saima@newindian express   @Sfreen