The Nataraj Restaurant
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I have been going to
the Nataraj after seeing a movie at Rivoli Cinemas for around fifteen years. Each time I go I am disappointed with nearly every aspect of the restaurant. Given it's proximity to one of my favourite cinemas and my large degree of loyalty, I continue to go there anyway.
Every few years or so the business seems to change hands or a new chef gets implemented and I allow my hopes to rise. I try it out again and the same thing happens; every aspect lets me down and I get to wondering how many more times I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt. There is one thing I have known: as long as I go to Rivoli Cinemas, I will end up at the restaurant directly across the road and the routine will repeat itself. One thing I did not count on though, was the quality of the establishment to drop significantly.
At a time when the list of dietary requirements grows with each new health magazine edition, I would expect mid-range eateries to keep their menus health concious, or at least be open to slight negotiation. That my diabetic mother could find only one item on the menu which she could order (an overcooked smaller than average serving of saganaki) felt a bit silly really. That she was met with a hostile inflexibility from the staff only made the situation more unbelievable.
It wasn't just the saganaki, the over-fried frozen packet expensively priced chips didn't do anything for my niece that ordered them, and she is quite the fries aficionado. My seafood pasta was fine enough I suppose. Some flavour would have been nice however, and I did have to poke a few pieces of the fish to guarantee that they weren't still swimming.
My one hope for the meal was a scotch and soda, but what was delivered to me at the table had so much ice filling the glass that all liquid was downed in one gulp. I really do think that this may have been my final post-movie visit to the Nataraj.
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138486 - 2023-06-13 14:41:33