Poetry By Cheesecake, Bandra, Mumbai

**Rated
Visited on 6th September, 2019

Looks can be deceptive! But in this case, words can be too... Having had a lovely experience with Poetry... at Fort area, I coaxed my friend for a coffee here this evening only to return with much dismay and disdain vowing never to return to this outlet!

The two stars are purely for the excellent salted caramel cheesecake, that lived up to its repute in taste, texture and presentation. However, cappuccino and the espresso served to us were cold and barely palatable, with the cappuccino being far too milky as well. My friend while ordering the cappuccino reiterated to the waiter that he ensure it was strong. He agreed and nodded though he seemed distracted and even disinterested. Promptly serving us both, cold! The coffees I mean! :(

Throughout our time there at the cafe, the waiter's callous attitude and condescending demeanour completely put us off. The pastry was served to us with ONE wooden spoon when he obviously saw that both of us were at the table and we specifically stated that we would be sharing the cheesecake. In fact, after perusing the menu, we found that the pastries were not listed and asked the waiter if he could fetch us the list. Guess what he did! He asked us to go down look up the counter and come back to order it! When my friend objected to it, he shrugged his shoulders and said there is no list but he could tell us what the popular ones were....

Are you wondering why we lost our appetite over this? Here comes the interesting part of our deplorable experience. Since the tables downstairs were all taken, we were directed to go up to the first floor and we had to walk up a very tricky, winding and extremely narrow staircase. Obviously, as customers, we have no say in this matter but to take up tables wherever it is available and as directed by the staff. But, the ambience is dull and barring two interesting wall murals, none of the appeal that marked every nook and cranny of the Fort establishment is seen here. Instead, the table was sat at was a tad dirty, sticky eith left over food and when we pointed this out to the waiter, he insisted that was the colour of the table! Returning to the order of the cheesecake, the waiter asked us to go down and hike up back again to place the order! Seriously? Is he testing our fitness? Shockingly he was completely unapologetic even when we pointed out how ridiculous this was.

The parting shot is the best now. After all of this, we left a barely tasted cappuccino but lapped up our yummy pastry, asked for the cheque that was brought to us in a lovely compilation of Ruskin Bond's verses. I perused it and promptly placed the exact amount specified in the bill right inside the cover page and we got up to trek down. We walked down, followed by the same waiter. We tarried and spent a few minutes at the counter examining the tantalising patries and despite the tantalising patries, swore we would never return to this establishment and headed towards the door. The waiter, standing beside the cashier's desk, loudly called out to us and said, "Hey pay your bill!" In the presence of all the staff and the customers seated downstairs! This is when my friend completely lost her cool and walked up to the waiter and asked him to examine his attitude and learn to look at the book more carefully. I also pointed out that the amount was placed right inside the very first page of the book! Our 'friendly ' waiter mumbled a nonchalant sorry and said he did not look with neither any remorse nor embarrassment! Need I still say why I will never recommend this place to anyone!!

A G K