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| - My Mom hated this place... I found it okayish. We gave in to an impulsive biriyani and kebab craving and walked in to this place for lunch one day. The pictures and prices listed all over the restaurant (and I mean it, every window of the restaurant had a poster) were too tempting.
We were seated as soon as we walked in... it wasn't an issue considering we were the only ones there for lunch. The seating was rather rickety and the decor was hideous. To add to that, the restaurant had an unusual stench. The only positives amongst our first impression of Shalimar was the fact that the restaurant was quite big (space-wise). It made my Mom wonder aloud (to me) all the things she would have done differently if the restaurant was hers. She's quite the marketeer!
We were brought the menu. The prices on the menu were higher than the ones listed outside, but still fairly reasonable. We were so hungry that nothing could turn us off that day... so we ordered - 1 plate of mutton biriyani (goat meat), and 1 stick of kebab, both to share.
Then came the paper plates and unclean forks. And we still didn't move in hope that the food would be of redeeming quality. I just called our server and got him to bring us clean forks.
Finally the food. I didn't like the kebabs all that much but I thought the biriyani was delicious. My Mom found it under-prepared. The server explained that they had just made the rice and so, it was still a little watery. I guess I am easy to please when Biriyani comes in to the equation... my mother, on the other hand, was a toughie. She just did NOT like it.
The owner of the restaurant decided to put his phone call on hold and check up on us. What a nice man, for like 5 minutes of chit-chat... and then he went back to his phone and was on it the whole time we were there. And he was loud, so it didn't contribute well to our dining experience.
Just as we finished up, food and all... a hobo walked in to harass us for money. In a restaurant! Like, COME ON! Just the kind of closure we needed. Never coming back.
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