Mumbai's Vicinia looks like a postcard Wi-Fi restaurant
Vicinia looks like a postcard Wi-Fi restaurant, but its fare is nothing to rave about.
Vicinia is a good place to spend a relaxed afternoon with your laptop
At a fairly busy intersection on KEMPS Corner stands Vicinia, a new eatery that promises patrons a complete European cafe experience. Here, you can look at the street outside and enjoy your meal while watching the world zip by.
After relaxing and admiring the large black-and-white "slices of Mumbai life" displayed on the walls, we began by asking the server what he would recommend for starters. We were greeted by a puzzled look. "Huh?"
Taken aback, we ordered a quinoa and arugula salad and a seafood broth. The food came quickly enough - the salad was crunchy and light, and the flavour only got better when we drizzled it with a lime and vinaigrette dressing. Though the seafood broth had generous chunks of fish, squid, prawn and clams, it really could have done with some seasoning. But we wished we hadn't complained back then; it eventually turned out to be the best part of our Vicinia experience.
For mains, we ordered braised chicken breast and pan fried rawas. And even as we waited, the place started filling up with women out to pick their children from school. Thirty minutes ticked by. "The food will take five more minutes coming," said the waiter.
An exaggeration, one might say. It was about an hour and a half later that the food finally arrived, and it took us a little less than a minute to realise that the Vicinia ordeal was far from over. Not only was the fish not fresh, it was also undercooked. The tough-as-hide chicken breast, on the other hand, had been unceremoniously dumped on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Vicinia seems to suffer from gross neglect. The staff has not been trained to make recommendations, the service is sloppy, and somebody in the kitchen isn't giving the food the love it deserves. On the upside, it has a great selection of imported beers. So, if you want to spend an afternoon sipping your beer leisurely at an eatery with free Wi-Fi, Vicinia could be the right place for you. Just stay away from the food.
Recommended
Quinoa and arugula salad
Meal for two (alcohol extra) Rs 1,600
Kemps Corner, South Mumbai (91) 9821302348
After relaxing and admiring the large black-and-white "slices of Mumbai life" displayed on the walls, we began by asking the server what he would recommend for starters. We were greeted by a puzzled look. "Huh?"
The desserts come almost as a relief
For mains, we ordered braised chicken breast and pan fried rawas. And even as we waited, the place started filling up with women out to pick their children from school. Thirty minutes ticked by. "The food will take five more minutes coming," said the waiter.
An exaggeration, one might say. It was about an hour and a half later that the food finally arrived, and it took us a little less than a minute to realise that the Vicinia ordeal was far from over. Not only was the fish not fresh, it was also undercooked. The tough-as-hide chicken breast, on the other hand, had been unceremoniously dumped on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Vicinia seems to suffer from gross neglect. The staff has not been trained to make recommendations, the service is sloppy, and somebody in the kitchen isn't giving the food the love it deserves. On the upside, it has a great selection of imported beers. So, if you want to spend an afternoon sipping your beer leisurely at an eatery with free Wi-Fi, Vicinia could be the right place for you. Just stay away from the food.
Recommended
Quinoa and arugula salad
Meal for two (alcohol extra) Rs 1,600
Kemps Corner, South Mumbai (91) 9821302348
