Restaurant Review: Kemps Corner's new resto-bar fails to impress

The Egg Bhurji Colombo was memorable

Cafe Cubano
Food: Average
Service: Basic
Ambiance: Good

The Egg Bhurji Colombo was memorable

A name like Café Cubano is likely to paint vivid imagery - of flavours from a far away land, and eclectic themes. Cafe Cubano, however, has nothing like that to offer. It follows an odd trend to name a restaurant after a country or culture that may sound cool and then serve Batata Vada (Rs 195) and Egg Bhurji Colombo (Rs 295).

Batata Vada in a box worked well for our palate

These two dishes though were the only saving grace at this resto-bar that is generous with space and seating arrangement. It has an arty look but is low on quality and service when it comes to food. The memorable Egg Bhurji had a fine blend of spices and had a hint of sweet and chilli - hot without interfering with the taste of the dish. It went well with the soft bread slices that came along with it.

The seating is cosy and artsy

For our tipple test, we started with a cocktail and a mocktail. The Bloody Mary (Rs 325) ... oh! Mother Mary, we have never had a more tomato-punched (more like punctured) drink. How many tomatoes had they shoved into it? The mocktail, Rams Colada (Rs 145) though, was redeeming. With a dose of pineapple juice, milk cream and coconut essence, this virgin piña colada tasted great. The best part was the quarter desi daru bottle it was served in.

To go with the drinks, we opted for the Dimsum of the Day (Rs 295) as a starter and it offered no surprise or disappointment. The final blow, however, came at the end when we ordered our mains. A combination of Angaraa Chicken (Rs 345) and Garlic Naan (Rs 115), we hoped, was not something you can go wrong with. And there came the slimmest Naan that we've ever bit into. It was so thin that it could have masqueraded as a hardened chapatti or a papad. So, this place is the kind where you could go if you are in the vicinity, want to catch a standard drink and eat only egg bhurji with it. And, don't fall for the global cool.

Time: 12 noon to 1 am
At: Ground floor, Habib Mansion, August Kranti Maidan, Kemps Corner.
Call: 60228000
Cafe Cubano didn't know we were there. the guide reviews anonymously and pays for its meals.