Rajbogh at Rajdhani

I should admit, I'm not a fan of Vegetarian food, let alone go to a Vegetarian hotel, that too one that serves only thali-meals. But that exactly was the venue chosen by my friends for their treat. I was thinking why in the world should I have vegetarian food on a friends treat, but at the end, I did not have absolutely any regrets. This blog is about my experience in Hotel Rajdhani at the Forum Value mall, White Field, Bangalore.

It was a hot afternoon and 10 of us from office reached Rajdhani at 1:30PM, treading through the hot sun. Wonderful butter milk was served immediately after reaching the table. The plate with small katori's were laid already. A slice of lemon, followed by Green and Red sweet Chutney followed and then 2 vegetarian starters were placed on the plate. "Dal Bati Churma"(Not sure if I got the spelling correct !!!) was next in line, followed by a rich array of dals, Sabji and Khadi, each going into its own impressive katori. Excellent Phulka, puri and Bajra Roti were to served next. Bajra Roti was small in size, but tastefully served with Butter spread and jaggery sprinkled on top of it. I had never had that combination before and it was wonderfully excellent. The rich sweetness of the Jaggery combined well with the simple but well cooked roti was very well appealing to the pallet. Bajra Roti left me yearning for more and more. Then came the rice dishes. The kichdi was simple, but served piping hot with a spoon full of pure ghee topping. Divine taste indeed. Steamed rice and curd rice were also served. For the desert, we had the option to choose from Anguri Basundi, Fruit Custard and Halwa. I think the Basundi was the stand out of all 3 dishes. It had a rich thick milk flavored with elaichi and pista. It was wonderfully delicous that I cannot compare that with any other basundi I have had before. The whole experience of having food was simple, but carefully planned, tastefully prepared and elegantly laid out.

The hotel was simple yet very elegant. Since only thali was served, the process of choosing your item from the menu and waiting time were pleasantly missing. The waiters were very responsive. The food kept coming without asking for, and the waiters very patiently explained what each item was when asked for. The supervisors kept a hawk eye on the thali's and they had already summoned the next item even before the plate was empty. There was absolutely no waiting time for food. Very impressive indeed. Each waiter was serving exactly one set of dish, for example, rice dishes were served by exactly the same person, while the dal and sabji was effectively handled by another. The difference this system makes is, the supervisor does not have to shout each waiters name or dish across the hall, but they had a unique sign language that helped them summon exactly the right person they wanted. I had never seen this kind of effective communication exchanged between the supervisors and the waiters. Very very impressive indeed.

The cost of the food is also not high. Rs 235-/- per thali was very nominal, considering the wonderful experience of fine dining and the experience it had on your pallet. Rajdhani is a must go for any food connoisseur.

Assumptions in Work Place

I found this very interesting article in my computer. Frankly, I dont know where this was downloaded from or which friend had given it to me. But I found this immensely useful, especially in this cut-throat competition, where every Friend is an enemy waiting for his right opportunity. I thought this is a good article to share with the world.

Assumptions in WorkPlace

1. My job completes me - It's not your whole life, avoid the Work, Sleep, Repeat cycle or else your sense of self will erode any time your job disappoints you.

2. My boss reads my mind - Lobby for your promotion and take the initiative of talking to your boss about it. Many workers make the mistake of not engaging in any self-promotion at all - and then suffer the crushing disappointment of not receiving a pay raise, or a promotion.

3. Co-workers are friends - Although you may find friends at work, it's very important to draw boundaries. Unlike friendships or romances gone awry, you have no choice but to see your co-workers every single workday.

4. Salaries are set fairly - It's your responsibility to negotiate for a higher salary. Employers will pay what they feel they need to pay to hire and keep an employee, and nothing more.

5. H.R. is here to help me - They will help you, b7. ut their true job is to protect the organization. There are certain areas in which it may be best not to seek the H.R. department's assistance, such as using them as a shoulder to cry on for your every workplace woe.

6. You aren't indispensable - Millions of workers learned that their jobs are not as secure as they once thought. Being valuable is realistic, feeling irreplaceable is not.

7. My bosses are cool when i slack off - Do not take your job for granted. While you're accepting their pay, it's important to honor your end of the bargain, or expect them to reward your poor attitude by bestowing your job to someone who actually wants it.