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-   -   A Guide: Eating out in Hyderabad/Secunderabad/Cyberabad (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/45546-guide-eating-out-hyderabad-secunderabad-cyberabad-218.html)

I had been to Shah Ghouse @Toli Chowki last evening for dinner and ordered the following (SILVERWOOD+8)

1,Apolo Fish-2 No's-Was average.
2,Chicken Tikka-2 No's-Please avoid, it was more like tandoori chicken.
3,Mutton Sheek Kebab-Did not taste
4,Afghani Chicken-2 No's-This was good, on the sweeter side.
5,Mutton Biriyani-2 No's-One word,AWESOME.
6,Rumali & Tandoori Roti

The star dish was mutton biriyani, one of the best Ive had in recent times.Just perfect.Dont mind going all the way to Toli Chowki from Somajiguda just to have a plate of mutton biriyani (i may go today evening,any body game.?)

Total Damages-Rs 1900 with a generous tip of Rs 270.

Eating out in India has turned more expensive since May 2011 due to imposition of Service Tax on Hotels & Restaurants.

My recent outing to "Angeethi" reveals the following charge/tax/cess/levy/etc. as imposed :

6 Buffet Lunches @ 219.00 : 1,314.00

2 Water Bottles : 140.00

Sub-Total-1 : 1,454.00

Service Charge (not a tax but a charge) @ 10 % : 145.40

Sub-Total-2 : 1,599.40

Service Tax @ 5.15 on ? : 49.42

VAT @ 14.5 % on 1,599.40 : 231.91

Sub-Total-3 : 1,880.73

Round Off : 0.27

Gross Total : 1,881.00

Some more information on the newly imposed Service Tax can be read at CLARIFICATION ON SERVICE TAX ON HOTELS -RESTAURANTS | SIMPLE TAX INDIA-ITR FORM -TDS RATE 11-12

Holy cow. You paid like Rs.400 bucks extra or roughly 30% in taxes over the actual price of the meal. This is blasphemy !!!

Let's make a list of restuarants that charge all these taxes and ones that dont. It would be an easy to check list to refer and venture ONLY to ones that dont charge you these preposterous and fictious taxes.

So its requested for members to post if where they had a meal. Did they charge you all of these?

Iam for one, not going to touch them even with barge pole.:)

A water bottle priced at INR 70?Isnt thats utter exploitation,when there is a clear rule which states that water bottles can only be sold at MRP(a reason why the multiplexes have got clever and have got the Kinleys & Aquafinas to supply them with specially packed bottles which state a higher MRP!)unless ofcourse it was some Evian!

Why do I get a sinking feeling that it is almost becoming like the famous Indian Salaried class has to ensure they end up paying and bearing all the cesses and taxes and inflations, just so that the Indian Business Class ensures their profit margins remain untouched!With all due respect to all the business peopel out here(just the frustrations of a salaried cattle class:Frustrati

I had lunch yesterday at Indijoe's and it also being part of the same BJN Group, charged me with 3.09% Service Tax. I'm wondering why the difference between two restaurants. Also in my case the Service Charge of 10% was charged on over all on the taxes as well.

Let me get the bill out and post here.

I for one am not going anymore to places that charge service charge extra :Frustrati

I have caught out a few places who charge you SC on takeaways!How about that,and when it is pointed out,they give you this sheepish grin telling you its a mistake!quite a mistake that is

Holy cow! SC on a takeaway ?This is nothing but daylight robbery.

BTW-Zafran Exotica charges 10% SC.

10 % Service Charge is NOT a Tax and the amount does not go to the Government but to the Establishment just the way that Fuel Surcharge on an Air Ticket does not go to the Government but to the Airline.

The Taxes were roughly 20 % (VAT + Service Tax).

I would not have paid for the water but since I was there to celebrate my son's exam result, I did not want to create a scene and spoil our mood. The waiter had poured the water while all of us were helping ourselves to the buffet and he did not have a "go ahead" from me whether I wanted Mineral Water or Bottled Water or Regular Water.

By the way, the water was mineral water and not bottled water and was of "Aqua" brand.

Also, "Angeethi" regular water is not potable as it has a distinct stink to it leaving one with no choice but to go for at least bottled water which is priced at 60 + Charges + Taxes per litre.

You paid Service Tax @ 3.09 % which is 60 % of 5.15 % which is wrong as it can either be 50 % or 70 % of 5.15 % as per the link I gave earlier today. But then, I could be wrong and may have given an outdated link. This requires a verification so that all of us can be cautious in future.

I have two "Bowl O' China" vouchers that entitles 50% off on their menu card and one voucher thats worth Rs.299 but, can order Rs.600 worth in Food n' I.

3 vouchers to be used up before June 19, not much time spaced out and also a huge quandary considering my new resolution.

On second thoughts, I think I will not waste these precious vouchers:D

mobike008, your contradictory posts on this and the bodybuilding thread are turning out to be very funny, leaving me in splits:D

I can take them from you, if you are looking to sell them :)

Cheers

P.S: As a good friend, don't want you to break your resolution ;)

Waseem wanted to order home delivery from The Clay Pot on Wednesday but was very late in deciding (around 8pm) so he finally did not to order.

That got me drooling so on Thursday I decided to order some biryani for self along with some Chicken Fry.

Alas, The Clay Pot is presently closed and expected to re-start after a few days.

Ended up eating Chciken 65 and Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani from Baba Chulla. Both were not good but still edible.

Waseem, you and Nikhil plan the KIMS biryani and one never knows, I may just join in. Are you planning Saturday?

@Bajaj Sahb-Nikhil is en route to office at the moment.Will confirm the same in couple of hours.

BTW-I had been to Harika Mess, Opp Bata, Raj Bhavan road for dinner last evening.It is a typical Andhra mess (buffet @ Rs 50) and i found the food to be good and the premises quite clean compared to the others.The items include.

1, Roti/Chapati
2, One curry (Loved the curry)
3, Curd
4, Rice
5, Sambhar
6, Rasam
7, Fried vegetables
8, Pickles

I ordered one chicken curry @Rs 45 and was quite good.

Sunday special-Veg fried rice and fish curry.

Waseem Bhai, I am in for tomorrows Lunch at KIMS. Please do let me know the time, I shall be there. IIRC, the last time, we decided to meet at 12.30 near Kims Parking.

It was indeed 12:30 and we will meet at the main gate, beside Andhra back ATM.