We have been visiting pondi very often esp around year end time, while in our previous visits we limited ourselves to places in and around auroville, this time we plan to spend some time in city also and try out new places to eat.
Our first day yesterday we visited three new places, Villa shanti for lunch (excellent place, will review next), St. James beach resort (for evening drinks, good view , cheap drinks ....average finger food) and Cafe Xtasi for dinner (major recommendation from trip advisor)
Most of the comments on trip advsior hailed this as a must try destination for wood oven pizza and given the fact of our great experience at villa shanti, also on recommendation from tripadvisor our expectation was really high. So when we reached there and were made to wait for table for almost half an hour we didnt mind,considering most of the review mentioned the same ..we were prepared for it. Now what we were not really prepared for was an average pizza, yes it was thin curst ,yes it was baked in wood oven (the oven is right in the entrance so you cant miss it) and yes the portion was generous (one small pizza & garlic bread was sufficient for two) but it lacked taste, the pizza was heavily underseasoned and had very gooey base. I love cheese and can eat it in any form and shape, but even for people like me it felt a little too chessy and base a little underdone. Even the 'garlic' bread had too much cheese on it. It was essentially a normal bread roll cut into bite size pieces topped with lots of cheese and bit of oregano ..again under seasoned.
All in all I felt the place was overhyped, yes it does have its plus points but it being the best pizza ever (as recommnded by most), i seriously doubt it. Its okay place to have pizza ...it will not mean end of world if you miss it.
P.S. : I am sitting in the shadow of big banyan tree on the sunny terrace of 'Solar kitchen' , while a gentleman is playing flute in background ...Auroville surely is an experience !
Our first day yesterday we visited three new places, Villa shanti for lunch (excellent place, will review next), St. James beach resort (for evening drinks, good view , cheap drinks ....average finger food) and Cafe Xtasi for dinner (major recommendation from trip advisor)
Most of the comments on trip advsior hailed this as a must try destination for wood oven pizza and given the fact of our great experience at villa shanti, also on recommendation from tripadvisor our expectation was really high. So when we reached there and were made to wait for table for almost half an hour we didnt mind,considering most of the review mentioned the same ..we were prepared for it. Now what we were not really prepared for was an average pizza, yes it was thin curst ,yes it was baked in wood oven (the oven is right in the entrance so you cant miss it) and yes the portion was generous (one small pizza & garlic bread was sufficient for two) but it lacked taste, the pizza was heavily underseasoned and had very gooey base. I love cheese and can eat it in any form and shape, but even for people like me it felt a little too chessy and base a little underdone. Even the 'garlic' bread had too much cheese on it. It was essentially a normal bread roll cut into bite size pieces topped with lots of cheese and bit of oregano ..again under seasoned.
All in all I felt the place was overhyped, yes it does have its plus points but it being the best pizza ever (as recommnded by most), i seriously doubt it. Its okay place to have pizza ...it will not mean end of world if you miss it.
P.S. : I am sitting in the shadow of big banyan tree on the sunny terrace of 'Solar kitchen' , while a gentleman is playing flute in background ...Auroville surely is an experience !
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