Great Expectations

Perhaps this is not the best name for a restaurant. Or a beauty salon. Or a gym. Or indeed, any establishment that's trying to sell you something. But we're sure the people who named this restaurant meant it in the best possible way. That all those great expectations you'd have of a restaurant on the fifth floor of Shoppers' Stop, will, indeed, be met and exceeded. Well, a visit to GE gives you no reason to believe there's any irony meant in its name. Except for a couple of minor glitches, this is a good restaurant and totally worth your while.

GE suffers from the disadvantage of having replaced a large chunk of the very popular Shoppers' Food Court. Where you had a big ol' college-canteen-like eating joint, you now have half a Food Court and a restaurant with a self-important nameplate. But we're nothing if not adaptable, so we'll give it a shot. By all means, drop in at GE for dinner someday, but make sure you stop at the bank first.

Lebanese, Italian, Mexican and Indian food is served here, and the menu card will impress but also befuddle you. There's too much choice in every section, which gives you the uncomfortable feeling that no matter how great your food is, there might be something even better you're missing out on. The service is well-meaning, if a little clueless. And the interiors are too ornate but pleasant.

Lebanese food is popular here, and for the starters you might try the kibbhies, which is a kind of mutton roast with flavors of pine-nuts, olive oil and jalapenos. Pine-nuts are a big part of any Lebanese dish here, so if you don't enjoy their rich somewhat oily flavor, ask the chef to hold off.

For vegetarians, there's the Mexican Cassidia, tortillas filled with a jalapeno, cheese stuffing, and served with salsa and sour cream. Or there's the Italian Crostini, which is mushrooms in a white sauce served on small chunks of bread with cheese melting on top.

The rich biryani here is quite popular, as are the rotis and curries, like the Paneer Tikka or the Dum Ka Murgh. The kebabs here are very good, especially the Hara-Bhara and any of the deliciously tender meat cutlets.

If you want to continue with the Lebanese theme however, the Mezaa platter is a good way to sample different tastes, like the chick-pea based hummus and mutable, made from wheat four. Mezza is served with pita bread and garlic sauce, and is available in vegetarian, non-vegetarian and mixed platters.

For something more filling try the Kliftiko, fish in wine sauce served on a bed of saffron rice. Or the Crispe la Amalfi, a type of spinach-stuffed pancake served with a white sauce. For the non-vegetarians, there's the Italian Pollo Aristo, chicken in a brown sauce served with rice and fried potatoes. Or the Pollo Alla Casatova, which is a marvelous garlic spaghetti with chicken.

To square it off, try the Strawberry Cheese Cake or the Chocolate Mousse. We suggest you go conventional in this department; the Qubani-ka-Meetha is good here. But at this point you're probably too stuffed.

GE specializes in food of the rich kind, and this is more of a dinner than a lunch place. It helps if you're very hungry when you get here. The food gets to your table quick, and for the most part, is lip-smacking good.