[Delhi] Chowringhee at Satya Niketan
Me and the Mrs. (meangeekchick) were coming back from a Meeting a couple of days back and had stopped at Satya Niketan to grab something to eat, we saw amazing number of cafe’s, lounges and street food stalls there, and had decided that one of these days, for an evening snack we must try out the places here. Today on our way back from a meeting, we decided to hop on over to Satya Niketan, and wanted to try the Kathi Kebab’s in the Market. Though there are nearly 20+ Vendors here, who will sell you a Kathi Kebab, but Chowringhee was the name I had heard from a Few Friends, and We stopped buy to check it out. At around 4PM on a sunny afternoon of Delhi, the Neon Lit Board was calling us, and the huge board with all the menu items (most of them non vegetarian also called me), but for those of you who remember, Mrs. is a Vegetarian, now she does not mind eating an Egg, but that is strictly what she will eat when it comes to anything other than Vegetarian Food.
So the Mrs, chose the Chilly Paneer, Yes the Vegetarian Chinese Variant (Rs. 80) and I choose a Mutton Keema with Egg (Rs. 70) and started to wait, knowing in our hearts that this may just turn out to be a dis-appointment, we waited in the queue for about 15 minutes before we got our kathi rolls, catching up on conversations and looking at people, friends sharing and discussing food.
Both our Kathi’s Arrived, Here is what the Chilly Paneer Looked Like
And this is what the Mutton Keema Looked Like
The Paneer turned out to be Surprisingly good. The Mix of spice and sweetness balanced with a very crispy roti, made it taste wonderful, and I would not mind going back for it. Though the paneer was very Chewy (meaning a bit old and not fresh), but still the roll tasted well. While the Keema roll was way too sweet, the mix of Tomato Ketchup and Mint Chutney did not really work for me, also the Keema was too low in Quantity for it to really impart taste. The added egg meant a bit more of frying of the roti, and that made a slightly bitter taste from the over cooking of flour come into the Kathi.
Over all, if you want street food in a jiffy, and want something to fill up your tummy, and not really bother about how Great it tastes, Chowringhee does a good job, they even have a Sheesha and Pool Cafe, a Shop that Deals in Properties, and just in case you are dating that good looking girl from college, there is even seating in there.
Average Damage for 2, Including a Cold Drink: Rs. 200
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Location: Satya Niketan Market, Right opposite Venkateshwara College Main Gate
[Singapore] Thank you Tony – Sup Tulang
Tony, or Anthony Bourdain is now a house hold name in India, thanks to Discovery Travel and Living (Now TLC) and in one of his shows he visited Singapore (Though Singapore as he would, I would and any other Foodie would call it, is Foodie Heaven), but this Episode was special, He spoke of Sup Tulang, and I had to Had to try it.
So on my Recent Trip to Singapore, The MeanGeekChick and me decided to try out every possible Hawker center in Singapore and have some delicious food, for those of you who know, MeanGeekChick is a vegetarian and I am a Non Vegetarian, so we have to ensure there is enough food availble for both of us, though for Vegetarian people South East Asia can be a challenge some times, but then there is always the Take on the Parantha, now called the Parota or Prota and then there are always South Indian Joints that will serve you a Dosa Sambar anywhere.
Our First Stop was Tekka Center. A Hawker center in the midst of Little India, with about 100+ Hawkers here, each specialising in a dish they have been making for a long time, so it’s perfected, tastes well and is fresh every day. I wanted to get my hands dirty (read red) with Sup Tulang, unsure of what Meat is used in it but was game to try it, and wanted to get my hands on the Singapore’s take on the Parantha, the Prata.
The Sup Tulang is not for the weak hearted, the Meat is well cooked, and comes in a Shocking Red Gravy, Though you can pair it with a Prota or maybe a Piece of Bread, but the Sup Tulang (Bone Soup) is a meal in itself. Tony though went to Golden Mile, and I was so busy eating there, that could not take pictures.
The Sup Tulang is mildly spiced, comes with a red gravy, most probably a red dye, leaving your hands red but the dye comes out easily after you wash your hands with soap, though taking it out from under your nails, well that is another story.
I coupled my Sup Tulang with a Sugarcane Juice and the Sugar cane juice tasted nice but was more lemony than I would like, the ones in India are too sweet but this was refreshing for the hot day we were there.
While MeanGeekChick tried her hands at the Protas, and chose to get an Onion and Egg Prota (Well you read right, she is a Vegetarian but eats eggs). The Prota comes bundled with a Mutton Curry, which tasted nice, and went well with the Prota (after all I was the only one eating it). Pair it with a Diet Coke and you have a Great Meal.
The Prota is crisp on the outside and soft centered on the inside. We had a fun time chatting up with the Prota maker and what all we should see in Singapore, a nice guy to meet if it’s your first trip there, and you are still wondering where and what to eat.
Some Pics from the Tekka Center, Little India, Singapore
[Delhi] Watermelon
Khan Market was a place where Geeks like me went to get a hold on Foriegn (Imported) Magazines like Wired and Stuff when we could not get them in India, but over the last few years it’s turned into an eating destination and every now and then a new one pops up somewhere, recently in a mood for some comfort cafe type food, me and the meangeekchick ventured out to the central lane, looking for a new place, our last experience at Mrs. Kaurs could not have been worse and being told that they know what a waffle is, and not us, was really not acceptable to us, so it was to hunt for a new place, and then we spotted Watermelon.
The Name seemed interesting and the bright board outside looked nice, sadly the picture did not come out pretty well so you don’t have it here, but a flight of 2 stairs up (with a bit of a nausea’s feeling while climbing up – a bit later on that) brought us to a small little place, something that could fit about 40 people at one go, half inside and half outside on it’s patio, luckily the good weather has chosen to stay on in Delhi, and it was a nice evening, one, where we could sit outside, enjoy a meal and catch up on our work days (yes we work for the same company, but we have very different roles, and different offices).
Anyway coming back to the Nauseating Feeling while climbing up the stairs, was only Nauseous for me, as it was the smell of Wax from the Shanaz Hussain Parlor on the First floor, I believe Women are used to this smell (some men too these days, now what can I say).
The Circles on these Sofa's Make it look Cool
The Moment you enter the restaurant there are two tables with bright concentric circle design upholstery, looking pretty, and then there is a small room which can seat about 8 odd people, in case you are a group and want to stick to this room. The Yellow Lights added to the Warmth of the place but made my photos come out a bit yellow over cast (please do excuse me for this).
Anyway, coming to the food, why we are here. The Restaurant as the Watermelon guys would like to call it, is a small tiny place, its got warm lighting, and the patio is an interesting place to be, it was still about 7pm, too early for dilli-wala‘s to get to dinner, and we had the whole place to ourselves, another good news was that the place did not have a liquor license as yet but was going to get one in April, so not a lot of people around at this hour for the happy hours.
Even the Menu Says, We Use Olive Oil
A few minutes later we had the manager (Mr. Ravi Kiran) from the restaurant come over to ask us what we would like to eat, and if we would want a recommendation, he shared with us that the reason they chose to call the place Watermelon is, because it is a wholesome fruit and has good food value, he also shared that all their food is made with the best quality of olive oils (something we took with a pinch of salt, only to realize, he was right much later).
The Watermelon Greens
We started with their Signature Salad, called Watermelon Greens (Lettuce, Rocket, Goat Cheese, Watermelon all dressed with a Herbed Vinaigrette dressing). The Salad looked lovely though was a bit high on the dressing for me and meangeekchick but the olive oil as promised by our friend was one of the better ones, the leaves crunchy and the Goat cheese added a bright dimension to this salad, though the salad also had sunflower seeds in it, something that the menu did not mention, so if you are allergic to nuts / seeds, you need to tell them up front.
The Green Pea Cappuccino
The salad was down in a minute and then my eyes fell on a Soup called the Green Pea Cappuccino, though not a friendly person when it comes to pea soups, we were both game to try, the soup was nice, though missed out on the broth, and the portion was very small, it was also served with a single slice of bread (not toasted) and this is where my angst with some restaurants begin, in case you see two people dining together ordering just a single soup, man include two slices of bread atleast, anyway, the soup was nice and it was time we ordered our main course.
Pizza Melanzana
Meangeekchick is a vegetarian, and she decided to get a Pizza Melanzana (Roast Peppers, Jalapenos, Mushrooms and Black Olives, She chose to replace the Mushrooms with more peppers) and trust me this is one of the best pizza’s I have had in a long time, the crust was thin and firmly done, the drizzle of olive oil on top, and the right amount of pizza sauce, and loaded with vegetables and not with cheese, made this taste heavenly, Since I eat everything, I could manage to steal a bit from her plate.
Pan-seared Sea Bass with Baby Potatoes
For me I ordered a Pan-seared Sea Bass with Baby Potatoes. The Dish looked lovely on it’s arrival, sadly the Baby Potatoes were missing it was actually potato balls scooped out of a Large Potato, something I did not appreciate and shared with our friend. Though the Fish was done perfectly and the Sauce mild and lightly seasoned offered a great balance to the roasted vegetables.
By Now we were in love with the place (no wonder they have all candle lights with hearts on them), but what is a good meal if not followed by a great desert, and on the recommendation of our manager friend, we ordered an Almo Choco Cake.
The Almo Choco Cake
The Chocolate Cake came with a Scoop of Ice cream, thankfully in a separate bowl with a mint leaf dressing it. The Cake was topped with Caramelized Almonds and tasted heavenly, and finished up our meal well.
The damages were about Rs. 1500 for the two of us, we debated if it was worth it, and we agreed, the food was great, and the chef knew his business, he works from a small kitchen in the back of the restaurant and works up wonders, a warm place, that we would love to visit again, hospitable staff we can argue that cameras, taking notes, and taking pictures of dishes helps, but from other friends who eventually visited the place after our recommendation have come back saying staff is very friendly.
Though personally I hated the smell in the stair case, and would request the guys at Watermelon to light some Oil Burners so that we can have a nice smell as we enter, but the food makes this place a great option, so if you want to head out to a small eatery, for some great pizza and cafe type food, do check out watermelon at Khan Market.
[Mumbai] Busaba – Gimme Mo and Mo
Busaba, the brainchild of Nikhil Chib, chef & entrepreneur, started off much as an outcast in SOBO, which was dominated by the regular Chinese eateries and Bademiyan. Being located next to Mr. Akerkar’s Indigo also didn’t provide much solace to it’s situation. But things got lucky, people started travelling more to southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and wanted the same food back at home (even though they packed theplas to eat there). So Busaba gained popularity amongst the discerning palate that wanted ghar ka dal chawal but also once in a while wants Korea’s bibimbap not just because it’s cool to eat with chopsticks but because the subtle flavours appeal to him more than the rubber served at American Restaurants (read Mc Donalds), the Pav Bhaji Pasta (read the so called Arabiatta) served at Italian restaurants and the same old cashew chicken and fried rice served at Chinese restaurants. He now wants the Satays, the Jasmine Sticky Rice, Thai Curry and the Laksa’s. All these dishes are flavoursome if not spicy and strike chord with our firmly routed culture of adding condiments,that only add to the taste but the smell, the freshness, the texture, the consistency and the digestion.
Nikhil Chib actually started his career in India with a shack in Goa called Busabong. But that was just one of those ambitious things you start with your friends. After that either differences creep in or life happens. So he started Busaba with a menu that a) did not stick a particular cuisine and b)stayed away from the popular Chinese cuisine, both smart moves from Chib. Although Busaba has its teething problems in the beginning and if you have travelled to South Asia you would notice that the original dishes are far superior in flavor, Busaba has managed to secure it’s position. It still stands like an adjoined twin to Indigo but has its own of fan following and is crowded on most days. Personally I prefer it over Indigo, maybe because I am biased to Asian Food.
Lounge Area
Upper Area
When you enter Busaba, you get this bohemian sort of feeling like you’ve entered a den and from somewhere you are going to hear Dum Maaro Dum. The ground floor is Lounge with a bar.A red wall with a huge mirror and chandeliers leads you to the second floor which is quite a contrast to the one below. Understated and serene came to my mind the moment I set foot. The wooden flooring adds to the earthiness. There are two sections and the one that overlooks the road is great, with a view of trees lit with stars romancing the dim lighting indoors and the candle that illuminates just the face of the person you love makes for a perfect setting.
Chicken Momo's
Enough of gyan, getting down to food, we start of with the much spoken and appreciated dish over here – theChicken Momo’s. I have no words to describe this dish, all I can say is do you remember what you felt during your first kiss? Nikhil Chib has managed to replicate it with some dough and chicken. Just top it with some homemade chilli sauce and sit back and enjoy the unadultered purity of the moment. A warning don’t be ambitious and order the Prawn Momo’s which have been injected with a overdose of sodium chloride making them taste brackish. The Chicken Satay with peanut sauce is the usual fair but delicious with a nutty flavor.
Bibimbap
For the main course, we order for for theKorean Bibimbap – rice pickled with vegetables (kimchi) and meat of your choice topped with fried egg. Along with comes a clear vegetable soup that I thought in this case was very acerbic due to overcooking of the avocado(avocado when overcooked gives out this bitter taste that extremely unpalatable. This dish is an acquired taste.
Khow Suey
We then move on to the Khow Suey, again which didn’t impress me much. The usual noodles served with curry, which I thought was too thick. Whenever I have eaten Khowsuey it has been this flavoursome curry of a soup like consistency. I found this Khowsuey here quite bland even after adding the condiments.
Pad Krap Row
The next we ordered for their Pad Krap Row (no am not abusing) which is strifried meat, choose chicken again unless u want blood pressure, in garlic, holjy basil and bird chillies. The celestial combination makes for a very appetizing dish. Teams well with sticky rice. The next dish,Green Thai Curry is nice, although if you’ve already travelled to Thailand and tasted it there you won’t’ be impressed. However this one is the closest I have seen to the original. The milky flavor of coconut milk coupled with peppers, kafir leaves and fresh basil are quite delectable. It’s a bit dulcified though. Our next is theSteamed Fish with Lime, Chilli & Garlic. The presentation of this dish is excellent. It is served in a platter shaped like a whole fish and a small candle lit below to keep it steaming hot. The silky texture of the lusturous fish combined with lemon zest and kafir leaves make for a buonissimo experience. Best teamed with steam rice.
Chocolate Fondant
For dessert we order theBanoffee pie, which is a pie make of toffee, banana’s and cream. This was disappointing, way to dulcified and Milk Maidlike. The next Chocolate Fondant, a soufflé style cake that oozes out heavenly thick melted chocolate when you cut into it. Again the second orgasmic dish after the MOMO’s.
Busaba falls on the slightly dear side of the price bar if not exorbitant with per head costs ranging to Rs 650 – Rs 750.
Verdict
Food: Ambrosial | Ambience: Understated & Serene | Service: Friendly
Quicktip: A must visit for a zealot of Asian Food. Come in smaller groups of maybe 2 or 3 to be able really enjoy a sumptuous meal as the quantity is not that great. The Momo’s and the Chocolate Fondant, 2 dishes that are an absolute must have! They come under my ‘Dishes to have once again before I Die’
The Co-ordinates
Busaba, 4, Mandlik Road, Colaba, Mumbai -400032 | Landmark: Near Indigo Restaurant
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The above restaurant was reviewed by Sunayan Shahani, and the Review also appears on her Blog Luv For All Things Yum amongst her other reviews.
[Delhi] Joy Luck Moon
A nice sunny afternoon, while the winter decides to linger on, and a company of great friends, demands that we check out a place for lunch, that will have a terrace attached to it, and serve some comfort food, so Me, Maninder and Avijit (A friend of mine) head over to the Saket Select City Walk to go get some Chinese Food in our tummies and a lot of sun on their Deck, called the Joy Luck Sky. The Restaurant can get a mixed reaction depending on what kind of a mood you are in, when you look at the main door, you feel that they could have done a bit better with the board, but then we had heard from our wives, and their kitty friends, that the food here is comfort food, something that you wont’ really call specially chinese, but food that appeals to you, so we were all game, sadly we had a pressing meeting to attend (Avijit and I) after the lunch, so we had to refrain from getting some cold beers, but the weather was perfect for it.
The Kitchen at Joy Luck Moon
Our lunch usually starts with a Customary tour of the Kitchen, and meeting the staff, the staff was very pleasant and nice to speak to. We also learnt that the chefs here had their own innovations on a few things, and this was something that only lunch would tell us after we sat down for photos, what was amazing that each of us was carrying our huge equipment, to ensure we got some good pics, and the photos you see inline are by Avijit (remember all these shots are Straight out of the Camera, and not edited for making them look good). Anyway, back to the Food review.
The Penang Laksa Soup for Maninder
The Terrace is nice, and more suitable for a dinner party than a lunch, there was some construction going on, and the maintenance activity can really drive you to the edge with the drill machines and the saws in the background, but then these are things that the restaurant owner cant really control. We figured out in 30 minutes of being there, that this was a big Kitty Party destination, we had about 4 groups of Ladies Kitties happening on the terrace and every one there to eat some comfort chinese food. We decided to start out with a Soup, Avijit was on a Low Carb Diet, and decided to have a Dragon Soup with Prawns, which was supposed to be a clear soup as described by our waiter, but my soup the Kway Thai Noodle Soup with Prawns turned out to be a clear soup. The Soup was delictably flavoured, and had Aniseed in it, the first time I have seen a full Aniseed in a Soup. Avijit’s Soup was passable, but the Kway Thai Noodle Soup was a nice refreshing taste. I especially loved the colors on the soup. Maninder ordered himself a Pinang Laksa, which the Chef said he had done a personal take on, and the Laksa turned out nice, though in the photo it may look like a Red Thai Curry, but the soup was nice, though a bit excess on the coconut milk, which Maninder did like.
Thai Crispy Fish, One of Our Starters, One of Our Starters
Following our Soup, we decided to order two starters, and on the Menu as per the recommendations were a Thai Crispy Fish and Black Pepper Sliced Chicken. The Scheswan Chili Fish was perfectly fried and crisp, was dipped in Chicken Mae Pranom Sauce (The Rooster Sauce as you would commonly call it) and had a very comforting taste. Though the Black Pepper Sliced Chicken was a Very Punjabi Tasting chicken, and the Chicken was Too chunky for our taste. I personally loved the Nut sauce that came with the Crispy Fish, though was surprised that all through our meal by now, we did not get any Kimchi, and was assuming that all Delhi Chinese Restaurants now serve Kimchi as a Standard fare.
The Main Course Spread, With Maninder Taking Pictures
Our main course consisted of a Diced Chicken with Wine Sauce, and a Szechwan Chili Fish. We paired this with Vietnamese Net Rolls with Prawns in it (though we had asked for Dimsums and got served the rolls), and Singapore Mai Fun Rice Noodles. The Vietnamese Net Rolls we expected would have been Spring Rolls Vietnamese style, the ones made with Rice paper sheets, but we were surprised to find a Deep fried nest, that had a Prawn in it. The chef chose to garnish these with Condensed Milk, and it added to the Flavor. 4 Pieces on the Plate vanished soon enough, but the Condensed Milk with Prawn I must say was a nice new experience. The Rice Noodles were made perfectly, and if you have never had Mai Fun Rice Noodles you should go ahead and try these out. The Noodles were paired well both the dishes, and tasted well, though for me the first taste was having Vermicelli, but I ended up being game to order Mai Fun at another one of our lunches.
Net Rolls with Prawns, and Just a Wee Bit More of Condensed Milk
The Szechwan Chili Fish was not spicy or strong in flavor, what you would expect from a Szechwan style fish, but was acceptable. The Wine Chicken was nicely done, but the pieces of Chicken again were a bit chunky and thinner slices or smaller pieces would have been much more welcome.
Time for a Picture
Service is a bit slow, so ensure you have time on your hand, if you want to grab your meal in a hurry, this is not the place to do that. Though staff is very attentive and friendly, they are a bit confused on their recommendations. All of us were a bit turned off with the Quality of Chopsticks used. I know restaurants in the up market areas want to use chopsticks that are of quality and would not want to use disposable ones, but having Chopsticks where you can see the paint washed off is one of the worst sights a guest can face.
Darsaan for Desert
We wrapped up our Lunch with a Darsaan, and this was made nicely, though the Server and the Menu both suggested a hint of coconut, but we found it missing, I think Cocunut would just enhance the flavor of this desert, but yes, it was made well.
The mall culture has brought about 3 different revolutions, one major factor is the food court, and the other is speciality restaurants, across malls that welcome both the spenders as well as food connoisseurs and then there are places like Joy Luck Moon, that serve Comfort Food, but may not make you one of the regulars there, the food here in no manner was bad, but at the prices (Rs. 3000 for a lunch without drinks for 3 people, after a 20% Discount) is a hefty price to pay for average food. The Punjabi Influence on the Comforting Chinese Food is out there every where and Joy Luck Moon is one of them, but in case you are at the Saket Select City Walk, and want to step out on the deck to enjoy some sun and comfort food, check out Joy Luck Moon, but if you are looking at impressing the friends you called out for a Meal, check into another place, and Give Joy Luck a Pass.
Following are the Pictures from My Flickr Pool of the Visit to Joy Luck Moon
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Credits: All in Line Photos by Avijit Guha,
[Mumbai] Apoorva, For the Love of Seafood!
Located on Mumbai’s very own Wall Street – Fort, Apurva is a sea food lover’s dream. Although this area is flanked by many popular eateries and seafood joints like Trishna & Mahesh Lunch home, Apurva has managed to distinguish itself from the crowd with its authentic coastal & Manglorean fare. The restaurant maintains its cost effectiveness, catering well to both the parsimonious and the wealthy.
In the day, it is pretty crowded with herds of office goers flocking here during lunch hours. In the evening too, it’s pretty crowded with families and ‘packs of men’ celebrating their few hours of singledom, the famous ‘boys night out’ over fried fish & beer. You would be lucky if you didn’t have to wait for a couple of minutes. There are two sections – the upper one is air-conditioned while on the ground floor there is the sasta and tikau wall fan and mirrors all around. Do people really like to see themselves while eating? Voyeurs! If you are with your family then I’d suggest you opt for the air-conditioned section and if you with your buddies, your ‘pack of single men’ take the ground floor. The pricing in the menus is different; obviously the food on the upper level is more expensive. Note the upper air-conditioned section is low ceilinged so if your tall be a little careful.
Rawas Tikka
For appetizers we first order fish – the Surmai Tawa is delicious, one mid-sized slice of Surmai Fish which can suffice two people. Coated with delicious batter, it is crunchy on the outside while tender fresh on this inside. The Rawas Tikka is delectable, with succulent pieces of the tandoored fish which just melt in your mouth, a must have at this place. The Bombay Duck is crispy fried but I found it a oily and less meaty.
Clams Sukka
The next appetitzer Clams Sukha is amazing if you’re a fan of shell fish, this one is cooked in a dry malvani style masala of chillies, grated coconut, mustard seeds and of course the unctuous shell fish meat (I hope no PETA people are reading this). Then we are served the prawns- the Prawns Koliwada are batter fried prawns, quite the usual crunch with a hint of spice and the Prawns Chilli are what fine dining gurus like Veer Sanghvi would call Sino-Ludhianvi food with garlic, chillies and peppers, however its quite tasty. The Squid Butter Pepper Garlic is rubbery but then again I am not quite a fan of squid.
Crab Butter Pepper Garlic
After this, comes the most satisfying part and if I may say the most orgasmic moment in the history of food, Apurva’s speciality, the Crab Butter Pepper Garlic – A whole crab cooked in loads butter, spring onions and garlic. Insert Salivating Smiley here. You would be given a along napkin – a bib to be precise, nut-cracker like cutters and a marrow spoons to scoop the meat out. Even if you’re the most sophisticated eater in this world, I suggest you use that bib. This is going to be messy! The waiter will serve you the pieces of crab ask him for extra gravy on the side, brace yourself and dig in. Literally. If this is not the most orgasmic food moment of your life I don’t know what could be. The crab meat, velvety soft and naturally juicy is combined with the zing of butter and garlic. Simply Sinful! It’s quite a tedious task though, scooping out the meat and then chewing on the bones. So you might end up losing some weight insteadJ (seriously praying that no one from PETA is reading this!)
Neer Dosa
Then comes the main course- a spicy fish curry called Gassi flavoured with tamarind, chilly, mustard seeds. Had best with Neer Dosa, a very thin rice dosa or Steamed Rice. You can even have the prawn or chicken gassi. There is also the soulful Chicken Stew, delicately flavoured with coconut and non spicy. Best had Appam, a thick dosa or rice (Yes lots of carbs so plan a rigorous workout the next day)
If you are wondering on my carnivorous review with nothing on the vegetarian side, in my defense, I would say that even though the restaurant also has of vegetarian food on the menu, I would not recommend you go there if you come from a place where eating meat is sin. If you are forced by your non vegetarian colleagues you can try theNavratna Korma or the Chinese. A warning you will feel like Bella amongst the Cullens more appropriately Bella amongst the Cullen Sucking on Blood!
All in all if you’re a seafood aficionado this is the place for you. The price per head is also economical with Rs 250 – Rs 400.
My Verdict:
Food: Excellent, Ambience: Hell who cares, Service: Prompt
Quicktip: Go in big groups to be able to order a lot. Variety’s the Spice! Men should celebrate ‘boys night out’ here over your beer, fried fish, some more beer and ‘how they wish they had a BMW 7 series’ talk.
Location:
Apurva Bar & Restaurant, Noble Chambers, S. A. Brelvi Road, Near Horniman Circle, Fort, Mumbai400001, India
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This is a Review by Sunayan, who contributes to TheBigGeek each wednesday about Restaurant Reviews, she also blogs at Luv4AllThingsYum
[Mumbai] Flavours that ‘Ling’er
Ling’s Pavilion
Lings Pavilion (courtesy Burrp.Com)
There are very few places I would call home besides my own & Lings Palace is one of them. Located in the lane adjacent to Regal Cinema, Lings is now a part of the culture & heritage of South Mumbai or SOBO. Almost like a landmark of South Mumbai like you have The Gateway of India, The Taj Mahal, Regal Cinema, Lings Pavilion and now Leopold (famous due to the 26/11 attacks). Lings along with Golden Dragon (Taj) and Nanking (now shut down) formed the early Chinese restaurant culture in this part of town.
Frequented by SOBOites (a name given to people like me- born and bought up in South Mumbai), if you see the demographics of its patrons there would typically be grandparents mostly in the age bracket of 50 – 80’s then the children in their 30’s – 50’s and then the grandchildren from new born to the one’s in their 20’s. Hence I use the word ‘patrons’, Lings enjoys three generations of patronage. Typically you will see these families celebrating one of the important family days – birthdays, anniversaries or their weekly meal outside. If you see the younger generation sitting there, my bet is they have been introduced to this place by their grandparents if not atleast their parents. Lings Pavilion therefore in it’s true sense is a family affair. Again, I would call it an affair and not a restaurant because too many of us who have been going there since ‘time without beginning’.It’s much more than just a restaurant.
There are three main factors that make this place so special 1) consistency – the food here tastes the same since forever. From the barbeque chicken to the friend rice – pure, delicate, appetizing in short Soulful. 2) the staff – friendly, courteous and again have been here since really long, if not there is always Johnny, long would be an understatement to describe his tenure. He has been the maitre d’ since my grandfather frequented this place 3) the familiarity – if you’re a SOBOite (yes I am quite proud of calling myself that. If you’re not one you probably hate me by now, if you are one then you’re probably nodding your head away to this. However just bear with me I promise you this is worth it) you are bound to meet a family friend or your cousins (hence don’t get your date until its official) or a school/college acquaintance. If not there are always the fish. Right next to the entrance there is a small pond with baby sharks and other fish with a overhead bridge. These fish are my acquaintances, I have been watching them since I was 10 while I used to walk sometimes run up & down on the bridge. They still fascinate me like they used to when I was 10. Over the years the fish have become less. I wonder if that’s cause the Shark fin soup on the menu 
.
I can go on and on about this place but there is one key factor or warning if you allow me to say – Don’t come here if you want to see your food while eating it! Yes you read that right. Lings is a very dimly lit place and you can hardly see what you arer eating! I think it’s just a part of the ambience or the comfort the patrons already have with this place.
Chicken Hot & Sour Soup
Now getting down to the food – I am a huge fan of soups so that’s what I always start with – it’ a family tradition 
. The Chicken Hot & Sour soup is great. It’s delicate & peppery, the right amount of sour and also finely chopped cucumber. Heaven. There is also the Clear Noodle Soup for the health conscious & vegetarians. It’s a kind of clear soup very light and yet delicious. Those of you who like black mushrooms can ask them to add it. They also serve khimchi which unlike the tomato sauce and cabbage one at Five Spice is delicious.
For appetizers I have the Barbeque Chicken served with grated cabbage khimchi style and peanut sauce. I used to like the barbeque chicken when they used serve it on a miniature grill. Johnny says they stoped it because people cribbed about the smoke :(. It’s good now but earlier it was something else. The Peanut Sauce with it is simply amazing. Together it makes a great a combination.
Concurd with Sweet Sauce
There is also Concurd for the vegetarians – crispy on the outside & soft on the inside served with a sweet honey like sauce. I prefer to eat it with the peanut one. The Chicken Wantons are great both fried & steamed. The steamed ones are topped with garlic & spring onions. Again both go really well with the peanut sauce. So if you’re not having the Barbeque Chicken order a peanut on the side it goes well with any starter. The prawn starter that is amazing is Prawn Chilli Garlic. Delicately spiced with garlic and chilli, it is stir fried. The perfect blend
Moving on to the main course – I have tried 4 types of rice here and all of them are great! First there is the usual Fried Rice. Besides the usual veggies it has peas. Don’t cringe am not too much of a vegetable fan too but this actually tastes great. Then you add a bit of spice to it and make it Schezwan Fried Rice, not for the faint hearted though. For a more authentic experience I would suggest trying either the Pot rice or the Bamboo shoot rice. The pot rice come in earthenware topped with mushrooms (you can skip if you don’t like that) vegetables and chicken if you would want to add. The bamboo shoot rice comes in a huge bamboo stick shaped wooden cylinder and waiter would take this fragrant rice out from the cylinder and serve it to you, steaming hot. If you love authentic Chinese sticky rice, both pot rice & bamboo shoot are great.
Hong Kong Chicken
For the main course, I personally love the bland Chicken in Three Mushrooms, it’s intricately flavored with soy & the juices of the mushroom. For spice lovers there is Hong Kong Chicken, a red gravy with shallots, peppers and cashew nuts. There is also red cooked chicken again red gravy, it’s pretty spicy, with shallots and chopped chilly pieces. Note the red cooked usually comes with shredded chicken. If you’re not too much a fan of that you could ask for diced chicken instead. Then there are the usual Hunan, Cantonese, black bean etc.
For vegetarians there is the pure & heavenly Buddha’s Delight, a bland preparation of exotic vegetables like avocado,bamboo shoot, brocolli, peppers and water chestnuts in white sauce. Again it’s very intricately flavoured with garlic & vegetables. If you want it spicy you can also ask Johnny, he would happy suggest black bean sauce or schezwan style Buddha’s Delight.
Pan Fried Noodles
For noodles, there is the American Chopsuey, am not too fond of it usually but this one is less sweet. There is also Pan Fried Noodles, a combination of crispy noodles, soft noodle and vegetables and sprouts you could add meat to it if you may want.
On the side you could call for their Jasmin Tea. It helps keep the meal light and aids digestion.
For desert (usually I am stuffed with all the above) there is Honey Fried Noodles, or your choice of ice creams. What I suggest and what I have been doing since I was 10 is – 2 scoops of vanilla with chocolate sauce. If you not full don’t’ share it! If you are, offer it to the people around you (earned me some brownie points).
The pricing is moderate around 300 – 500 per head if you are a moderate eater.
All in all this place won’t disappoint you. If you hate the ‘Five Spice’ kind of Chinese and you’re not quite there with the authentic Royal China bit. This is the place for you.
Quick Tip: Celebrate an important family day here or take your grandparents (if they like Chinese that is) and request for Johnny to take you order (He usually does that if you arer sitting on the ground floor). Take it from me you won’t be disappointed
The Co-ordinates
Lings Pavilion, 19/21, Mahakavi Bhushan Marg, Behind Regal Cinema, Colaba, Mumbai
Phone: 22850023, 22850024, 22824533
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This is a Review by Sunayan, who contributes to TheBigGeek each wednesday about Restaurant Reviews, she also blogs at Luv4AllThingsYum
[Mumbai] Is China 1 The One?
China1 or Ch1na, You decide how you would like to call it
When we reached Infinity Mall in Andheri West and took a right from the signal, a decrepit road lead us to the precarious Morya Estate. A garbage dump greated us at the entrance, we took another right to enter the building where China 1, the latest addition to Andheri’s Chinese eateries, is located.
As I enter the premise of Ch1na, I can’t help but be caught on by the contrast of the locality and this place. The spacious outer area of the restaurant is done up in a chic and elegant manner with lounge like seating areas and palm trees. The interior of the place was swanky as well. The décor of the restaurant seemed to be highly influenced by Michael Jackson’s famous number Black or White since the entire restaurant was adorned by either colour or both. From the murals on the walls to the cutlery to the upholstery all of it. Couldn’t help but imagine how a zebra would feel so much at home here!
The place was quite occupied even on a Wednesday, mostly by mademoiselles celebrating their few hours of freedom from domesticity with each other. Chatting up on everything from the upswing in the prices of onions to the latest Loius Vuitton patchwork bag. I feel quite fashionably as well as domestically enlightened after my luncheon thanks to my neighbours. Don’t get me wrong I don’t eavesdrop, they were a tad bit sonorous emphasizing a lot on the Hermes, Guccis and Jimmy Choos.
Getting down to the food, we opted for the buffet. Priced at Rs 470 (inclusive of taxes) with one drink a beer/ice tea/ freshlime soda, it was quite an attractive offer. We started with the soups – the Clear Chicken Soup with vegetables was a ‘knorr’ kind of thick broth which tasted sweet. Quite a letdown in the first go. However the thick spicy Corn Soup, a spicier cousin of the sweet corn was tasty.
Spinach and Corn Wantons
In the appetizers, the spread for vegetarian was as good as the non-vegetarian. China 1 would earn a point for that since many of my vegetarian friends complain of being discriminated against and not having much choice. First there was the Spinach & Corn Fried Wantons. A fusion dish I presume, since it had cheese, nevertheless it was quite a savoury. I gobbled up plenty. Then was the Crispy Vegetables, batterfried vegetables tossed in soy sauce which also was an equal delight. The next were the Chinese Greens were brilliant with crunchy deliciously steamed vegetables tossed in soy sauce. In the non-vegetarian appetizers there was Chicken with Cahewnuts which was delectable. The juicy chicken woken fried with peppers cashews, spices and sesame oil was sapid. On the other hand the Fried Fish in Hot Bean was rubbery and didn’t seem fresh to me. The Crab in a sought of garlic red sauce although looked scrumptious was a letdown. It tasted stale.
Chicken Dimsums
The Chicken Dimsum was beautiful. Minced chicken and vegetables enveloped in translucent rice wraps. Succulent. ThePrawn Dimsum and VegetarianDimsum were passable but no match to the chicken one. On the whole while the poultry and vegetarian dishes were palatable the sea food was unsavory and tasteless.
For the main dishes there Chicken in black bean sauce – mildly flavoured with garlic and peppers it went well with the corn fried rice. One thing I noticed however was that the quality of rice was not that great. The Hakka Noodles were Plain Jane nothing outstanding about it.
When it came to the desserts, there was an enormous spread from blueberry cheese cakes to chocolate soufflés, to chocolates fountains and brownies. However all except the fresh fruits were a humongous disappointment. The chocolate sauce from the Chocolate Fountain was syrupy and not thick. It tasted like cement with sugar (not that I have tasted cement but you get my point), the Choco Sticks to be had with the sauce was limp and stale. The Chocolate Brownies, I think were for people suffering from diabetes with no trace of sugar or any other taste. The fresh fruit spread was nice with kiwis, strawberries, melons, papayas and grapes but however couldn’t compensate much for overall dessert disappointment.
My Verdict: The Food is a Mixbag, Hospitable Service, Good ambiance
So getting back to my question, Is China 1 the one? The one Chinese restaurant that appeases both the gourmand and the miser in you? The miser maybe but not the gourmand. Although the spread is value for money, my suggestion would be to skip it or go only for the vegetarian and poultry dishes. Don’t bother to tryout the sea food or the desserts. I see a huge compromise in quality on that front.
QuickTip: Take those uninvited relatives who you hate but have to entertain. After all its value for money!
The Co-ordinates:
Ch1na, G-05, Morya Landmark 1, Plot B-25, Off Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai
Landmark: Opp. Infinity Mall, Phone: 42723333
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This is a Review by Sunayan, who contributes to TheBigGeek each wednesday about Restaurant Reviews, she also blogs at Luv4AllThingsYum
[Delhi] The Chakraas, at The Samrat Hotel
“food is a passion, that stays in fashion, unfolding the passion”, as read out from the cover of the Menu at The Chakraas
Over a hot oven fresh pizza, and some great wine a few days back, both @maninderpals and I decided that since we eat out so many times together and we are both game to trying out new places, we should start writing our own take on food, neither am I a critic, nor Maninder, but we both enjoy good food, great wine, and love each others company. So on Saturday we finally decided that we are going to go out and do our first food review together.
Taking recommendations from a few friends, we finally managed to decide on a place called The Chakraas at the Ashoka Samrat in New Delhi, hunting for reviews and ratings online could not find anything, but every one we spoke to spoke well of their food, but the restaurant being inside of the Samrat Hotel at New Delhi was some what unpleasant for us, after all the babu’s who run these palatial hotels still don’t have their facts about hospitality business in place, so with a bit of a mixed mind, we made our reservations by calling Mr. Rakesh Bhandari the General Manager at the Restaurant, and since we both wanted to eat the chef’s recommendation and spend some time with the chef, we decided to go in a bit early for the dinner. Sharp at 7 both of us met up at the lobby of the Samrat hotel and were surprised to find that there was no board to point us towards the Chakraas, on checking with the Bell boy, we found that it was down the alley at the end of the left western corridor.
The Blue Glow under the Interactive Kitchen gave it a feeling as if the kitchen was floating in the middle of the restaurant
While speaking of how the Government of India is ruining such large lovely properties because of their babudom, we landed at the entrance of The Chakras, the board was a bit of a let down, and the Red and Green LED Lighting behind plants at the entrance made us think twice, if we wanted to enter it, but with our brave hearts in place, and tummies rumbling for some good food, that people spoke about, we ended up entering the restaurant. With a mixed seating arrangement, that confuses you if this is a lounge or a restaurant, we were seated on our tables by the Window, an open Interactive kitchen in the middle of the restaurant seemed to float up, thanks to the blue LED lighting surrounding it, but the Red lights gave the whole place a very un-appealing look, and made it very difficult for some of our photos too. Though large glass windows re-assured us that this place would look lovely in the day time, after all looking over the lush green gardens, and the race course road, it will be a charm to sit here and dine, but will the food live up-to the expectation we had built up.
Executive Chef Ashish Singh and I had, a lot of notes to Interchange. (Here you can see what I meant by the Red Lighting)
A few minutes later we were joined by the Executive Chef Ashish Singh, and it turned out we had a lot in common. He has also been mentored by Chef Manjit Gill (Corporate Executive Chef, ITC WelcomGroup) and I got a chance to work as a Commi under him back in 1990 for a few weeks, while I dreamed of becoming a full time chef, and ended up becoming an Electronics Engineer. It was also nice to know that we were actually sitting on the table that Chef Manjit used to when he was a regular at the Chakraas.
The Shish Taouk Getting Grilled
Chef Ashish Singh suggested that we try his Shish Taouk, A traditional Arabic and Turkish Shish Kabab, and Gili Lal Mirch ki Champien to start with, a great discussion about how the Shish Taouk eventually led to the Chicken Tikka, and the so called Malai Chicken Tikka started between Maninder and Ashish, though both of them agree that the the Shish Taouk may have had been responsible for what we call the Chicken Tikka today, it was nice to know the history on how food travelled. To this Chef Ashish Singh added that the Shish Taouk is not really pleasant to the every day Indian Palate, and how he had modified the recipe by adding a layer of Aoili to make it more moist and suited to what us desi’s would love to eat. So finally it was decided that we will try out both the starters, but we would love to photograph as well, since both of us were sporting our cameras, me my favorite Micro 4/3rds Olympus E-PL1 and Maninder his favorite the Nikon D60 we were eagerly waiting for our food. Since A great wine makes the food taste better, we called for the Wine list, and this turned out to be a very nasty surprise.
We were told that the Restaurant had only one Wine available, a Grovers Cabernet Sauvignon, in the mood for a Merlot, we decided to call of the wine, and settled for a pint each of carlsberg’s. While the chef’s mustered up our dishes, we enjoyed a great conversation about our belief’s in sufi’sm and how my recent trip to Anandpur Sahib went.
Gili Lal Mirch Ki Champien
Finally our Dishes were ready to arrive, and here we were both photographing at the pick up counter, to start off with we had our Gili Lal Mirch ki Champien, a dish that looked brilliant, and came with a Lukhnavi Hari Chutney (Mint and Coriander Sauce) and a Spicy Red Chili Sauce, the Lamb was cooked to perfection, grilled evenly and soft, tender and moist inside. Though we could not taste the Gili Lal mirch, only to be advised by the Chef, that he had tone down the spiciness of the Dish to suit every palate. The Chef shared that the place was frequented largely by families, including grandparents to grand children, and the food was kept at a normal spicy level to give them all a chance to taste it, since it was still around 7:30 pm, the restaurant was still pretty empty, and we got a chance to have the Chef sit down and walk us through our meals.
The Shish Taouk Platter
The lamb was followed by the Shish Taouk on a Mezze Platter, Fresh Pita Buns baked in the Oven, Hummus, Tahini and a Baba Ganoush with a bit of a twist, the bell peppers added to the BAba Ganoush made it stand out and taste wonderful. The shish taouk lived up to it’s reputation and the aioli had really made it smooth and juicy, wonderful is the word we had in mind when we ate this. Though the Pita bread seemed to thicker for our taste but the Pita buns, as I called them went very well with the Baba Ganoush variant we had.
The Spinach and Asparagus Soup
The next recommendations were Soup, to follow our starters, and Maninder Settled on a Spinach and Asparagus Soup, while I chose a Mushroom and Mint Soup, the twists seemed interesting and we were all game for the soup, while we watched the chef’s prepare our soup, we continued speaking with Ashish on his experiences. We learnt that Ashish went to Institute of Hotel Management, at Pusa, in New Delhi and has been with the restaurant for 5 years, though he did take a sabbatical to go setup a few restaurants in Europe. He then came back. Ashish also shared that The Chakraas was the first outsourced restaurant in the Samrat Hotel, starting way back in February of 2006, and opened up the Gates for the Famous Lap, and Shiro at the Samrat.
The Mushroom and Mint Soup
It was also interesting to hear that he had a regular set of customers who always came back for food, and we could guess why. By then our Soups were there, and we started sipping on them, a Bread basket that looked lovely arrived, and had an Olive Loaf with Bread sticks in it, the Olive Loafs were a bit dry, which I figure is because they might have turned off the Moisture spray in the Baking oven to do the Pita Buns, but the Bread tasted well with the soup. The breadsticks though, were a little too sweet for both of us, not desert type sweet but sweet.
The soups though were a different story all-together. The cream on the soup used for dressing, made the soups too creamy, and Ashish took down our suggestion to offer cream only if the guests asked for it. The Spinach and Asparagus soup had bits of Asparagus on it, that added a brilliant twist, but the Spinach over powered the Asparagus, in my case, the amount of Mint in the Mushroom soup was too low for my taste, but any more Mint would make it a mint soup and not mushroom, a problem when you are using 2 ingredients each with it’s own brilliant flavor.
The Cream, that Overpowered the soup
Next up Chef Ashish suggested, that we try out his Moorish Lamb, and his Spaghetti Carbonara, for which he makes fresh pasta in the kitchen only, though we were getting to be full, we decided to be a great game, and had both the things up on the pick up for us to photograph and jump upto.
The Moorish Lamb
The Moorish lamb came on a bed of stir fried vegetables in a gravy, and the side of light and creamy mashed potatoes. The Spaghetti was made with a lot of freshly ground black pepper on special request. The moorish lamb was one of the most tender and moist pieces of lamb that I have had, and on trying to investigate the origins of the Lamb, we were told the Lamb is the regular lamb that you and I procure from the market, but what made a difference was how the Cuts were done, and how it was marinated for this preparation, an absolutely yummy dish, that we would want to go back for, by now we were sold, that what we want to eat here is lamb.
The Spaghetti Carbonara
The Spaghetti was next, and the sauce coated it well, enough for you to be able to taste the sauce and the pasta, and yet not over powering each other. The pieces of Chicken were large enough, and the fresh bay leaf on top made the Dish stand out, by the end of the Spaghetti and our Lamb Maroosh we were full, but we were both licking off the Lamb Gravy, and the Carbonara sauce with the bread, and as someone said, the food ain’t good if you don’t lick your fingers, and trust us, the food is good here.
Kheer
After 2 Pints of Carlsberg each, and so much to eat, we were just about ready to leave, when Ashish requested that we have a Desert, though we both wanted to avoid a desert and let the gravy last in our mouths, he spoke of how he specialy procures full grain basmati, and cooks his kheer just the way our grand mothers used to, no over powering tastes, but simple Kheer, with a bit of pistachio, a very little bit of cardamom, al-dante rice, just enough sugar to make it sweet, all topped with wonderful saffron, and we fell for it. The moment we had our first bite, I could remember the Kheer made by my Nani (Grandmother) and Maninder enjoyed the al-dante rice, and the flavoring and agreed that this indeed was Grandma’s recipe, thanks to Ashish’s insistence we had this wonderful kheer.
A few things we did not like, were the Ambient Music, which some how went from a Piano recital to Rap, and then Enrique Iglesias trying to be my Hero again and again, and we shared this with the Chef that the music maybe could be mellowed down, but at the time we left the restaurant was just about started to get full so maybe the music would tone down in the loud voices that we talk in. We also did not like that there were no wines on the menu, we were told that this is due to some paperwork required each time they want to procure any kind of Wine or Whisky, though they have had their Liquor License since 2006. The Red lighting was a big turn off for us.
The staff at the Chakraas is very friendly and was eager to serve us, and make sure we had a great dinner, having the Executive Chef sit next to you through the dinner ensures this. The Food was brilliant and the ending with the Kheer made a perfect ending to the dinner.
While we were on our way out, we saw a lot of large family groups entering for dinner, which is unsual to see in this day and age on a Saturday, on checking with the staff, we were told that in case you arive in large groups of 15 and above, the restaurant gives you a great deal on the meal, so if you are planning a family and friends get together over some lovely food, you must visit The Chakraas, and while you are there, do thank the Chef.
Will we go there again: Yes, we would love to. Chef Ashish Singh knows his Lamb well and since both of us are fond of Lamb, he rates very high in our books, but next time we would love to go there for a lunch.
Average Cost of Meal for 2 With Drinks and Desert: Rs. 2500
Timing: 12:30 PM to 12AM, Busy Days are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
Type of Food: Multi-Cusine, the Chef recommended we try his Daal Makhni and his Chilly Chicken, but that is for another trip.
Insider News: They have a new chef who has joined them for speciality Lucknow cuisine, and will soon be adding Galauti Kebabs, Ulte Tawe ki Roti, and Nihari to their Huge menu.
If the photos above have not made you hungry as yet, let me tease you with my photos, from our visit.
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Credits: All in Line Photos by Maninder Pal Singh, to see all his photos, visit his Flickr pool. To check out Original Size Images, you can visit my Flickr Pool too
[Mumbai] Rays Cafe & Pizzeria
Good Food, Good Ambience, Service is a bit confused maybe because they have hired new staff.
Nestled in one corner of Hill Road Bandra, Rays Café may just go unnoticed while you’re driving through Mumbai’s hip suburb and even hipper Hill Road. But don’t make that mistake because this namesake of New Yorks famous chain of pizzerias (Rays Original), is really worth it for those looking for a nice Italian supper.
Once you enter through the wooden gate and the façade you feel as if your transported to Italy more precisely Tuscany (not that I have been there in person, Discovery TLC zindabad). The flooring is made of natural stones, the one’s you find in cathedrals, with wooden tables and chairs under the shade of huge umbrellas. There is also an air-conditioned section again characterized by white walls and wooden seating. Gives you the feel of those road side café’s in Italy (again TLC and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)
Enough about the ambiance and the interiors will get right down to the main purpose of my visit – FOOD. Rays offers an amazing variety of pizzas in 9, 12 and 16 inches. And the best part about this place is that a limited selection of pizzas is also offered in Single Slices! Yes you heard me right for those of us who like eating a little bit of everything than just 4 pieces of the same pizza, this is the place. So I tried the Margherita which was excellent, just the perfect amount of the homemade of tomato sauce, cheese and sprinkled herbs on a thin base. My next was Barbeque Chicken, in Shania Twain’s words “that don’t impress me much”. I thought it was a bit sweet for barbeque. I also tried the the Rays Special, a pepperoni pizza, which was muchos delicias! After slurping on it (yeah am quite a slop) I kissed my fingers. I wanted to kiss those of the chef as well. But my friends just rolled their eyes and asked me to behave!
Now am about to tell you what you must order if you are non-vegetarian –Weisswurst Sausages. German smoked pork sausages that are out of this world. Am not much of a fan of pork and hence I called for the Chicken Sausages but when my friends called the pork one’s and I tried that, the chicken was damp squib. These pork sausages are mouthwatering and delicious and a must have at Rays.
Moving on to the pastas, the Linguni with Asparagus and cream is a delight for those who prefer white sauce pasta’s. You may want to add a little salt to it but otherwise its delicately flavoured with asparagus and cream, the right ‘kiss the chefs fingers’ blend. However the Chicken in Tomato Cream Penne a bit drab. For the red pasts fans the Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato and Herbs is fiery with the generous amount of chilly flakes and cooked in that right kind of home made arabiatta sauce.
There are a variety of salads to choose from including the Classic Ceasars and also the very Italian. Insalate Capreseis a simple salad from the Italian region of Capri, made of sliced fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil. But I am not a very Salad person so I did’nt try. Salads,I feel, are food for ruminating animals and not for humans who have better options like the ones I described the one above.
There is also sandwiches, burgers & hotdogs but by now me & accomplices were ready to hit the bed so none for us. They serve wine over the weekend – Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.
Verdict: Good Food, Good Ambience, Service is a bit confused maybe because they have hired new staff. The Damages: Rs. 500-600 per head (if you’re a moderate eater). Yes it’s a bit stiff on the pocket because of the 10% service charge. So don’t tip
Quick Tip: If you’re a guy, blindfold your girl/wife take her to Rays in the evening and get a table in the patio area (non air-conditioned), now would be the perfect weather for it. The moonlight, the breeze and Italian food would make for a perfect romantic date (yes I am a total sucker for Mills & Boons). If you’re a girl, ditch your guy and just take your best girl buddy (one who you would have married if she was a guy) and forget the diet for that day.
The Co-ordinates
Rays Café & Pizzeria
133 Hill Road, Gazebo House (Behind Godrej Nature’s Basket), Bandra (W)
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050
Telephone: 022 26451414
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This is one of my first food reviews, and am glad to be a part of The Big Geek network, to read more of my writing, do visit my blog Luv4AllThingsYum
Timings: 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM