Le 15 Cafe, Mumbai

Le 15 Cafe, Colaba

This place has been on my list since the day it opened it's doors and honestly, I had wanted to go back then itself. But it being on the other side of the city, made it a tad bit difficult, not that I didn't try. After several failed plans I arrived here actually out of the blue. A lazy Monday morning when me and a friend were tired of staying indoors (As lazy as I am, there is only so much of staying in bed and watchin tv can I take), and so when I suggested Le 15, it was met with a Why Not, and I was here! HURRAH! 

Like I have said earlier, I have been following this place for quite some time, that I know the great designer Masaba Gupta has a little hand in the designing of the place, the cushions, the materials used in the seating around, Masaba Magic. (I was secretly hoping one of the two Chefs - Pablo Naranjo or Pooja Dhingra would have been here, an autograph or even better a selfie would have made my Year, but better luck next time ) Yeah, I am a little star struck. The place is uber chic and I was kind of surprised to find that it is actually pretty spacious, I had always assumed it would be a quaint little cafe. I love the sofa seatings attached to the French type window and that's the place I attacked. Though it would have made more sense if you could seat side ways and see the bustling crowd and not have your back to it. 

I had already made up my mind on what I had wanted to have a year ago. Well, the first thing I would want to try i.e. But unfortunately it wasn't available on this sunny day. I had wanted to try the Savory Parmesan Waffles, but their waffle machine wasn't working (How can you have just one waffle maker, or did all of them stop functioning on the same day? I don't know how this works). Well, gives me reason to come back again. So we instead ordered the Truffle Tagliatelle (I didn't even know Tagliatelle was a type of pasta until informed by the staff, which is a good thing because the staff knew the menu well enough) and a Chicken Burger. The Pasta, if I may say so, is the best I have had in Mumbai till date and I have to put everything else I have had and appreciated second to this. I like my pasta to be cheesy, but not an over dose of it. It shouldn't just be cheese, the other ingredients should also talk to you and how it did here! I was floating in Heaven in my head. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from the burger, I mean how creative can you get with a burger. I wasn't prepared to be blown over and blown over I was. I should be talking about the bun used in the burger, what sorcery was it. Why? Because I could probably have the bun by itself sans everything else, with a cup of chai on the side. It was that delicious. Also, I am not always a fan of mustard sauce and it is something I almost never use as a dressing in anything, but it went really well with the burger and the mushrooms here. Also, I am not sure but it seemed like they had served Magic Masala Lays (The blue one) on the side. It definitely tasted like that. I wish they had serv\ed fries or wedges or onion rings or something along those lines instead. It's much more filling and satisfying. I almost can't choose between the two dishes and that's very rare. There is always a clear winner. Here, I just couldn't make up my mind. On the side I had ordered an iced tea and my friend had placed and order for Elder Flower Lemonade. Both were great to beat the heat. 

This place is grand and for that reason I at least would buy their pastries and macaroons on special occasions. One, they can be a little expensive and the size of most of their off the shelf desserts are quite small, if I may say so. So for me it's reserved for special occasions only and I do so. If the size of their cup cakes and desserts were increased a little, you still wouldn't feel the pinch on your wallet. Though, you should make it a point to have them. I have had almost everything over time and there is a reason why I don't mind splurging on them on some days. 

All I can say is GO! GO! GO! I am going to be back for the waffles!! 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Burger (Heaven)

                           Truffle Tagliatelle (Heaven)

                            Elder Flower Lemonade (Refreshing)

                            Iced tea (Refreshing)

DAMAGES - Rs 1600/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Le 15 Cafe Colaba., Shop 18, Lansdowne House Building, MB Marg, Near Regal Cinema, Apollo Bunder, Colaba, Mumbai

The Cheesecake Factory, Dubai

The Cheesecake Factory, Dubai

CAN YOU FEEL MY EXCITEMENT??!!! This is like the ultimate foodie bucket list. The one thing that I wanted to have before I die. I know that a lot of people believe in all those adventurous things and ticking them off their bucket list. I too want to those things - scuba diving (Done, by the way), bungee jumping and the likes. But for me it's trying the food out there that is the ultimate goal. Tumne jiya hi kiya otherwise. Every time I am fortunate to pay visit to a new city, I think my time line is full of food and my friends generally go - Did you even do anything besides eating? My answer? Is anything more important than that??!! There truly isn't 

I had always imagined The Cheesecake factory to look and be designed more along the lines of The Big Bang Theory which looks more like a fast food place in the tv series. But at least in Dubai it is more Fine Dine Material. I think everything in Dubai is fancified ( I know that's not a real word, I just like to use it instead of fancy with a bow). Also, I think it's a trend now around the world that after every item served to you, they like to ask how good/ bad was it. What however, they haven't learnt is the art of charm (Since my visit to Farzi Cafe in good old Bombay itself, I understand the true meaning of guest interaction, not something everyone can achieve). I am not saying that the service had anything lacking, it was at par. 

For appetizers we had ordered the Roadside slider & for the mains we shared the Bang Bang Prawns (Shrimp) & Chicken Dish. Quite a funny name. Between the two, the road side sliders would be my pick. What is it about the Middle East that the burgers are just out of this world. I remember having burgers from small outlets, the way you have bhel puri & samosas in Mumbai and well, and nothing beats them. Obviously, this is cheesecake factory, so that makes all the difference in the world. Also, I am craving some now. The Bang Bang Prawns & Chicken is a Malaysian based dish, if I am not wrong. I always get confused between Burmese and Malay because to me some of it seems similar. I was very glad to see rice because I don't think I had rice in the entirety of my trip and don't know about you but I am a rice person. Everything & Anything that is based of rice, makes me happy. Also, this had Shrimps. In order of preference it goes - Prawns, Mutton (Goat Meat), Chicken, Beef, Fish. And if you know me, you would know how I obsess over Prawns. It also seemed to be a derivative of the otherwise Popular Nasi Lemak. At least, my taste buds did. 

A part of me wished I had a bigger appetite so that I could try something more but I had been specifically told to save space because their cheesecakes are big and heavy. Even though, initially I was apprehensive over having the red velvet cheesecake which is what I did end up ordering, it turned out to be a great choice. Though, my friend ordered it and I slyly ensured it that I had the first bite and made it mine. They don't know that. So let's keep it that way.  In general I like my cheesecake to not be completely infused with chocolate or any other flavor because the red velvet or the chocolate is mixed with the cheese instead of layering and then it doesn't really feel like a cheesecake to me. Here, however, it was layered and how! The heavy layer of cheese and the the thich thick red velvet made for a combination only the Gods in heaven could have devised and now I know I can die in peace (Well, after having maybe 10-12 slices more of this I would feel my purpose is served! ) The other was the original and I generally don't say this, because original is my preference where it's just cheese cake, naked in all its glory. It did live up to my expectations but didn't shine through against the red velvet. I could pay visit to Dubai every month just for this. At least, my dreams do!

WHAT WE HAD - Roadside sliders (I miss you! Like really!)

                           Bang Bang Chicken & Shrimp (Hello, old lover!)

                           Red Velvet Cheescake (God of Cheesecakes!)

                           Original Cheesecake (Yumness Galore)

DAMAGES - AED 200-250

WHERE - The Cheesecake Factory JBR., The Beach, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Dubai

Soda Bottle Openerwala, Mumbai

Soda Bottle Openerwala, BKC

 

 

You know when nothing else is going write in your life, there is one small thing that you are fond and that you can control. For me that's food. Through the roughest of times, this is  one thing that gives me instant happiness. At first bite. This is also why I am a little particular about it and want it to go exactly how I had imagined. Alas, it doesn't always work out that way. But some times even that is a good thing, you get to have something better!

 

One of such times and the only thing that I was looking forward to was a good hearty breakfast from Mc Donalds. Imagine my annoyance when I reach the destination, only to be told Mc Donalds will remain closed for today. I wanted to scream at the person, do you know how much this meant for me?? I mean I hadn't asked for something huge, and this was a Saturday to top it. Meaning, rush everywhere and by time I find another place, it would be past breakfast hour.  And there was more than this emotion icon happening. We hopped from one place to another and had almost given up because guess what? It was lunch hour and everything in the area was jam packed. The only reason we got into Sodabottle Openerwala also was because well we were early or rather the first few to step in for lunch. Else, good luck finding a place here as well.

 

Though, this place has always been on my list, the visit always gets canceled as well, it's literally always house full. This place feels right out of the movies from the 60s. The décor is classy yet retro. They also happen to have a juke box which actually works! What else do you want?!! You will also find the family tree on the wall which looks pretty interesting. Over all, a place that is charming and almost like the place itself is romancing you. *sigh*

 

The service is alright and it can some times be a struggle to grab the attention of the attending staff, especially if you happen to be sitting in one of the corners. But otherwise it's smooth sailing.

 

So is the food as amazing as you read it to be? Hell, Yeah!  For appetizers, we went for the Chicken Baida Roti and Spicy Mushroom on Khari. My mouth still waters thinking about it. The Chicken Baida Roti is literally the best version I have had. Each morsel is a bite of heaven. The minced Keema filling is thick and not just for namesake, which is just the case in a lot of places. Truly the kind of food, your Grandma would make. The warmth reaches your soul. If any type of food makes you feel this way, you know there is nothing quite like it. The spicy Mushroom is creamy cheesy mushroom topped on the khari that is available in probably in all local bakeries and is quite the Mumbai thing to have. Also my favorite. Though I have always had it at tea time with a cup of chai. This is a unique way of having it, and has inspired me to try some utpatanga combinations at home too.  The last and the final dish that we had and the show stopper of the day, the Berry Pulav. The Berry Pulav made me forget the Biryani of my home, almost. And that never happens. I always always have to say this "But you know what? I bet mere ghar ki Biryani isse zyada acchi hai". And here, I was not having uttered a word, just lost in the taste and flavors. No stinginess shown in the mutton pieces used in the meal, one of the softest and most succulent pieces of meat that it melts in your mouth, the gravy to rice ratio just perfect, mix dried berries which elevated and compliments the dish in  just another way. I always say this, there is no body who cooks up a storm like Mommy Dearest. But I would want to tell Mommy Dearest, that I think I have found a new favorite Pulav dish. Sorry. In fact reading this, I think I want to order it in or have it again. Soonish, that too.

 

I also gave a try to the Raspberry Soda which is another iconic parsi item to be checked off your bucket list. These guys add real raspberry and not the crushed kind. The perfect balance of sweet and sour, it looks also so pretty! Yes, that matters.

 

Everywhere you go, you will read rave reviews of this place. Can a place really be that good? Well, I was finally here to find out and let's just say this is easily one of the best meals I have had in the recent past and actually probably Top 5, though I haven't really made a list.

 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Baida Roti (Heaven)

                           Spicy Mushroom on Khari (Yumness)

                           Chicken Berry Pulao (Drooling', Dreamin')

                           Raspberry Soda (Yumnes Personified)

                           Limbu Soda

 

DAMAGES - Rs 1700/- (Approx)

 

WHERE - Soda Bottle Openerwala Mumbai.Ground Floor, The Capital Building, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
 

Leopold Cafe, Mumbai

LEOPOLD CAFE, Colaba

Leopold's, always been famous, and had been even more so after the Terrorist Attacks in November 2008. This is one place that is not just on my bucket list, but on probably everyone who sets foot in Amchi Mumbai. And Yet. Yet, I didn't make it here in 5 whole years of my stay in Mumbai. Sometimes you are so busy searching for something around you, that you do not see what is staring you right in the face. Like Seriously! Its right there, in front of you and you look everywhere but not in your own home. Is it me or does it sound like I am referring to a lover/Boyfriend who was always there?!! :/ Well, Leopold is exactly that. How many times have I passed by this place, not giving it a second glance, telling myself, too overcrowded and overhyped. I realize what a fool I had been, all this time.

Christmas is when I finally made it here, and you know what, there is no better time than christmas to be here. The place looks so full of energy and vibrant and it's addictive, maybe it was the spirit of christmas in the air, or probably not, because you don't exactly hear loud music and a bar full of people talking over each other on christmas eve. You think of gospels and choir and Santa Claus. But it is still christmasy, for lack of a better word. Truly? It reminds you of a typical bar scenario in England. I talk as if I have been to all these places, where as I havn't been beyond the lines of Maharashtra and probably a few others. But think Bar in England, and I am almost sure this would be the image that would have sprung to your mind as well. For this, I love it. Its been a long time since I have been to a place, where I have felt that I had been transported to another era/foreign lands etc. Its these little facts that add to the overall experience of a place.

I have to say kudos for the service, especially since on such a busy night, I didn't find myself waiting for more than 15 minutes. Initially, standing in that queue, I had seriously thought this is going to take up an hour. But it didn't! That in itself was a good start, I could not have been complaining otherwise as well if you have a look at how crowded the place actually is! They have made use of small tables, and have almost left no space between tables, crowded, but works efficiently for them. Your server is at your table every 15 minutes, just to keep a check if you need to make any more orders etc, so that is a good trick in their bag. Else, you would end up waiting for half an hour or even more for someone to show up, that's how noisy and crowded the place is. Noisy, it might be, but in the "Let set the Mood" way.

If you have recently read my reviews, you would have also read, how I have been looking for places that offer something more to me in taste and flavor. Things have started to become repetitive, in terms of ambience, menu, etc etc. I understand that you can't create something new on a regular basis and a lot of the items on the menu are infact going to be repeated. But a place should still have something that creates a distinction, this place has that. The only regret I have is that, why. why did I eat anything else before stepping here, as I had had a quick small burger 3 hours prior and had been to an ice-cream parlour as well. So all in all, I wish, I hadn't done that. Then, I could have had more food rather than just sharing a starter and one main course split three ways. For beginners we had the BBQ Chicken, and generally the BBQ chicken served in most places is chicken wings smothered with BBQ Sauce. Here, it was not so, it had BBQ sauce, but it wasn't just BBQ. I am not exactly great at identifying flavors/ingredients, in that am a rookie. But this is what I was saying when I said I want to have something different, not fried pieces of chicken dipped in BBQ sauce or something along the lines. I have had so much of these kind, that even though I enjoy it, I am not satisfied. I am looking for more. Here, I found that more. Another thing, that I have to point out is that thank you for giving those cucumber with dressing on the side. Most places just cut up beet-root, and cabbage and serve it up, which most of the times, goes uneaten. Here, I wanted more of that as well. The servings is the third thing. Its good. One Starter can easily be split 3 ways. For the mains, we ordered the grilled beef steak with pepper sauce. Even though I like beef, I find it to be really heavy and easily filling, which is I have it on rare occasions or eat from someone else's plate :P. The steak was good, however the mashed potatoes were a slight disappointment as it felt to be lacking. It felt more Indian Aloo ka Bharta, which is boiled and mashed potatoes sprinkled with salt, and a few condiments than the Original Mashed Potatoes. One thing, I have always wondered is how do people in the west eat their meals without some form of bread/rice on the side. The Hindustani in me is never satisfied till I have had something on the side, even if it is a piece of bread. You know that kuch toh missing hai feeling!! Yes, That. and mashed potatoes, though good, is not that. So to all the Angrez out there, how do you not eat rice/bread on like a daily basis?! Out of plain curiosity. We had four iced teas between three on the side as I am lucky enough to find people who love eating and not drinking as much.

All I can say is, don't be an idiot as I happen to be. Remember, some places are said to be legendary for a reason. The reason here is the vibe that this place has, its magic, you have to be there to truly feel it. The food definitely helps! I look forward to dropping in again. Sooner rather than Later. You definitely should too!

WHAT WE HAD - Iced Teas (Lemon, PeaPeach, Cranberry - We had it ALL. YUM!)

                           Barbecue Chicken (More is Less!)

                           Grilled Beef Steak with Pepper Sauce (Yum's the Word)

DAMAGES - Rs 1400/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Leopold Cafe., S.B. Singh Road, Colaba Causeway, Colaba, MUMBAI

Kyani & Co, Mumbai

KYANI & CO., Fort

Where was this place when I lived just 15 minutes walking from the restaurant?!! Well, the restaurant was right there, has been right there since time immemorial. No, seriously, it has been there for 100 years or more I believe. So the real question is, where was I??? Sleeping apparently. The foodie in me was very restricted and didn't really know where to go, so my options were limited, access to internet has changed that. So Thank you Internet and Google. So now that I finally made it here, all I can say is why did it take me so many years to find this place? Especially since the place is nothing short of a legend and a legacy. Are the two the same thing? I will have to google. 

The place is located in between CST and Crawford Market, and is easy to find because who hasn't heard of Kyani and Co. Except for me, obviously. The minute you step in, you will be a transported to a different era. you can literally feel the pre-independence vibes in the place. Pre-independence does not mean the patriotism or the "Go-back Simon" phase. It reeks of nostalgia, like visiting your grandparents in the summer and hearing them tell you stories of the their younger days. I am sure my nana-ji must have been here on several occasions himself. He has traveled the world from GCC to Japan to many other places. The place also has a no-nonsense vibe where in you won't find waiters going out of their way to create comfort, this is there on the menu, this is not- you like it, you order, you don't, move on. You will also literally see some of the cooks in their dhotis on a break which was such a LOL to me, where else can you see that??! 

We started off by ordering Chicken Farcha Meal which included Chicken Farcha + Chicken Sausage + French Fries + Baked Beans. Everything on the plate was good except for the Chicken Farcha. I know it is an authentic Parsi dish, but I just couldn't eat it. Infact I didn't, the flavor just didn't sit with me. Neither did it, with my friend. We didn't end up eating it infact. I don't know if it was just here, or I don't have the stomach for the cuisine. I am guessing though, it is just for the chicken Farcha. Next time, I would do a proper research on the cuisine and then give it a try. Besides this we had ordered Kheema Bhurjee and 1 of this needs 8 pieces of Pav to finish it. The Kheema was good, really good and completely worth it for just 60 bucks! Its beyond paisa vasool. Well, this place is known for its bun-maska and chai, and hence, I had to have it. I was actually wondering how Good can bun-maska be? I mean its bun and maska. How very wrong I was. The minute I had the first bite, I knew that no matter how many times I would have had this particular Bun-Maska, there will not come a day when I would be bored of it, I don't know how and what they do with it, but it is worth dying for! Yes, very much so. Have you seen the Five Star - Kho jao Ad? Their Bun- Maska can replace the Five Star in the Ad. Dipped in their Chai, it takes it another level altogether. I also had their Bread Pudding, which again is something I have been craving ever since. I mean it is the not just the cheapest pudding I have had (15 Rs!!!) but also the best. No seriously, it makes me question how do they even afford it. If they had made me may 100 rs for it, I would still have gladly done so, and in this price I can have 6 pieces of it. Its like reverse-rip off, as in we are ripping them off!! :P

Most of you must have already paid a visit to this place and may even be a regular here, even if it is to pick something along the way. This is one of those places that you should bring your friends along on when they are here to sight-see and explore Bombay. In short - SHOULD NOT BE MISSED! 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Farcha Meal ( Excellent without the Farcha!)

                           Kheema Bhurjee (Yum!)

                           Bun Maska with Chai (Where have you been all my life?!!)

                           Bread Pudding (Yumminess)

                           Chocolate Milkshake (Yum!)

DAMAGES - Rs 250/- Approx

WHERE - JSS Road, Jer Mahal Estate, Opp. Metro Cinema, Marine Lines, Mumbai

Coffee By Di Bella

COFFEE BY DI BELLA, BKC

This one was like finally!! I had wanted to try waffles from here for pretty long time, and every time I made a plan, some way or the other it ended up getting cancelled! Blame goes to my sister, because we were to go here together. Only, she did, I didn't. When ever I go to restaurants, I always tell myself, I am going to have dessert, but I am so full by the end of the meal that now-a-days there is no room for it. As much as I love eating, I do not believe in over eating. Courtesy my Fat days. I still am, but not all that much. Factoring all of this in, I realized it better to go here some where between late and early evening, and not having a very heavy lunch (Waffles, can be heavy!) and dragging my two girls along, because these are two people, who more than follow my orders. This was also the start of a very special weekend, because it was re-union with my best girls, who are all scattered in different parts, and by luck some-how we all managed to get together for this weekend. So before everyone arrived, me, my cousin and my best friend who had come down from Poona decided to head here, for an early snack.

This place is right in front of my house, oblivious though to me. I knew its some where near by, but didn't exactly know how near, so we decided to hail a rick and let google maps rescue us. (Word of Caution - Don't ever completely depend on Google Maps!). My Cousin and me were both accessing navigation and where as mine was pointing straight, hers was pointing at the back, so we had a great time arguing which way to head (Not!), finally we used mine, and we were standing right in front of probably the next building as we step out of my colony. This can't be it. It can't be here, where exactly is it, back and forth we went, till one of us finally had the good sense to just go and ask, and Voila! It is indeed located just in the Business Park. Hindi mein kahavat hai, "Bagal mein chhora, sheher mein dhindora". :P The rickshaw wala must have thought we are crazy and rich girls, I mean who else is that rich that they would take a rick to go from one building to the next?! Apparently Us! (Disclaimer: We are not rich! I am still waiting for my dad to announce that I have never needed to work, and he just wanted to show me what being humble means! :P.) The line might be borrowed, but it stands true to a fault. 

I had forced both my friends to have light lunch, because we were to have waffles, and we won't be having them, if they are full, which happens almost all the time whenever someone says lets have dessert. They were more keen on ordering more Main Course or at-least meals, which would give them the satisfaction of having eaten real food, but cruel old me, told them no, waffles, waffles, waffles! The place is quite small as per my expectations, and hardly has place for seating 15 people at one time. I guess this one is especially for the people working in the Business Park as they are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Seriously, who closes on Saturdays and Sundays! The place is really simple in decor and you can see that it is pretty standard, nothing extra-ordinary. The service, if not good, is not bad either, and it sticks to taking of orders and bringing it to your table, nothing more to it. Again, nothing to write home about.

The Food. Well, since every one on the table was craving food and not just dessert or breakfast as such, we ordered for one multi-grain chicken Baguette, 2 waffles - Chocolate Explosion and The Rocky Road, a red velvet shake and a chocolate one. The Multi grain chicken Baguette,well, was ordinary, not that it was bad, but I have come to understand that when you go to cafe's especially, most of the times sandwiches, puffs and other items such as these are not their specialty. In Di Bella's for example, their specialty is Waffles. The Chocolate Shake, was good enough, but again, I would prefer the one at Cafe Coffee Day any time of the week. The Red Velvet Shake, again, I liked quite a bit, if it was not named Red Velvet Shake, because the quantity of red velvet in it is almost negligible, you get just a hint in the taste, but it nearly ain't enough. When I think Red Velvet Shake, I see the shake to be complete red and generally it is. This is another reason why I was excited to be here, because I had really wanted to have an actual red-velvet shake. Probably, if you remove my expectation factor, it was good and I would give it a good rating even. Before talking about the waffles which were also the highlight of the evening, Why would you not have whipped cream in stock, Cafes are place where Whipped Cream just has to be there, it is used in almost everything, and because of that more than anything else, I felt a tad bit disappointed. :( Because my red velvet shake was supposed to have whipped cream, but it was given with ice-cream and ice-cream is good, I agree but it is not whipped cream is it???!!! Even the waffles were to have whipped cream but they gave extra ice-cream instead. The Waffles???!! Let me just tell you, I have been looking for reasons to go back, in fact I did, only it was a Sunday and upon reaching there I was informed that the place remains shut on Sundays! *sigh* So yes, if you head here, do it for the waffles, do it for the utterly butterly melt-in-your mouth Waffles, the softness of it mixed with chocolate sauce takes you to heaven and makes you wish that you stay there. Probably, why such food is called comfort food because it is like staying in bed, wrapped in the comfort of your blanket while it is raining heavily outside. 

WHAT WE HAD - Multi-grain Chicken Baguette (Ordinary)

                           Red Velvet Shake - (Needs more Red Velvet)

                           Chocolate Shake (If you like Chocolate!)

                           Chocolate Explosion Waffle (Heaven!)

                           Rocky Road Waffle (Heaven!)

DAMAGES - Rs 900/- (We were 3)

WHERE - Coffee By Di Bella, Equinox Commerce Centre, Tower 3, LBS Road, Kurla (w), MUMBAI

Koyla, Mumbai

KOYLA 

Look who is back??!!! After a really long and uncalled for hiatus, I is finally back in action, or rather back to eating, not that I was not eating before, but it was mostly restricted to eating at home, and though I have no complaints regarding it, because Ramadan is a blessed month in more ways than one. All the fasting seems so worth it when you finally sit down for Iftar, even though that is not the objective behind the fasting, it is an added advantage. So now that the festivities and all the family gatherings have been put aside, I have once my resumed my passion for trying out what is good out there. 

I had originally wanted to go to this place, or any place because of the sheeshe factor, now that the the ban his been lifted on it, how can you not??!! But alas, even though we did end up visiting the place, we had no Hukkah, don't ask me why. The table had been pre-booked and unfortunately sheesha is served in closed quarters, and not at the roof-top where we were seated. So we had to with a very long face let go of our desire for the night. But in all else, it was a wonderful-wonderful night. Having friends has that effect, I believe, In fact having friends and ambiance is mostly the saving grace for this place.

The place though located on a roof-top you have to cross many a barriers to get there, including its kitchen, one point that should be given to them is that the kitchen does not look unhygienic, since you pass through it, everything is in view and the many horrors that generally are said about kitchen of most restaurants, does not fall true for this place at least, not the cleanest, but you know that they have taken care that you are not going to fall sick the next day, not that I generally do, but never the less, you get the idea. However, taking the small elevator and the many steps and everything, is not exactly welcoming either, if there was an elevator that opened directly to the place, would have been nicer, but that has not stopped people from visiting here before.

The ambiance, is where the USP of this place actually lies. The exclusive open curtained seatings, reminds you of dining at the shores of sandy beaches and for effect, they actually have sand on your feet, I realized this when I took my shoes off and was wondering where did the sand come from on my feet, but no complaints as it actually shows the efforts they have gone into to give some authenticity to the place.

Lets talk about the service, nothing to write home about, very honestly but I would give their staff points for compelling you to try a dish which you probably didn't have in mind. I somewhere felt it to be a strategy to increase sales. Why I say this is because, the dishes that we were originally ordering, was of comparatively lower range (as if, there is anything cheap in places like these. :P), but our server was intent on getting us to order, the dishes as he recommended which obviously were marked higher on the pricing scale. If it happened with one, I would take that to be a special, as the server said so, but all? A little difficult to digest, but never the less we actually ordered what he recommended, so I would say that it is a good strategy. Other than this, the service is not even at par because except for taking your orders, the staff is not interested in anything else, and you would hardly get a smile your way and will not customize your order looking into eating preference to a degree of 1%, so that was something that irked me, but not enough to not enjoy the place as such. As I have mentioned, the USP of this places lies in its ambiance, and the sheesha parlour, The price you pay for a decent place, in this city! :P

Coming to the food, which is what this is all about, we began with 4 mock-tails, this place does not serve alcohol ( but serves sheesha! quite the irony, but then go to the gulf and you will see sheesha places at every nook and corner, people smoking broad day light, with kids even running around but alcohol is served but restricted.) We started off with Nawabi Paneer Tikka and Nawabi Chicken Kabab. The Paneer Tikka is Paneer Tikka, so it has to be good. The Nawabi Chicken however, with a stuffing of Capsicum, peppers, onion etc is something I wish I could make at home (I am sure my mom, the super cook can! :P). I love things made in Tandoor, on coals, I believe it adds extra flavour to any food. Even to Gravies, you have got to try my mom's home made Chicken Angaare, to believe it, or even the Butter Chicken for that matter. Since this place is specialized in ethnic cuisine, it fares well. For the main course we ordered, Paneer LazeeZ and Murg Chatpata or the other-way round, I don't quite remember. The one thing that I do appreciate is that the gravies varied in flavor and taste. One thing that is a disappointment in most restros is that the flavor is exactly the same whether you order a kadhai, masala, tikka masala, angaare, lazeer, chatpata or any other fancy name you can come up with. Again, I would mention that even though the food was good here, for the price you pay, you can probably visit Gulshan Dhaba in Bhandup, but then like I said, you pay here for the name that it carries, for the food and mostly for the ambiance. In the end, you will not feel disappointed. My friends however complained that the photos don't come out great here due to the lighting, I on that front have to say, that the lighting is perfect, it is just a place where low-lighting plays a huge role. In the bread that we ordered to go with the gravies, the roomali roti was the best. I have a soft corner for roomali roti, and nothing can quite beat it. The Cheese Kulcha they served comes a close second, and if you have just one cheese kulcha, it is equivalent to your meal, if your appetite matches mine in anyway.

You don't need a reason to be here, but to be here. This place already holds a name, and even though you might fixed reviews about the place, this place is still a must visit, for its ambiance. After all, sitting at a roof-top restaurant in the midst of Colaba with a view of the sea on a non-rainy day, is quite something. 

PS - Special mention for the candle lit in the tomato ( I didn't know you could do that!). Also for their mint-curd chutney, which is very difficult to find and is so common in Pakistani restaurants in Bahrain.

PPS - When? When will that day come when I have room for dessert, I stuff myself so much that even though I always make plans to order dessert, but 80% of the time have to drop the idea. :(

WHAT WE HAD - Nawabi Paneer Tikka (Yum!)

                           Nawabi Chicken Kabab ( Yum x10)

                           Paneer Lazeez (Yum! Yum!)

                           Murg Chatpata (I want more!)

                           Cheese Kulcha (Have only if you are a cheese-lover!)

                           Roomali Roti (My all time favorite)

                           Butter Naan (Soft! and yum!)

                           Passion Fruit Mojito (strictly Okay)

                           Bailey's Shake (Milky & Creamy)

                           Orange & Raspberry Ice Bomb (Good enough)

                           Koyla Thunder (Avoid!)

DAMAGES - Rs 3000/- Approx

WHERE - Gulf Hotel, HNA Azmi Marg, Colaba, Mumbai

Mirchi & Mime, Mumbai

MIRCHI & MIME 

This is another place that landed up on my To-visit list when I searching the internet for newly opened up places, what intrigued me was the price range which seemed on the not-so-pricey range, and the high rating, a 4.7 on Zomato on my quick search. Upon reading the reviews, I was a little more in awe because everyone was simply raving about it and I was like this is a place that I need to visit and soon.

My b'day just went by last week and this was one of the spots, I decided to head for a not-so-quiet lunch with my friends to bring in the special day or the day that officially makes me feel old, 25 I am. The one thing I absolutely hate about my b'day is that its in the rainy season and who would want to get their good dress for the day drenched in the rains, but as my luck is, for some reason, the God sitting above us, likes to rubs in my face every year, and it always starts raining just on the eve of my B'day even though I pray really really hard and make all sorts of compromises with him. Except for that li'l fact, I don't think I could imagine my b'day in a month, I am a June girl and could be nothing else, I am a gemini, and no other sun-sign could rule me. 

Well, putting a stop to my rant right there, this place lives up to all the expectations you build up reading the rave reviews of the place and you finally get it what the craze is all about. Starting off with the concept, you can order only in sign language, WHAT??!! I don't even know sign-language, yes, that was my reaction too. But its for a noble cause, the servers here are all deaf and mute and kudos to the management for this. It is not a very tough task to do so as how to order in sign-language is clearly displayed on the menu and is not complicated in any way. The service is even better than most class fine-dines, which says something about the staff and the management. It is not easy to handle such a situation where there are the entire staff mostly consists of people who can neither hear nor speak to you with anything other than signs and yet they manage to be so hospitable and warm. 

Since, this was also one of those rare occasion where my friends reach before me, they had gone ahead and ordered some thing in the in-between to kill time and also they were hungry, as soon as I was seated, all I could hear from them was that this place is truly AMAZING. Yes, with Caps. In their words, this was the best chicken that they had ever had, they had ordered some sort of starter and I knew I had made the right choice and that much more eager I was. Also, they also went on and said that the water here is also tasty. Some thing to which I rolled my eyes, I mean Water??!! But I have to say, that we were not served mineral water but the regular water and it did feel like the mineral water quality and still refreshing, and it had the quality that it had just been hand-pumped from those village type wells or something and hence, I could not wait to devour the food here. 

We started off with the White Pepper Tikka, Amritsari Hamour Tikka & Duck Seekh Kabab. My friends were right, they had ordered the White Pepper Tikka and yes, it is the best chicken I have ever had. I mean really, really, really! It was magical and I don't have words to describe it. The Amritsari Hamour Tikka, again was well, I have missed Hamour, as I have never come across the name in India, and this is probably the only local fish that we get in Bahrain, so it brings back memories and emotions and I could feel all of those in every small bite. I would tell the chef to take a bow because I am very critical when comparing items back home from the Shawarma, to the local seeks and grilled chicken and the Hamour Fish. I have developed a taste for fish now, but growing up, the only fish I ever liked was Hamour served in the many restaurant we visited every Thursday Night. So to all those many night, I thank the chef for giving me Hamour which was not even pronounced right by my friends and for a change I take pride in my pronunciation which I often get wrong in restaurants. The Duck Seekh again floored all of us and I don't know if I could be so in love with a place as I was in that moment. To wash down all of this, my friends had gone for their alcoholic drinks and I stuck to a mock-tail - Berry Pomegranate Granita which again was served up in a very interesting manner and was equally good in taste. The main course consisted of Tariwala Chicken, Martaban Mutton Curry and Raw Mango Prawn Curry. The only downer I felt from the list was the Tariwala chicken where I felt the chicken to be under-cooked and I think that is the way it was meant to be served, but even then, I prefer my food to be well-cooked. In case, I ever find it to be a little bit raw, It does not sit well with me. So I didn't think much of the chicken. The Mutton Martaban Curry was my favorite of the lot and as was mutually agreed on the table once again, the best mutton curry we have had out of our own homes. I generally find fault with any type of mutton served in restaurants, where the pieces either are not succulent enough or throwing in just 2 pieces which is insufficient or at other times and the worst, they give you so much of bones in the name of mutton. Here, I found myself satisfied in all departments and more because this is one gravy that I am going to remember for life and that's some-thing. The bench-mark I will have from now on wards when ever I am courageous enough to order mutton. The Raw Mango Prawn Curry again, with its subtle flavors left its mark. To me the clear winner of the day was the Hamour Tikka and the Mutton Curry. Finally, the Sufiyani Chicken Biryani which I had ordered as an after-thought. It was perfectly cooked on Dum as was evident with the wooden dish it came in, fully covered and still with the flour roll, closing it, and ensuring that its aroma does-not escape and by God when it was opened, the aroma, was heavenly. I don't think words could do justice. The Biryani, is in complete honesty the best I have had till date, because as they have names it sufiyani, it really has that purity intact. It did indeed have spices but it did-not have masala and if you know the difference between the two, you know what a biryani is and even though every one on my table was full, I had a second helping finishing it all off. You can-not miss this if you are here. 

The one thing, that you need to remember while stepping foot here is to leave all your notions outside, I was a little embarrassed ordering in a sign langauge. Don't get me wrong, not for them, but for me. The same fear you have when you are standing on a stage facing a sea of faces, feeling exposed. I truly for a second thought, I am going to do it wrong and would look stupid. But for their sake too, don't belittle them. I have hardly seen any-one do it, and every one who comes in here seems to know this but never-the-less. Another thing, I would want to point out is that the portions are slightly on the smaller side where the starters had 4 pieces each, where generally you find 6-8 pieces in other places. But for the love of food, you will not be complaining. You would be too involved in wanting to trying it all and loving it all.

Do you need more reason to be here? A 4.7 rating on Zomato, an extremely courteous staff and food that does deserve a michelin star, and that is better than just something. You just have to be here! 

WHAT WE HAD - Fresh Lemonades (Just That, Fresh!!)

                           Berry Pomegranate Granita (Tasty!)

                           White Pepper Tikka (Order it!!)

                           Amritsari Hamour Tikka ( Food-gasm and more)

                           Duck Seekh Kabab (More is Less)

                           Tariwala Chicken (Not Really My Type)

                           Martaban Mutton Curry ( Out of this World)

                           Raw Mango Prawn Curry (Whistle Whistle!)

                           Sufiyana Chicken Biryani (I have no words, just have it)

DAMAGES - Rs 4500/- ( We were 4, this was inclusive of the starter and 2 lemonades ordered prior to my arrival and also 3 Beers)

WHERE - Mirchi and Mime, Transocean House, Lake Boulevard, Hiranandani Business Park, Powai, Mumbai

PICCADILLY, MUMBAI

My Lebanese Heaven is what I like to call it. The only place that has come close to make me feel like I am having meals from my homeland and I am missing it a tad bit more as my sister is holidaying there where as I am slogging off over here. *sigh* 

There was a time, when I dropped into this place twice a week at least if not more. My hostel was located in Churchgate and it was hardly a 20 minute walk or 15 Rs of Cab-drive away and I was such a regular that everyone recognized me and my group of friends and if we didn't show-up for 4 days in a row, they would tell us on the next visit, that its been a long time. I have only ever been to such places with my parents where every one would recognize you including the manager. This is mainly because they stick to their regular hang-outs. Hang-outs is such a funny word when using it for your parents, but I couldn't for the moment think of another word. :P But its the little joys of the world when your favorite restaurant knows and remembers you to the extent where they serve your drink in a taller glass then the usual because they know you love it! :D

This place has been here forever. I don't at the moment remember the specific year as such. But I guess 100 years would not be an exaggeration. or somewhere near it. Most of the places located in Colaba generally is. So this place holds an old world charm and is also designed like many local Iranian restaurants that you would find in my hometown with sprinkles of the Indian Victorian Era. This place is not some fancy fine-dine or a lounge or does not have any extra-ordinary interiors. But like I said its designed as a local Iranian meet Victorian Era coffee shops, where you would find a lot of localites. Atleast, in my hometown you would, Over here, its brimming with tourists. One of those rare places after all that serve authentic Lebanese food. Most places have glamorized it. It doesn't mean I do not like those other places, but it is like Mumbai is known for its Vada Pav, No one makes biryani like the Hyderabadi, Idli-Sambhar like the Keralites (Please, the rest of South India, don't take offence :) ). In a similar fashion, the origin of the many variants of Shawarma that you find in other parts of the world is the Gulf Region. No one makes it like them and no one can. But this place, does it. Also, remember that Shawarma served in different parts of the Middle East as such varies as well. 

If you are lucky, you will find yourself to be seated at the only and also my favorite window seat. I think I could spend hours in this spot. Overlooking the colaba market, it is some view. No it does not over look some sea, or bridge or anything of the likes. But it holds some sort of black magic, I would say, that you feel like a web of magic has been spun around you. Don't ask me why. 

Since this particular day was a sunday, and this angrezi looking tourist had already occupied the place, I had to make peace with sitting up stairs and to my disappointment, these two were seated long after I had left and they had come in way before us!-_- But like I said, you won't feel like getting out of that spot so soon. Since my friend had not tried this cuisine before, I had to take every precaution possible including telling her repeatedly that this will not be spicy AT ALL. The thing about this cuisine is that, either you will love it or dis-like it, no in between but the Shawarma? You will L-O-V-E it. If you don't, there must be something really wrong with you on so many different levels. I am sorry but get yourself checked because even my vegetarian friends over the years have loved their Paneer and Falafel Variants. Falafel is another speciality of the middle-east. Okay, back to business, So we ordered 1 Shawarma and two iced tea for starting off. Since, I was in a mood to try out different things as well, we ordered just one because these shawarmas if had just two can be really heavy! We next ordered the Lebanese Barbeque Chicken Kabab which is served with khuboos (Pita Bread) and some pickled cucumbers and beet roots. I love the pickled purlish cucumbers, I could finish it all off. In fact, I always do and me and my friends even order for more. They also serve you a side of Tahina which is a kind of mayonnaise and hummus . You will love the Tahina but only if you have grown up in the middle east will you realize the beauty of the hummus. Another specialty of the Kababs here is that unlike the Indian Kababs, they are not spicy at all and yet are so full of flavor and juices and it tastes really different from the ones you have in India. We also placed and order for Chicken Fajitas which is a gravy which has a sweet side to it. But pair it up with buttered rice and you will not feel disappointed. It is another regular item that I order on every other visit. We also had a refill on the iced tea. Let me tell you, it is this place where my addiction to Iced Teas began. Need I say more??!!

So the guys out there, when you take your girls next for a shopping spree for some street side shopping, rejuvenate with some delicious shawarmas and iced teas in this little space snuck in the lanes of Colaba. 

WHAT WE HAD - Chicken Shawarma ( This is my Favorite Food on the planet, need I say more??!!) 

                            Lebanese Barbeque Chicken Kabab ( I louuvee Kababs)

                            Chicken Fajitas ( Yumminess)

                            Hummus ( You can either love it or hate it, I love it!)

                            Tahina ( You cannot not like it!)

                          Pita Bread/ Khuboos ( Judge it by the melt-in-mouth feel and it totally is)

Iced Teas

Damages - Rs 900/- Approx ( We were 2 on the day)

WHERE - Piccadilly Restaurant, Donald House, Opp. Electric House, Colaba Causeway, Colaba