Opa Bar & Cafe, Mumbai

OPA BAR & CAFE, Santacruz

For a change, this was a discovery by a friend and not me. Also, I have to grudgingly admit that she did a darn well job of it, even more so than me.(I wish it was me who had suggested this place!) The only doubt, I had in my mind?? Will this group even like this cuisine. I love this cuisine. It's probably my favorite after what my mom whips up. You have got to be partial to "Maa ke Haath ka Khana", ask any kid who stays away from home and my "murder" (that's how I refer to her, murder and baap, there is more love in those than ever would be in Ammi Jaan and Abbu Jaan) is incredible when it comes to cooking. She could take part in Masterchef India (I am realistic enough and wouldn't say Masterchef Australia :P). I was talking about cuisine. The Cuisine here comprises of delicacies from the Gulf/ the Arab World. Now you know why I said second favorite - Food From the Homeland. Also, this place has sheesha (Bless the Govt for uplifting the ban on at least something instead of placing bans, for a change)

Arrive here early, as post 8 pm, it will be difficult to find a place and since it is a sheesha lounge, you will not find people moving out for hours so it would be a long-long wait! The ambience? You should ask for from my sister, as when I had tried describing it to her, her exact words "I asked you in general how the place and you haven't shut up for 15 minutes straight!" One of those places that impressed me in the first look, and I was already looking forward after glancing through online. The place borrows from the whole Arabian Nights look and feel, the date palm trees, the couches, even the fabric covering the couches, the curtained seating areas. It was as if, only for a night, I was in an Arabian City. (I really need to go home :( )

The only slight issue we faced, was getting attention from the attending staff, there was shortage of staff from what I felt, because from what I could see there was one guy who was managing half the place (and this place is huge!). I have gotten so used to this at so many places now, that I have adjusted to it and that's bad. Service is of essence and there cannot be a compromise in it. Yet, the more places I visit, the more I realize there is a huge gap in this particular area. 

The most important of it all - the food. We started off with a cold mezze platter, and this is one particular item to which I had my doubts. Not towards whether or not, it would be made well but rather would it be accepted well on the table. You either like it or you don't, since the mezze platter comes with dips which is very different from the chutneys etc the indian taste buds are accustomed to it. Though, I wouldn't say it was a huge success, I would say that I in particular did enjoy it and the rest were more lenient towards the Baba Ghanoush and Labneh Dip then the others. Served with Pita Bread, pickled veggies (I have a soft corner for pickled veggies, and was disappointed that they didn't give the pickled cucumbers which is customary) and some types of chips (for lack of a better word). I would recommend for you to try it, but if not you could do what the others on our table did - make Pita Pockets. One of my friends is even better than me in fusion (fusion food), and we had ordered a salad - chargrilled zucchini, puy lentils and spiced Halloumi Salad. Pita pockets were made with putting spoonfuls of this salad, adding the various dips and then gobbling it up. The salad on its own, simply put was not my cup of tea. I avoid salads, not really my thing. This had lentils, boiled lentils, all the more not my thing, but it blended extremely well with the Pita Bread and dip, and is a falafel on its own. Well, not falafel, but you get an idea. Next what we had ordered from the menu was the Moroccan Filo Cups and the Pita Sliders. The Moroccan Filo Cups were an instant hit - cups made of thin puff pastry (the kind that is used in Bakhlava, if you know bakhlava, if you don't, you need to have it!) and filled with vegetables/cheese. We took the veg variant as always we had more vegetarians on the table than the other way round (It's a conspiracy I feel like. We need more non-vegetarians!). I couldn't live without ordering at least something in the non veg, so we had ordered one veg and one non-veg pita sliders. Served with Tahina Sauce, I am in love with these. Giving a twist to the Western Burger sliders, served with Pita bread. These really were my favorite, or a close second favorite. The vegetarian one was a type of falafel and that is all i can tell you as I didn't bother try it. :P Next we had ordered was the Kabsa, we had ordered two and both in Veg, :'(. I wish I had the non-veg one. However, I have to say that I was in love with this and that is why I had actually ordered a second one. The taste was as authentic as it gets and the Raita type dip served along with it just increased the taste by a notch. We had also ordered for a Pink Pasta in Non-Veg and I wish this one I had ordered in Veg, but not all my decisions are wise. No, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the Pasta, infact the sauce was a perfect blend of white and Red, and would again be a recommendation, if you want to have something that is not well an Arab type food. The only reason I wish I had ordered in veg was so, I could have ordered a non-veg in the Kabsa! :D I think I am little obsessed with the Kabsa, well, more than little.

Since this place has Sheesha/Hookah, we obviously had to have a round of that, and we went for the grape mint. I would rather not speak on this, but to each his own. ;) Also, if you are looking for a nice refreshing mock tail,instead of ordering from their menu, create a concoction of your own, or take inspiration from what my friend had ordered - mixture of lemonade with soda, no extra sugar with mint and ginger. Sugarless, and Ah-mazing! I think that is the reason why he probably ordered it, go sugar-free, but I really didn't even realize it till I asked him later on what was it that "we" ordered. We because, after having a sip, I immediately went - I will have what he is having. :D

I have been doing unpaid advertising among my circle since my visit to this place. So that should tell you how highly I think of the place, and though I don't know when I will be back again, I am going to keep telling you to pay a visit and then go - Didn't I tell You??!!. 

WHAT WE HAD - Cold Mezze Platter (Yum!)

                           Moroccan Filo Cups (Yum!Yum!)

                           Non-Veg Pita Slider (Yum!Yum!)

                           Veg Pita Slider (Yum!)

                           Veg Kabsa*2 (Delightful)

                           Pink Pasta - Non Veg (Yum*Yum)

                           Lemon Soda Mocktail (Refreshing)

                           Breezer - Assorted (I don't even drink Redbull!! :P)

                           Grape-mint Sheesha (Me likes!)

DAMAGES - Rs 6000/- Approx ( We Were 5, it would be 5k without the sheesha!)

WHERE - Opa Bar & Café., 7th Floor, Hotel Peninsula Grand, Opp. Sakinaka Metro Station, Sakinaka, MUMBAI

AROMA'S CAFE, MUMBAI

Yes, I have already written a review on this place before. But I felt like including this here, more so because it is located in Phoenix Market City and I happen to love this location more so than the one in Powai. Why? Because of its location. In the midst of a mall that is swarming with people in and around, this places offers calmness and serenity and you will not even realize the sea of people around you. I love how that factors in to the charm of this place. Actually, that is the charm of this particular place.

I should be apologizing for my long absence from the page. I don't know how many actually felt the difference but you know how writers say that even if there is once person out there who reads and likes what you write, the writer will feel it to be an accomplishment. Before I had taken up the task of writing on this page, that was the one factor that always discouraged me. Do I really want to make a fool of myself? But now it doesn't matter and that's how I know that its true. It doesn't matter how many people are actually reading this but even if one is, it is enough. For Now. :)

You come across this place just as you enter the Mall, just a few steps away probably and has all the High Fashion Labels surrounding it but on any normal day how this seems to be distracting and tempting, it does not so on this particular evening. Partly because there is so much catching up to do as it had been long since I had met this particular friend but more so because the location is as good as it gets on which I have already written so much. The first of its kind. If I am not wrong. If I am, then well, I will live it. :P It is designed like an outdoor cafe in midst of greenery. Only, the place is actually situated inside a mall and does not have actual greenery.

Since this was not dinner time and we were here to just make time. I didn't say kill because, we were here to spend time rather than kill it. :D So it was somewhere between light and heavy. Its another thing that I didn't really bother having any dinner after it. So we ordered a cold coffee and cranberry apple cooler. The cold coffee tasted like a cold coffee but it was the cranberry apple that got my attention. I had taken a risk by ordering it as you know I prefer to stick to my iced tea but I actually liked it. The sweetness of the apple flavor and the sourness of the cranberry mixed well and is delightfully refreshing. We ordered a classic margherita pizza with loads of cheese, creamy garlic mushroom and some BBQ paneer Burgers. The Pizza, thin crust and filled with cheese is just how I like it. Melt in the mouth and the crust just a little toasted, even though it was the wood fired kind. The Creamy Garlic Mushroom is a gravy of cheese, bechamel sauce (as informed to me by my friend) and mushrooms. If I probably added some bolied pasta and sauteed, it would become white cheese pasta. :P Not Complaining. Served with Focaccia bread, it is indeed a delightful combination. The Paneer BBQ Burgers served with a side of fries is light on the pocket as it comes from their combo meal options but does not take away from the flavor or quality in any way. 

So for all you crazy shoppers (like me!) take a break and enjoy the charm of sitting idle in between a sea of people who seem to be on the go around you. You will not regret it! 

WHAT WE HAD - Apple Cranberry Cooler ( Refreshing!)

                           Cold Coffee ( Yum!)

                           Margherita Pizza ( Cheesylicious)

                           Creamy Garlic Mushroom ( My favorite from the Day!)

                           Paneer BBQ Burgers (Yumness!) (We Ordered for 2!)

DAMAGES - Rs 1100/- (Approx) Rs 800/- (If you Deduct the Burgers)

WHERE - Aromas Cafe , Phoenix Market City, Kurla, Mumbai