Chili's Grill & Bar

Chili's Grill & Bar, Powai

This place shall forever hold a special place in my heart. Though I am not going to divulge the reason for this let's just say I have fallen in love with this place. Now a days, I don't seem to get what I want but you will not find me complaining because what I do get instead is infinitely more beautiful, making me one very happy girl. 

I have never been to Chili's before. Well, I have but the one in Bahrain and I am quite proud to say for a change that I don't have to say "but the one in Bahrain does it better" like most international restaurant chains. Even though I have made Mumbai my home and I refuse to go back to my home land, up till now, I keep talking about the food non-stop. But this place retains that charm. I don't know what my companion for the evening would have said but who cares, as long as you are happy!

I was too busy enjoying the evening to even bother with taking a few pictures of the place, so apologies for that. But this is almost like any standard American Diner with a few customizations here and there.

You know another weird thing that has happened to me in the recent past is that I don't feel as hungry as I used to. I have always defined my appetite as a deep well, because I am eating through out the day, but now? I eat a little and I feel like I have eaten so much. And that doesn't make me happy even a wee bit. My relationship with food is the most important one to me. Though, I think that wouldn't make my near and dear ones to be too happy, to put food above them.  So even here, my intake was limited to sharing a Burger meal and an appetizer with my friend and mock-tails on the side. The main item that I had my eyes locked on? I was too full to even try. It was my what the bloody hell moment! Though that makes sure that I will be paying visit again. Especially since, I had fallen in love with the Burger. When my friend had actually placed the order for it, I had made faces, like seriously avocado? That doesn't sound so interesting or appetizing and he had promised me that it ain't so and that that is probably their favorite kind of sauce there is. More faces. AVOCADO??!! Though I guess I had to eat my words because I kept stealing it from him and almost finished half of it. Probably, why I wasn't so hungry after that. One of the best meat I have had and somebody please just get me one now!! Oh, the burger's name? The Guacamole Burger. For dessert we had their special Molten Chocolate Cake which is probably available in all the countries they are present in. Warm gooey chocolate cake topped with cold ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce and when you cut open this mountain of chocolate, more warm chocolate sauce. It gives me warm fuzzy feelings just remembering it.

I am in dire need of some charity in the form of a burger and if you happen to feel charitable, then I wouldn't mind your generosity. You could always try it out for yourself as well, if that's what works for you. You will walk out happy.

WHAT WE HAD - Texas Cheese Fries (Yumness)

                           Guacamole Tenderloin Burger (I WANT ONE NOW!)

                           Molten Chocolate Cake (Warm Fuzzy Feelings)

                             

Note - We also had two mock-tails which I don't remember the name of but to be honest, all mock -tails feel more or less the same to me now.

DAMAGES  - Rs 2500/- Approx

WHERE - Chili's West & South India., 13, Ventura Building, Hiranandani Business Park, Central Avenue Road, Powai, Mumbai

IHOP, DUBAI

IHOP, Dubai

So to my imaginary audience, this is the second time I am writing this. In all my school years I have never rechecked my paper before submission, that's how lazy I have been. So Imagine my frustration when I ended up erasing half of what I had written (Well, typed. But at this very moment, I think writing is a better option, at least it doesn't get erased with no fault of yours. Good Old Days -1, Technology & blah di blah - 0 ). 

This wasn't planned and you know how much I enjoy doing that. It is a journey after all. From searching for places, browsing through menu cards and reviews, day dreaming of what I would want to have and the anticipation of it all till you get there. Okay, I have got to say this wouldn't be possible without the Internet and Technology. So, maybe it's not so bad ). Back to IHOP, I didn't even know there was an IHOP in Dubai, so imagine my delight when while taking a stroll in JBR, what do I see? IHOP!! 

I have come to realize that most International food chains look well very standard, there is no x factor to it when it comes to ambiance. It almost looks the same. Hence, there is nothing much to write about the interiors and ambiance except for that it is a cross over between a fine dine and a Fast Food Chain.  

I can't have too much sweet, I prefer savory items over sweet. Though I need my sweet intake as well, I just can't over do it. Hence, ordering a whole stack of pancakes which is what most people would order when they visit an IHOP is never a good idea for me. Though I did want pancakes and hence, the best option turned out for me to combine my love of English breakfasts with Pancakes on the side. I went for the Breakfast sampler minus the veal sausages. Also, Spinach Mushroom and tomato omelette. Don't ask me why we ordered the Vegetarian Omelette. Clearly not my choice seeing that the only thing I liked about it was the mushroom. Moreover who orders a side of hash brown? Whatever happened to the regular Toast? Clearly, I wasn't happy about the choice made by my friend but I kept quiet. But I loved everything on my plate especially the beef bacon. I like my eggs to be sunny side up, I love the squishy yellow part, and turkey ham. I am a turkey fan. So it was all things I love in one plate plus the pancakes. Though they are known for their pancakes, I have got to say that it wasn't exactly the best pancakes I have had. It's good but not great and I imagined it to be great. The Omelette? If only it had meat. I think that's something my friend will have to be taught over time. Not that I mind vegetarian food but I like my food to be cooked. So it was a good fluffy omelette. No complaints there.

Over time I have come to realize that I like the local- not so local restaurants more than the international chains. Not that I don't like the international chains, I like what more they bring to the table in terms of different interiors, ambiance and their own innovation in the little things.

But yeah, I will definitely want more breakfasts at IHOP! 

WHAT WE HAD - Breakfast Sampler (Yumness)

                           Spinach Mushroom & Tomato Omelette (Yum)

DAMAGES - AED 120-150

WHERE -  IHOP, Next to Movenpick Hotel, The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Dubai

Dome Cafe, DUBAI

Dome Café, Dubai

This was my first night in the country and since we didn't want to venture too far away, neither did I have the energy for it after the amount of traveling. It might just have been a 4 hour flight but when you haven't slept properly 3 days prior to that (wedding festivities), and stayed up the entire night on the last day because the pheras complete by 7 in the morning and you have to drive down 4 hour from the hill station to the International Airport, you will be nothing but exhausted. Even, exhausted is an understatement. Life Lesson Learnt? I would do it again if I had to. It is all worth it, if it is for the right people and the right cause. 

So after walking through this mall, whose name I clearly don't recall the name but maybe it was Burjaman Centre (At least that looks the most familiar of their outlets from Zomato) This was the safest best as this is one place that is there in Bahrain and my friend's safe bet, so after walking around and checking out every other option, I was like, fine, Dome it is! Nothing else looked very interesting. Open seated café and the interiors like most other cafes around the world. Another problem I see to have is understanding the English of our Asian friends, Pilipino I presume. I have been out of the Middle east for too long. I have truly become an Indian. (That internally creates a sad feeling in me).

So I opted for the Carbonara Pasta and my friend Chicken and Mushroom Au Gratin along with an iced tea. I don't know what made me order the Carbonara here because up until now, I have never had a good experience with it. I had just put it down to things I will probably never completely like. Turns out, you just need the right place. Turns out this was my right place! Also, a huge shout out to whoever decided to make bacon out of beef. (It was added in the Carbonara in case you are wondering why am I bringing this up). Yes, Beef bacon is not bacon but just like Vegetable Biryani is not Biryani. But pyaase ko pani dikhta hai - regular tap water & mineral water nahi. (I know I make so much sense, right?). The Chicken Au Gratin, I well, love anything that has cheese in it , especially when it's melted and baked a little and this is one of the cheesiest dish you could have, so who's complaining. I also had an ice tea on the side. The one thing I like about Iced teas in most places around the Gulf is that they give you the sugar syrup on the side in a small jar, and you can add as per swaad anusar. 

Well, to sum it, I hadn't expected to like this place much. I have always been of the opinion that cafes and coffee shops can never really do complete justice to proper meals (What would you call an improper meal?  Everything I eat probably.  but the heart wants what it wants). I surprisingly wouldn't mind eating again from here i.e. if somebody is generous enough to buy me a plain ticket to Dubai )

WHAT WE HAD - Carbonara Pasta (Yumness Personified)

                           Chicken Au Gratin (Yumness Personified)

                           Lemon Iced tea (Yum)

DAMAGES - 120 -140 AED

WHERE -  Dome Cafe., Level 2, BurJuman Centre, Mankhool, Dubai