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