Punjab Grill, Mumbai

Punjab Grill, Phoenix Market City

This wasn't our first option on the day, I was in the mood for some continental, but it being a Saturday, there was a waiting time every where of almost 40 minutes and I wasn't really in the mood for that. Punjab Grill were kind enough to accommodate us within 10 minutes and how glad we were.

One of the reasons why I don't always prefer having Indian outside is because for some peculiar reason I find myself full too soon. However, if the same food is provided to me in the comforts of my own home, I can eat quite a lot. Told you, peculiar. 

This place is a classic fine dine, the one thing I did like a little more about the place were the chandeliers placed. I for some reason have always been in awe of chandeliers. It just adds grandeur to the place, don't you think so?! 

The service here I have mixed feelings for. There seemed to be shortage of staff so this could be one reason why it may have taken time to grab attention from the attendants. But one particular incident which was not to our liking was that we had kept trying for almost 10 minutes to call for service from one of the attendants who was a girl and it almost seemed like she was ignoring us on purpose, then when we did finally manage to make her look our way, she signed saying I will be right back and then she didn't. Might seem like a small incident, but when you are sitting there and trying to make some one pay attention to you and you are met with such odd behavior, you wonder what kind of training has been departed. My friend actually brought this to the attention of the manager because we almost felt insulted after a point as she seemed to be very highhanded. And that we cannot take. I can only hope that the Manager did something about it as we didn't intend to raise a complaint but rather just let some training be given.

The food, I must say I enjoyed and I wouldn't mind going back for. We started off with some Bharwan Khumb Peshwari and Veg Kurkuri. My favorite among the two would be the Kurkuri, which is like spring rolls, only wanton skin is used instead which adds extra crispiness. Stuffed with generous amount of cheese and minced mushrooms, olives etc. Served piping hot and I actually have to give points to presentation here. Little vodka type glassed with sweet chili sauce at the bottom and then the roll. Appealing to the eyes. The Mushrooms were big in size and was stuffed with minced paneer and some more minced mushrooms. If you are a mushrooms fan or have difficulty choosing between mushroom and paneer. Then well, this is the dish you were waiting for. 

For the mains I ordered a mutton dish and my two friends who are pure vegetarians (Alas!) ordered a mixed vegetable dish named Sabziyan di Milniyan. I couldn't even bring myself to  pronounce it. I ordered the Raarhya meat with butter naan and I was completely taken by it. This is one dish, I wouldn't mind ordering and eating at home as well, like it's delicacy and comfort food all at the same time. The mutton pieces were just done right. They hadn't been stingy in the pieces either and it was cooked in a minced mutton gravy. So it was beautiful in a way that I can't put in words. BEAUTIFUL! I would actually want to meet the chef and tell him you have won my heart with this creation. My friends enjoyed their vegetarian gravy equally. It had a distinct taste which I have never had before, I would say Jaipuri but not exactly. Even though I had tried it, I felt I couldn't be the right person to judge it as I was too preoccupied in enjoying my mutton curry. The Naan that we had however, was kind of average and I would have expected to it to be a little more soft. Also, after my recent trip to Jaipur I have realized that mutton pairs better with rice in comparison.

Would I be back here? YES! or I would just order in. At least the mutton Raarhya.

WHAT WE HAD - Veg Kurkuri (Yumness Personified)
                           Bharwan Khumb Peshwari(Yumness)

                           Sabziya di Milniyan (Yumness)

                           Mutton Raarhya (Heaven)

                           Butter Naan (Yum)

                           Mix Raita (Yumness)

                           7-Up

                           Lemon Soda (Refreshing)

DAMAGES - Rs 3400/- (Approx)

WHERE - Punjab Grill.,  Shop 81/82, 1st Floor, Kamai Junction, Kurla, Mumbai      

                    

Cafe Zoe, Mumbai

Cafe Zoe, Lower Parel

 

A place that has been raved about by most of my friends and colleagues, yet I never made it till I absolutely had to. When there is somebody like you who doesn't mind going to places not in the vicinity for meals is a blessing and I happen to have at least one such like minded friend. The others, they want the good meal but not at the cost of seeking them out. So I finally made it to Cafe Zoe when my friend was back from her vacation. On a side note, I wish I could take month long vacations too. Kahan gaye woh din??!! 

Getting to here was a task though, the place is almost hidden between narrow lanes. Ironic as once you step it's completely spacious and you wouldn't really believe that it is placed in such a location. I almost felt like I am in Europe or some equally beautiful destination and not my much loved Bombay. As much as I love Bombay, we do stay in matchboxes fighting for space everywhere we go. This place on the other hand is humongous. Also, plenty of natural light seeping through. It has an upper and a ground level as well, and we took to the upstairs. I think if nothing else, the ambiance of this place is what is going to be pulling me back here. 

The service is very mechanical and there is no personalized touch to it as such. Why I say this is because I regretted ordering a certain dish and though the error was on our end, it would have been nice if they had educated us on it as is the case whenever there is some thing off beat or not much heard of on the menu. So you should either google what you are planning to order if it sounds very new to you or ask them for it. Moreover, it was just limited to placing your orders and the same being brought to you. I didn't spot much of a smile either.

The food, I  will start with what we shouldn't have ordered  - Tenderloin Carpaccio. It sounded and looked very fancy but I wish I hadn't ordered this. I for one don't have a stomach for meat that looks almost raw and tastes a little too. This was indeed like that (See the fanciest one from the photos). To top it looked almost like a  Salad and you know how much I love salads. Not! So over all, this wasn't my cup of tea and I wish I knew that before I had ordered it. I was expecting some juicy tenderloin patties or something and this was just some thing else entirely! Moreover, it didn't seem value for money to me if you see the serving size as well. We decided to play safe for our next order the mini lamb burgers it was! This was high on flavor. I enjoyed it every bit, the patties was one of the best I have had and the bread seemed equally fresh. Though I do wish the serving size again was a little better. This was 2 mini burgers further broken down into half. Not so fair. So it's 2 mini burgers only, priced at 350 + Taxes, kind of brings the mood down. Next we went for the mains. I went for the Chicken Ravioli and my girl decided to go for Tiger Prawns Risotto. Now this was worth every penny. Well, as much as it can be in a place like this. The ravioli stuffed chicken came with a cream sauce with thyme was comforting like having something hot on a rainy day. Coincidence as it was actually raining. I can safely say they weren't stingy and the ravioli pieces were big rather than what I have come across till now which has always been smaller in size. The quantity is good for one. For the risotto, they were out of Tiger Prawns but they more than made up for it with the portion size of the prawns. I automatically hold a place in high regard if they serve good portion size when it comes to this sea food delight. Most places, even when it's priced steeply some times don't and that just leaves you disappointed. Here, I was more than happy. The risotto in my friend's word is the best she has had in this city and that's something. I agree with her. It's light, not too heavy as such but doesn't compromise on flavor. 

I would proably want to come back here in special circumstance where I am absolutely okay to splurge. This place after all doesn't exactly come cheap but if you know to order right it's value for money. The ambiance is actually the key here.

WHAT WE HAD - Tenderloin Carpaccio (Avoid)

                           Mini Lam Burgers (Yumness)

                           Chicken Ravioli (Yumness)

                           Tiger Prawns Risotto (Yumness Personified)

                           Iced Tea (Refeshing)
                           

 DAMAGES - Rs 3000/- (Approx) inclusive of wine 

WHERE - Café Zoe., Mathuradas Mills Compound, NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai

 

Tea Villa, Mumbai

Tea Villa, Thane

Another place I keep coming back to. I think I have been doing that a lot lately and and happily so. Well, this time was actually because there aren't too many options that you can explore in Thane and I was looking forward to have a good meal. Hence, wanted to skip the entire location scout. I am never disappointed with this place and it's one of my safe bets.

This outlet actually has an outer area as well and if it was Winter, then it would make for great ambiance, with the winds blowing and all. However, summers in Bombay are nothing short of hell and hence, I chose to be safely seated indoors. The ambiance is a mix of quirky and raw as is the case with all their outlets, tea cups hanging from the roof and little lights hanging from colorful tea kettles (the kind you would find at cutting chai stalls and not royal english inspired. I prefer the former in this setting). The walls are left unfinished with bricks which gives it the raw appeal.

The service here is actually slightly better than my experience at their outlets though. I have always found their service in need of improvement as they seem a little absent and you have to grab their attention. Also, a little forgetful. Though I would say there is an improvement, but it's still not at par. This time the reason was we had asked for whipped cream with their waffles (To be honest, we hadn't even been asked. It was along the lines of would you want whipped cream or ice cream with your waffle, like a choice is being provided to you and when you say whipped cream. They tell you there is an extra charge. It's a sales tactic and hence, I still didn't mind it much). However, they had forgotten to serve it. We pointed it out half way through completing our waffles, "hadn't we ordered whipped cream on the side?". When asked the attendant about it, and since we were half way through we wanted to cancel it. However, the attendant requested us not to as apparently, it would be deducted from his pay. So we didn't. However, it troubled me. Not because I had to pay that extra amount. But if the management is making use of this approach to curb errors, then it's not exactly correct and something to be looked into (And I hope if you are reading this, you do!). This is the part where I found it to be a little questionable. Otherwise, all seemed in place.

For what we had. We first called for two mock tails - Passion Fruit Mojito and Peach Iced Tea. For a change, it was not me who had ordered the Iced tea but my friend. I went for the mojito. Some times change is good. Turned out, change is actually good because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Along with the drinks, we called in for the Villa Special Hummus Platter which comes with three kinds of hummus and assorted goodies like lavash, pita bread, cucumbers and a salad. I still can't differentiate between all the different kind of hummus out there, as in what ingredients go into except the basic ones, but I do know one thing, I LOVE HUMMUS! The one thing I would have preferred it is being served more accompaniments with this, also pickled veggies. We then called in for the goodness called the Shroom Burger. A patty made of nothing but mushroom, cheddar cheese infused and soft cheese. As soon as you take a bite, cheese comes oozing out and there is nothing better than that. I at very rare occasions choose to have a Veg Burger, and this was one of those rare times, when my decision to do so did not fail me. The bun could be improved upon though, didn;t have that traditional burger bun feel to it and seemed a bit oiled. The same I would say for the onion rings served on the side. I am generally not so fond of onion rings and would always prefer fries, and even though I actually took a liking to the onion rings here, it was only after using tissue to soak some of the oil. This was something that should have been taken care of in the kitchen. Finally, we ordered for the Oreo Waffle as dessert for ourselves. I chose Oreo as too much of chocolate is off-putting to me and I get tired after a few bites. Oreos, though are my favorite and I am always eager to have them - shakes, cheesecakes, cakes, deep fried (Yeah, deep fried! This one I can actually share the recipe of). So Oreo waffles seemed ideal to me and that's what we had. Happily so. The waffles were fresh, I loved the mix of white chocolate and milk chocolate drizzled on top and also served on the side (You really don't need to even order the whipped cream on the side, if you have this).

I was elated after this meal. You would be too, if you dropped in here. There are so many outlets across of this place around the city now, so you can choose your pick. 

WHAT WE HAD - Villa Special Hummus Platter (LOOOOVEEE)

                           Mushroom Burger (Yumness Personified)

                           Oreo Waffles (Yumness Personified)

                           Peach Iced Tea (Refreshing)

                           Passion Fruit Mojito (Refreshing)

DAMAGES - Rs 1200/- (Approx)

WHERE - Tea Villa Cafe Thane. ,Shop 1& 2, Y-Building, Flower Valley, Opposite Viviana Mall,Eastern Express Highway, Majiwada, Thane West

Goregaon Social, Mumbai

Goregaon Social, Goregaon

I was happy to be here, as always. It's been a while since I have visited a social and my experience in all of them have always been on a positive note. My favorite by far is the Khar Social. I was super excited to bring my friend here who had never been to these place before, but unfortunately the experience ended on a sour note.

The place is designed to imitate a cathedral and is pretty mesmerizing. The service here is as always good. We actually had luggage with us as my friend had just arrived from out of the city and the staff was kind enough to find place and help us with the seating and everything. 

I have always found their breakfast to be of great value for money and the combinations offered. My friend ordered the Big Apple Breakfast and I ordered the Punjabi Dhingra Breakfast. One thing that irked us here was that the food took more than 30 minutes to arrive and we were the only customers at this point so we were really hoping the wait was shorter. This could be because the day had just started as it was 11 am in the morning. But my experience in the other Socials have not been this way so I can't really say. However, all was hunky dory and finally after a long wait our food made it's way to our eagerly awaiting table. 

The Big Apple Breakfast comes with french fries, sausages, toasted bread, jam-butter, blue berry pancakes with a side of maple syrup and eggs however, you want it. I have always loved this platter except for the blue berry pancakes which some how they never get it right. Some times it's undercooked, some times it's bland, some times it's rubbery. This time around it was almost okay except for the parts where the blue berry was where the batter seemed to be not cooked properly. Yet, as far as pancakes go, I would not recommend Social. Everything else? Wonderful! I even love the freshness of their bread which seems to be right out of the over or something. The french fries are always on point, and seems like they are air fried as you can't detect the oiliness anywhere, which is the best part for me. The eggs were sunny side up and perfectly done. For the Punjabi Breakfast I had chosen Paneer Paratha which comes with chhole, achar, curd on the side. Some lassi, chai and a piece of Samosa too. The Paneer Paratha is heavenly and I was trasnported to Amritsar where I had first had a Paneer Paratha with dollops of butter on the side. I appreciated the fact that they used the kala chana for the chhole which added authenticity to the punjabi breakfast combo. The masala chai was a pleasant surprise as I always find in most non-Indian specialty restaurants that the tea is almost bland. Here, it was exactly like the ones you would find in small tea stalls. I had it with the samosa and I was overjoyed. But as always there has to be a down side, what I looked forward to most was the Lassi. However, the lassi was unsweetened and infact looked and felt exactly like the curd they had given on the side, only instead of in the bowl, they had put it in the tumbler. Too thick and set to be called a Lassi. Disappointed there. 

Now comes the part which questions whether I will ever return to this place. I was 75% through my breakfast that I spotted a very very very tiny little cockroach on the table, on the side of the wooden tray they had served breakfast to us on. Upon closer look, it seemed there wasn't just one but two more. They were extremely tiny ones, almost liked they had just hatched but gave me a nightmare and made me lose my appetite there and then because God alone knows where all they were and I don't even want to talk about it because like I said, where all were they. And this a big NO. We even told this to our attendant, and he seemed to have spoken to the manager and I could see them discussing it but as soon as we called for our bill, they seemed to have forgotten about it and let us leave without asking anything on it. We were just eager to pay and leave at this point and seemed like as long as we were ready to pay the bill and leave quietly, didn't bother them either. From this point on, I don't know if I would want to revisit a social, I am always going to be wondering how many more of these roaches are there. 

WHAT WE HAD - Big Apple Breakfast

                           Punjabi Dhingra Breakfast
  

DAMAGES - Rs 900/- (Approx)

WHERE - Goregaon Social. Third Floor, The Oberoi Mall, Goregaon East, Mumbai

Mumbai Vibe, Mumbai

Mumbai Vibe, Bandra

Another tick off the list. I had wanted to visit this place mainly because of it's name, Mumbai Vibe. Like any other Mumbaikar would tell you, Once a Mumbaikar, always a Mumbaikar. If you have made this city your home, no place is good enough. Hence, when a cafe bar opens up and calls itself Mumbai Vibe, you definitely want to check out how much of the Mumbai Vibe does the place make you feel. I was finally here to find out.

One of the things that I find very interesting is the way photographs can manipulate with what you see. No, no bad vibes. But I had assumed the place to be much bigger having a look at the photos than it actually is. It is spread over 2 floors - ground and upper, so it does have space, but vertically so. Also, they have a garden area outside which looks very beautiful. But the start of the rainy season and the heat doesn't make it ideal for the weather and we decided to sit inside as well. If  you like me, enjoy conversation as part of your meal be wise enough to sit down stairs, as here the volume of the music is comparatively low. If you go upstairs, it's more a bar and if that's your scene then your well set. Overall, they can cater to different moods. You will see the walls painted with things that define Mumbai including the the red BEST bus. They even have board games if you want to play. 

The service is something that will bring a smile to your face. Even though the sofas are reserved for groups of 4 or more, and we were 3, upon requesting, they let us sprawl ourselves over them instead of resorting to sitting on high stools on the upper floor or the garden area which was relatively empty. They know their menu well and are ready to customize it to your preferences if required and also recommend dishes which is a big plus from me. I always say this many a times, you don't know what will work for you from the menu and what not. Not everything that looks good may be and every Kitchen has their highly recommended and some not so much. Knowing that and letting your customer be informed can do wonders for your business.

We ordered for the Chicken 65 tarts and butter Garlic Mushroom with Crostini to begin with. We also ordered mock-tails and a green tea for one of the friend (Never, ever order Green Tea at a Restaurant, unless and until they are brewing it themselves. My middle class upbringing shows up in things like these. Why would I pay 200 Rs for a teabag, when I can buy the entire  20 for the same??!! I may be wrong, but I really want restaurants serving tea to brew it rather than provide a tea bag. It is not at all value for money). But my friend never the less went for it. The chicken 65 tarts come in mini tarts and is served on top of a toy truck. Fancy. They are good to look at and are good to eat. The chicken 65 is rather authentic and that's a rarity I have found, because this delicacy is my mommy's special as well. The butter garlic mushroom is creamy and is almost like a thick soup served with crostini or let's just say a version of garlic bread and makes your stomach feel warm and fuzzy. The mock-tails we ordered were had some fancy names paying ode to Mumbai - I think one had a Bandra in it's name and another Mumbai. I can't seem to ever remember mock-tails names. Both of them were refreshing and tangy. Though the second one which I had ordered was a little different from the mock-tails I have had till now. It had a strong flavor of cinnamon in it and drinking it almost felt like you were eating a cinnamon roll. It really grows on you and I almost want it now. For the mains we ordered the Spaghetti Bella Roma and Chicken Makhani Plate with Oven Baked Naan. The Spaghetti was devoid of any sauces, a little like Aglio Olio, and initially I would never like Pasta without sauce it it seems to have grown on me and I almost find the subtle flavors of spaghetti preferable. they are many a times lighter on the stomach and yet flavorful. The Chicken Makhni came with naan and some dal makhni on the side as well. All the 3 are technically my favorite things and even though over all it seemed good, it was too sweet for my palette. Almost like someone had accidentally put a cup of sugar in it. 

Over all my experience was a little above average at the place. Though it's named Mumbai Vibe, I couldn't find myself completely jibing to it. A good place to hang out with your friends but if food is your focal point, then it's nothing extraordinary.

WHAT WE HAD - Butter Garlic Mushroom with Crostini (Yumness)

                           Chicken 65 Tarts (Yumness)

                           Spaghetti Bella Roma (Yumness)

                           Chicken Makhni (Yumness)

                           Mocktail

                           Mocktail

                       Green Tea (Avoid ordering Green Tea unless and until it's freshly brewed)

DAMAGES - Rs 2400/- (Approx)

WHERE - Mumbai Vibe., Ganga Jamuna Block, 14th Road, Linking Road, Bandra West

Bombay Food Truck, Mumbai

Bombay Food Truck, BKC

YAY! Food Truck! Finalllllyyyy...! I have had a string of  misfortune with this place. or vehicle, I guess. The first time I wanted to try this out, they had yet to set up at the event due to some exigencies and it would take up 2 extra hours or so. The next time, some thing similar. Then it was at the location on Day 2 and not Day 1, which meant I missed it. Though I have had the Butter Chicken Fries from their other venture Poutinewalla. I had almost thought maybe it's not meant to be, till my BIRTHDAY!! 

This place operates from BKC and is parked in one of the many business parks here and you will find it operational only till 7.30, Monday to Friday. I happen to live in the vicinity and yet I have never been able to try it out. The concept of hanging by a truck seemed interesting to me as you mostly see this in the West and we are not very acquainted with the concept here. Hence, it added to the intrigue to for me. 

Their food is actually what caught my fancy because it is all about the food after all, ain't it?! Even though you will find fusion food everywhere, there seems to be an authenticity in the food here where in the local flavors are returned and well baanced with the fusion. It gives you the feeling that you are having not one but two variety of dish in one! Such is their Bombay Dog. We ordered the Bombay Dog which is a Hot Dog but infused with Keema Pav. Basically the bread roll used is smeared with Keema (One of the best keema or minced meat masala I have had till date) and then topped with your chicken frank, then it has your sour cream sauce and all, and mustard if you please. The First bite and I knew the wait was worth it. And that I wasn't wrong in wanting to try this out. I am smitten, if that's possible. I wanted to have their actual Keema Pav as well, but they change their menu every month, and it wasn't on this month. Then I wanted to have the Hummus because it's my Go-To meal, but my friend wasn't so keen on it. Hummus, some times is an acquires taste and she doesn't enjoy it all that much. So, in the end we ordered the Nachos. Huge fan of Nachos that I am, I sometimes feel after a while it gets soggy and the chips lose their crunchiness and that's when I lose my appetite for it as well. I like all my food to have crunch, even bread at times . However, it was how good nachos should be otherwise. And my friend finished 70% of it and the other was my contribution. 

We also had two lemonades and it was pretty refreshing. I would recommend having 2-3 more options at least in the refreshment category. 

WHAT WE HAD - Bombay Dog (Yumness Personified)

                           Nachos with House made Salsa (Yumness)

                           Lemonade/ Fresh Lime Water (Refreshing)

DAMAGES - Rs 470 (Approx)

WHERE - Bombay Food Truck., One BKC, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai (Monday to Friday)

For Weekend Updates, follow them on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/foodtruckbombay/?hl=en

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

D Crepe's Cafe, Mumbai

D Crepe's Cafe, Thane.

This is one of my most visited places, and now even more because it's literally at a walking distance from my office. Only, most of the times, I order my usual which is why I don't feel the need for a blog update. Though there was something that had caught my eye and I had been meaning to have that and hence the update!

I still prefer the Meadows outlet, because this contains less space and is very tightly spun. The meadows outlet has a more bright vibe to it and spacious (even before the expansion, because I have been coming here since then). Even small spaces can be made to look bigger with the right arrangement. However, since I do love the food, I make do with it. One huge turn off however is the towels drying on the outside. Though no fault of D Crepes because this is actually courtesy the next door saloon I believe, but still a little shabby. Not really welcoming for the saloon either. There are racks and racks of towels. 

The main, which is the food here is par excellence. So this time I called in for the Bangers and Mash which is what I had been eyeing and we also ordered Garlic Bread topped with Tomato, Olive, Pesto and Cheese and also Mexican Paneer Pita with Potato wedges. This summed up our mains. The Bangers and Mash came with a cheesy-alfredo type base where as I was expecting the Onion gravy which is more common. It has mushrooms grated and a base of mashed potatoes with garlic bread and sausages (Divine) laid on top. Maybe this is a new take on Bangers and Mash but it definitely delighted me. I anyways have a soft corner for creamy alfredo sauce. And it had sausage! Aur kya chahiye life mein??!! The garlic bread is another divine story, overloaded with cheese and topped with olives, the thing that actually brings the flavor up a notch was the pesto sauce used at the base. The Mexican Paneer Pita, however was another story. Unfortunately, disappoints. We expected it to be bursting of mexican flavors, wrapped in a pita wrap. But all this was a thick pita bread some paneer and veggies mixed as a filling. Didn't look great, neither tasted great. It honestly was like some one had just tossed some veggies in the frypan added some haldi-mirch and put it in the bread. Not really what I was expecting. 

We also ordered a small dessert treat, the berry crumble crepe. Happiness Personified! I am a huge fan of their crepes and till now I had only had the savory ones, so I ordered the sweet ones because that's what crepes are supposed to be right? Sweet?! The crepes as soft and melt in the mouth always, what was beautiful about it was that the filling was made up of blue berry compote, some oreo, some cream cheese, and some toffee sauce. It was a cheese cake crepe! They should rename it cheese cake crepe! Because that is what it was! And I LOVE CHEESECAKES! So cheese cake crepe? DIVINE! We ordered two mocktails on the side - Blue Bay Driver and Kokum Mint Soda. I am not a huge fan of Kokum, but I loved mine and they looked pretty as well like summer colors! Will make you thirsty immediately.

D Crepes is one of those rare places, where the food is worth more than what you pay for because it's not steep priced, doesn't have too many taxes etc and the food is mind blowing except a miss or two! 

WHAT WE HAD - Bangers & Mash (Yumness Personified)

                           Garlic Bread with Tomatoes, Olives and Pesto (Divine)

                           Mexican Paneer Pita (AVOID)

                           Berry Crumble Crepe (DIVINE)

                           Blue Bay Driver (Refreshing)

                           Kokum Mint Soda (Thumbs up)

DAMAGES - 1200/- (Approx)

WHERE -  D'Crêpes Café., Shop 2, Avila Building, Near Godrej Nature's Basket, Hiranandani Estate, Thane West

Papacream, Mumbai

PAPACREAM, Churchgate

My third time in the shop, and my second review. The thing that had pulled me back here this time around was a particular ice cream that is being much publicized on social media. While I had wanted to have this before as well, but somehow felt wary about it. I know I love food but some times it's difficult to wary from what you already know of. 

The one thing, I have to say is that the place looked just a tiny bit shabbier from my previous visit. The sparkle that the place had seems to have been robbed somehow. It doesn't look dirty or unkempt but that sparkle seemed to be missing. That extra mile you go to make a place look beautiful. The daily upkeep. The walls and tiles had lost its sheen. And I say this because my first trip here had me in awe of the decor of the place.

So coming to the ice creams we ordered, the much talked about Pani Puri Ice cream and red velvet bubble waffle sundae. There is so much talk on the Pani Puri Icream and this is what I had come to try. Little baskets of puri, though not as thin as the original puri, topped with some Potato mousse (which has a little bit of a mayo taste to it as well), and provided separately a sorbet made out of teekha pani from which Pani puri gets its identity. Be cautious here, and don't overload your puri with the teekha sorbet. Remember this is ice cream and your teeth are going to feel the chill. This is exactly what I did. All I had in my head was pan-puri so I just swooped it in my mouth till I felt the cold hit my teeth and I regretted it almost instantly. Otherwise, it's quite innovative and should be in your list of things to try out. This is probably the answer to all those pani puri lovers who go ''bhaiyya, aur pani do na". There is more of the sorbet than the puri baskets, so you will have a lot of pani to yourself. 

The other item we ordered was the Red Velvet Bubble waffle sundae with Blue Berry Ice cream, topped with some whipped cream, blue berry compote and garnished with cheese cake crumble. Dreamy right? It is or was. The waffle had a crunch at the sides and was soft in the middle which is exactly how I like my waffle. The downer? Didn't really taste like red velvet. It seemed to be almost like a red velvet, because you could find a subtle flavor of it, but then that's not what red velvet is right?! If I had ordered a normal waffle and received this, I would have said on point, but for the red velvet. And I especially minded this a little because my sister who I had brought here is a huge fan of red velvet and keeps telling me to get her some red velvet cupcakes, cakes and everything in red velvet out there and I had wanted to treat her to this delight. But she couldn't even tell it was red velvet and that's how I say that it was slightly disappointing. 

Even though Bombay has gotten innovative in it's dessert and ice cream scence in the recent past, the pani puri ice cream from this place is not to be missed. They also have various other quirky flavors. I would also highly recommend the bubble waffle sundae, the doughnut-wich, the guava sorbet. Next I want is to try is the hummus. 

WHAT WE HAD - Pani Puri Ice Cream (Delighted)

                          Red Velvet Bubble Waffle Sundae (Yumness)

DAMAGES - Rs 500/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Papacream. 18, Cambatta Building, J.T Road, Churchgate, Mumbai

Morselo, Mumbai

Morselo, Powai

Powai is considered to be one of the most posh location of the city, what with it being designed by seeking inspiration from Venice. Glamorous as it is, I some how don't always find myself very keen to pay visit here. I like Colaba for it'd old alleys and Bandra for it's shopping and night life, it's always buzzing with life. So is Andheri for that matter. Powai? A cross over between a Corporate Jungle and a Residential town doesn't have much to offer to some one like me. Maybe I find myself out of place here. And still, I find myself coming back here at least once in a month. 

Mostly, when I am in the vicinity, I drop by Theobroma, but this time I decided to skip it and I try something new. Morselo, is what caught my eye upon browsing through Zomato, seemed economical as well. 

It's a small joint and you might almost miss it since it's situated in Galleria's Food Court. But Thank God that it isn't actually situated in the Food Court. (Here is where the parallel dies between the likes of Italy, everything in the Food Court Area is unkempt and unhygienic, I would much rather go to a Dhaba than have food here). Morselo, however, is a smal outlet with it's own dining area and hence you can manage to have a meal here. Though, I would still recommend getting a take away as it's pretty tiny and can seat maybe 4 people. 

The service is quick and warm, as should be the case of fast food joints and you can see they are eager to please. The concept they have is of serving baked bread with fillings inside. You can make an entire meal out of it and they seem to have quite a few options from Indian to Continental. They have ranges from light to full meal and you can decide as per you appetite, what would you want to go for. We went for one Full Meal which comprises of Brownie, Potato Wedges, Chicken Nuggets (for lack of another name), a micro salad and the Baked Fill of your choice. The other one we ordered was the light meal which had hasselback potatoes, baked fill and a micro salad. The two also comes with a refreshing drink called the Lemon Twist. I had ordered the Chicken Florentine and my friend ordered the Exotic Italian Veg. The Chicken Florentine had a mix of spinach, corn and Chicken with creamy sauce. The Exotic Italian Veg had assorted veggies topped with cheese and had more tomato tangy type sauce. Even though both were equally good, I personally can't have too much of sauce, I like it being balanced with bread, but here since it was the filling, there was more filing than bread and it becomes a little too much for me. Hence, it is a good thing that I had other stuff to change taste in between. The wedges seemed a little dry in flavor and even though I prefer wedges always, this is one time I didn't find it up to the mark. The hasselback potatoes which came with the other meal was what I attacked. To anyone it would seem like these are just boiled and sprinkled with some spices on top. But in it's simplicity lied it's magic. I wish I could recreate them at home. The chicken nuggets were good too and the brownie was exactly how I like it, not over sweetened, topped with chocolate sprinkles (the kind that look like Hershey). 

If you are in the neighborhood or if you are simply looking for something different for your office lunch (After all Corporate Hub), then you should give this place a shot and give the Burger-Fries Combo a miss.

WHAT WE HAD - Exotic Italian Veg Combo (Yumness)                

                           Chicken Florentine Full Meal (Yumness)

DAMAGES - Rs 800/- (Approx)

WHERE -  Morselo., 164, First Floor, Galleria Shopping Mall, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai