Restaurant Review: Madeira and Mime

 Madeira and Mime at Powai is quite a distance away from my home in Bandra(about an hour away), but I readily accepted the invite for the review of this newly opened gastro-pub, simply because the staff is differently abled (all are speech and hearing challenged) and since I am associated with differently abled persons,(mainly mentally challenged persons) at SBP, I was most anxious to learn about how different this experience would be.

My friend and I were greeted by a friendly staff who guided us to the most comfortable table in the centre of the room. We were introduced to Rohit Pandey, who would be at our wait staff. A brief introduction with the help of his assistant made us understand the sign language that we would use to interact with the staff. Rohit, the sweet and polite kid was quite attentive to our comfort. Served our meals with great precision, stood at fair distance away from our table and was quick to clear the plates as soon as we finish one course after another.

In sign language we learnt to say Thank you (by tipping on the chin with two fingers) and sorry (rotating a closed fist over the left chest) The menu card clearly showed the sign language and how we could interact with the staff.

The menu was focused on comfort food. There were dishes such as Ramen, Pasta, rolls, street food like sandwiches, burgers, pao-walla. For complete meal there was this interesting rice plate selection like pilaf and biryani. We were just two of us, friend is veg and I could eat non-veg. We asked them to serve small portions so that we could try more dishes.

While we waited for our order to arrive, I glanced around the restaurant taking in the beautiful surroundings. The bar tender was busy mixing drinks. On the other side was open kitchen, we could see lot of activity while the dishes churned out efficiently on the order expressed in sign language.It seemed like a graceful dance as they moved their fingers to put their message across. The ambience was very vibrant.

On one side of the room was this huge, left ajar fridge filled up not with food stuff or chocolates but it had games  such as UNO and Jenga that one could play and while away their time with friends over food and drinks. There were also some comic books and novels for more serious clients. It sent the message across that one could bring the games or books to their table and sit as long as one wished and management loved having people around for fun and pleasure.

This gastro –pub is the sister outlet of another fusion restaurant called  ‘Mirchi and Mime which has been quite a success. The food is okay, still at initial stages but open to suggestions and willing to improve to suit the indian palate. I am specially impressed by this concept of providing equal opportunities’ to differently abled persons.

I had a very good experience dining at this restaurant, I would recommend this place to all my friends who like to relax and eat food at leisure.

Restaurant Review – Urban Street Café

Not that we were hungry at that hour, we had cappuccino and garlic bread just an hour ago at a coffee shop, but we needed some other place to sit and chat. Friend called up and informed us about a new eating joint at Khar station road just opposite the main market. She said that it was launched just fifteen days ago. We decided to try it out.

A small cozy café, you could miss it if you were just passing by but it had a great flashy letter board to attract us.

There was a cart of street food at the entrance with variety of different chaat (like Golgappas, Dahi Puri, Sev Puri, Papri Chaat, etc.) that one would enjoy snacking on Deli streets.

picture courtesy, a friend who went back the next day

Try the ‘PalakChaat’ the boy at the counter suggested. It was the spinach fritters that would be doused with curd, and topped with chutney and garnish. If it wasn’t for the sweet curd, we would have ordered it immediately. But sweetness is the the flavour I don’t normally relish. We asked for menu to understand what other options café had to offer.

There were few metal tables spread out in the open. The exterior ambience was good with colorful bamboo rods, bamboo curtains and some colorful metal artifacts everywhere. Through the glass dividing wall, I could see the air-conditioned interiors artistically done with large graphics dominating one walls and colorful stairs leading up to the private office, upstairs

We ordered just two dishes and we were not disappointed. I loved this perfectly cooked dish that was spicy and tasty, just the way I like it.

Soyabean Kheema Pav

Chhole Puri

This is a great place for vegetarian people. They have a large selection of international dishes. Indian, Indonesian, Arabic, Italian, a little of each, the favorite one...they have all desi and pardesi cuisine.

Pasta is the dish one must try, (although I am not a pasta fan - an Italian with Indian touch) the management insisted that we try their speciality. We were too full but promised to try on our next visit. However, my friend went back the next day to try their pasta and palak fritters and she says its ‘too good!’ so I must try that on my next visit.

The owner, Abhishek Gupta, personally came to our table for our feedback and discussed his great plans for making this café a success. He plans to have a live cooking station of hot jalebis at the entrance. He was open to new ideas and his face lit up when my friend suggested that they serve dhal Pakwan during breakfast hours.

He offered us a complimentary mocktail that he made specially for us, mixing beet root with sprite and adding some Indian spices and herbs. It tasted good.

A great dining experience, I would definitely recommend a second visit, specially for my vegetarian guests.

Fable, Italian restaurant at Juhu

My friends and me, we meet regularly, either for pot lunch or in a restaurant. A big discussion follows on selecting a venue when eating out, we normally look for place where we can chill over long conversations and enjoy good food.

Fables seemed a perfect choice this time since we were in mood for Italian cuisine.

The décor was very inviting with open fireplace for roasting Pizzas, designer tables, a wishing well and beautiful artistic windows and lamps.

Themed around books/stories/tales, (as the name fables suggests) this place is dainty and elegant. The place was full during lunch hour, specially the enclosed AC area, We chose a table at far corner where we could do gup-shup in peace.

Menu card was interesting with stories and graphics between pages. So while we decide on the choice of dishes, going through those graphics was a pure delight

We ordered Lychee-lemon grass coolers, first two and then two more because they were very refreshing.

Pizza, unfortunately was very disappointing. The crust was okay (grilled under open fire) but the topping had no taste at all, no herbs, less salt and it was soggy

But the winner was the salad that had perfect blend of sweet and sourness. It was quinoa and barley salad with mixed lettuce, onions, cherry tomatoes in chilli maple dressing.

It would have been better, had we ordered just french fries, the chilie and cheese on the fries did no justice at all.....

Service is good. I asked waiter to bring me the most attractive dessert and he brought me this cheesecake with raspberry sauce. Loved it.

The restaurant is reasonably priced but service tax(15%) and service charges(20%) spikes the bill up to 35%.

Calling home service seems to be a better option. We save on the service charges

But dining in a restaurant has its own charm. The stories flow fluently  and there is no hassle of running to the kitchen every two minutes and missing the conversation in bits and pieces.

Would I go back to this restaurant again? I am not sure…

Traditional Asian Meals at China Bistro

I love folk tales and also love food stories, so when I got an invite from FBAI for Food-bloggers meet at China Bistro with the promise of listening to the stories about terracotta army of the first Emperor of China, King Qin Shi Huang, I couldn’t refuse.

The story starts at the entrance itself where two terracota warriors at the gate and one at the door welcomes you at the entrance.

The interior of the China Bistro at Worli (they have four branches spread across city of Mumbai) is very appealing with chinese paintings on the walls, and the restaurant divided into sections of different shapes and sizes for private dining experience.

I was guided to a well-lit room, big enough to seat 12 people, table arranged with great precision so that one could identify the non-vegetarian and vegetarian from a gold and silver ribbons wound around folded napkin.

The story, as was narrated by Mr.Nikhil, (the party host), was about Chinese Warriors, who tended to be more romantic and had distinct personality as influenced by Confucianism and the same reflected in the way they ate. Their food had earthy flavors that possessed the resemblance to their charm, strength and indignation with the use of spice and local meats. Like their King, they protected their recipes too. China Bistro believes that terracota warriors came to protect these recipes like they protected him in his afterlife, behind his grave.

The secret unfolded as the colorful drinks made their appearance at the tables. I had ordered ‘Watermelon and Basil Mojito’ that I sipped throughtout the meals, crunching on the soft watermelon pieces in between meals. There was a great variety of drinks (Cucumber and Wasabi Mojito, Green Apple and Basil Margarita, blue-moon Martini, Raspberry Mojito,etc and each catered to individual’s palate. Bellini seemed to be the favorite of all (I took just one sip out of curiousity ) and was on our table discussion for the longest time.

I am still relishing on the taste palate that had stumped me on that day. (Okay, I am still drooling) When there is a large variety to choose from, one is confused on which ones to linger on. it is advisable to just take a spoonful of each. We often forget that and start devoring all the dishes in large quantity till tummy protests to stop. But who can resist when the food is tasty?

Yes, I had all these dishes, but was only able to nibble on small portion to get their taste. If I had to go back again, I would order only two starters, my favorite  would be `Korean BBQ chicken’ (the sizzling hot, tender chicken was amazing) and pancake-shaped Boa, that seems to be the latest trend, it was soft and sweetest, it paired wonderfully with BBQ Pickled Chicken.

Okay I was too stuffed and wanted to go for a small walk. A small contest for best photographs and some quiz was held in-between meals for some interaction while we cooled and cleansed our palate with lychee popsicle.

This was followed by dinner of some more food (actually plenty more). Having nibbled on all the dishes, there was appetite for some more. Had I feasted on starters, I would not have been able to enjoy the delicious dinner.  I loved the Thai Green Curry with Jasmine Rice, it took me back to the memories of my Bangkok visit.

I am not too fond of desserts and did not taste the Thai Guave icecream and Sponge Cake with Caramel Topping, but I think that everybody was too full and were not able to eat/relish the big piece of sponge cake either (such a waste to eat only half and leave the rest in plates)

China Bistro is a good choice for me and I would definitely visit again, I like spicy, delicately cooked and tasty food and the cuisine here did not disappoint……