REVIEW: EARTH CAFE

A dairy free cafe in the heart of bandra, at first you might think, oh I’m not vegan so it’s not for me, but one visit and you’re sure to fall in love with the space!
Located at Waterfield Road, firstly I love the name, Earth Cafe, is located above Pernia’s Pop Up and might not be that easy to locate.

As you enter, the airy and bright place will bring a smile on your face, the pink walls, the big clock and the road facing view (with no traffic noise). I went here with a vegan friend and she took over the ordering. We had the vegan pizza (yes, with vegan cheese), Nachos and the Pretty P Cold Coffee which was prepared with Almond Milk, Espresso, Dark Chocolate and Cream.

My coffee was awesome and I really enjoyed the almond milk. The pizza, well, I’ve had vegan pizza before only to be disappointed but I’m happy to share that this one tasted nothing like it, this one was delicious! The Nachos were great too. We also had the cheesecake, which was not as dense as a regular cheesecake, but nevertheless, tasted yummy! If there were more vegan places, that created food like that, I would definitely consider turning vegan. Kudos to the service too, we got some great recommendations from the owner who was around, checking on us from time to time. Another cafe on my list of favourites and what a great job at making a non-vegan enjoy vegan food!

Venue: Earth Cafe

Overall rating

Waterfield Road, Bandra West

Landmark: Above Pernia’s Pop Up

Phone: +91 96190 33393

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and The Big Flip Bar at @earthcafewaterfield

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: Kebab Korner, Intercontinental Marine Drive

Kebab Korner has been one of my favourite restaurants for Indian food and on my recent visit here, I was so delighted that it still maintains the standards even after all these years.
Dropped by on Saturday night after making prior reservations. We were in for a surprise, there were ghazal singers performing live and they had set the atmosphere for a perfect dinner.

With a gorgeous view of Marine Drive and soft melodious ghazals playing in the backdrop, we started to place our order. We ordered for – the Butter Garlic Tandoori Jhinga, perfectly cooked tiger prawns in lots of butter, really yummy, the Murgh Afghani: succulent pieces of chicken breast cooked in cream and yellow spices, this one is a must try, the Murgh Kakori Kebab – minced chicken served like seekh, every bite of this melts in the mouth, so so good! We also tried the Tandoor Lamb Chops – again, cooked to perfection with a smoked flavour. For mains, they recommended the biryanis since they currently have a biryani festival going on. We tried the Murgh Sufiyani Biryani which came accompanied with dal makhani, raita and saalan, a very big portion so get ready to enter foodcoma!

For desserts we tried the Gulkand Panacotta, something different, flavoured panacotta topped with a dollop of gulkand, a great option for Paan lovers. On our way out, we were offered paan as well, alongwith candies, which were stacked in huge sacks by the entrance. So much fun!

Our meal was an absolute meat feast and we are looking forward to going back here with friends and family soon. A special mention to the amazing service, well informed, polite, prompt and very helpful.

Venue: Kebab Korner

Overall rating

Intercontinental Marine Drive

Phone: +91 22 6639 9999

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and Intercontinental  at @interconmd

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

REVIEW: THE BIG FLIP BAR

Another new bar in Bandra and this time it serves great food!
The Big Flip Bar has opened next to Bonobo on Linking Road and is a spacious bar with a few tables for diners. We went here on a weekday and it was pretty empty. They were playing great music and screening the match as well.

We tried a lot of food and most of it was great but here is the stuff I would definitely recommend. The Rosemary Spiced Stuffed Mushroom which was cheesy and yummy, the Ajwaini Spiced Potato Skins, were one of my favourites, came with Yellow Cheddar and Ranch Dressing, the Peshawari Pasliyaan – Tandoori Lamb Chops, so succulent and delicious, loved them and the Teriyaki Chicken Meal Bowl that came with rice was full of flavour and a must try.

Most of the desserts were not available the day we went so we just tried the Belgian Chocolate Verrine, which was alright. The Thandai Mousse and Rum Cake sounded like a better bet but were unavailable. In the drinks, we tried the Bull Frog, super potent, came with Gin, Vodka, Rum, Tequila, Triple Sec and Red Bull. Not for the faint hearted 🙂

The service was friendly and prompt, so no complaints there. Overall, the place looks and feels great. Looking forward to going back there on a weekend!

Venue: The Big Flip Bar

Overall rating

Linking Road, Bandra West

Landmark: Above KFC

Phone: +91 8879015221

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and The Big Flip Bar at @thebigflipbar

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: Sorrentina by Foodhall

When foodhall opened in our neighbourhood, we were like yay! But when we got to know that it houses an Italian restaurant, it was like double yay!

Not many places that we go to we can say this, our meal was perfect!

Sorrentina is located on the top level of Foodhall and has a brightly lit ambience with a sorbet counter, an open bar and kitchen and a huge wood fire oven.
We dropped by for dinner and we were seated next to the window with a road facing view.

We started our meal with a Salad and the Tagliere Di Formaggi – a cheese platter with Italian Cheese, Olives and bread, quite nice though we could’ve been happier with some extra bread. Next we ordered the Gamberetti Alla Diavola – Prawns prepared in a spicy tomato sauce served with buttered bread. Really really delicious, loved the flavour of the sauce. We also tried a couple of mains, the Gnocchi which was cooked to perfection and the Pizza was oh-so-delicious! The highlight of our meal was the dessert, the Tiramisu, it melted in the mouth and was so sinful that we had to have two servings!

The service was really good as well. The only thing that was probably missing was a glass of wine with our meal which I’m sure they will start serving soon.

Overall, Sorrentina is a must try for everyone who loves Italian food, we are definitely looking forward to our second visit here!

Venue: Sorrentina by Foodhall

Overall rating

Linking Road, Santacruz West

Landmark: Opposite Tommy Hilfiger

Phone: +9198191 89987

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and Sorrentina at @sorrentinabyfoodhall

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: 10th Street Cafe, Khar

The latest entrant in the vegetarian food scene in Mumbai is 10th Street Cafe. We visited the Khar outlet on a Thursday evening and it was quite occupied for a weekday. We sat in the outdoor section as the weather was pleasant.

Cute little place with a bar and a brightly lit indoor section. We ordered for the Quinoa Bean salad which was tossed in a Balsamic Vinegar Dressing and topped with Sour Cream and Avocado. It was fresh, crunchy and delicious. In the appetizers, we tried the Arancini Balls which was served on a bed of Arrabiata sauce. The sauce was great but the rice balls could’ve been, maybe a little more cheese?

Coming to the mains, we had the Spinachy Goat Cheese Pizza, a must try, it was too good, loved the combination of herbed mushrooms, spinach and goat cheese! And we tried the Peri Peri Rice with Mushroom Stew, this was a complete meal for one! The stew was spicy and the rice was prepared with a lot of veggies.

Coming to the desserts, we would totally recommend the Almond Praline Cookie which is also their signature dessert. Layers of Biscuit Crumble, Chocolate and Praline and is served with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. Only thing that I would like to point out is that the bartender forgot to add alcohol to my Basil Pomtini, which they apologized for later so it’s alright.

Overall, the food and the service was great, definitely a must visit for some great comfort food.

Venue:  10th Street Cafe

Overall rating

Khar West

Landmark: Near Domino’s

Phone: +9187790 92308

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and 10th Street Cafe at @10thstreetcafe

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: The Sindhi Kitchen

Being a Sindhi myself, when I was invited to try out The Sindhi Kitchen, I was totally looking forward to it.

The Sindhi Kitchen is a delivery kitchen that delivers in and around Santacruz West. Their menu comprises of some of the most popular Sindhi dishes and here are somethings that you must try.

The Keema Tikki melts in the mouth and is perfectly cooked, the Dahi Vada is soft, tasty and full of flavour, the Kachaalloo is a Sindhi side dish that is usually served with Curry Chawal, these guys nailed it!

Dal Pakwan fans, this is a must try here. The Pakwans are thin and crispy and compliment the dal perfectly, the Keema Pav was my favourite inspite of not being a big fan of mutton. For desserts, we had the Singhar Ji Mithai and it was sinful, not too sweet and just the way I like it.

Overall, the Sindhi Kitchen made me feel at home with the authentic and absolutely delectable Sindhi fare. Perfect for ordering in on a day when you’re in the mood for a comforting meal.

Venue:  The Sindhi Kitchen

Overall rating

Santacruz

Landmark: Near Dhan Potohar Gurudwara

Phone: +91 9326171966

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and The Sindhi Kitchen at @sindhikitchen

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: MYXX

With the few Asian restaurant options that we have, we are always looking for new places to try out. We came across Myxx and even though it was a Tapas Bar, we decided to try it out for dinner.

Located in the by lanes of Juhu, opposite Harry’s, Myxx has two sections – outdoor and indoor. In the inside section they have high tables as well as regular tables, a bar that extends on one side of the restaurant and brick textured walls. There was music but thankfully it wasn’t too loud and we could have a decent conversation.

Their menu is quite extensive and has everything from Soups, Salads, Sushis, Baos, Dimsums, Small Plates, Tapas, Woks, Mains and Desserts. We ordered for the following: Burrata Cheese Salad which came with a lot of greens topped with a generous dollop of cheese. The Sundried Lotus Root was a delicious portion of Lotus Root tossed in a tangy cocktail sauce served on a bed of mashed potatoes, yummy! The Coriander Chicken and Pokchoy Dimsums were wrapped in steamed pokchoy and were extremely flavourful. The Bacon Wrapped Prawns, probably the only dish we didn’t enjoy as the Bacon was not cooked well, the prawns were fine though. We ended up peeling the bacon off and just eating the prawns. My favourite dish was the Steamed Baos. The baos were red in colour (beetroot infused) and the spicy shredded chicken filling was too good. Going to go back for this.

In the drinks, we ordered for a Mango Jalapeno Mojito – extremely potent but no flavour of mango, the Hot Todi – classic and perfect and a beer.

Overall, the food at Myxx tastes good, looks even better. The service is well informed and prompt and the interiors are decent. We’re definitely going back there to try out some more dishes!

Venue:  MYXX

Overall rating

A.B. Nair Road, Juhu

Landmark: Near Juhu Post Office

Phone: +9122 6695 5500

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and MYXX at @myxx

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: Madras Diaries

I’m a big fan of Cafe Madras and all the authentic South Indian joints in and around Matunga so when I first heard of Madras Diaries, I was quite excited to give it a try.

Located at Waterfield Road, the restaurant has a beautiful exterior. You enter through a huge wooden door which is painted colourfully on the other side. The restaurant is divided into two sections and the interiors were vibrant and colourful!

The menu, just like the ambience is colourful with pictures of everything South Indian, Dosas, Appams, Filter Coffee and non food related things like Bharat Natyam. How interesting! We ordered for Tahttu Idli, Chettinad Paneer and the Malabari Parottas. The Idli was not completely authentic like a Thaat Idli that you would get at Cafe Madras but nevertheless, it was yummy and came topped with the gunpowder chutney. The Malabari Parotta went well with the Chettinad Paneer which was spicy and creamy. A must try are the 4 chutneys that they give you alongwith your meal! All so good and different from the others!
Alongwith our meal we ordered for the Masala Buttermilk, it tasted fine but we were disappointed that it wasn’t freshly prepared.

The service here is extremely quick! Within minutes of us placing our order, we had the food on our table. In that sense, we got a proper udipi feel!

Overall, we had a good experience here, the food tasted good and the ambience is warm and homely, the pricing is competitive. The quantity of the dishes could definitely improve. Going to go back for sure!

Venue:  Madras Diaries

Overall rating

Waterfield Road, Bandra West

Landmark: Near ICICI Bank

Phone: +9122 6517 8888

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and Madras Diaries at @madras.diaries

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

 

Review: The Looney The Lover & The Poet

When restaurateurs get creative with the names of their restaurants, it’s quite commendable. When we first heard of The Looney The Lover and The Poet, we had mixed reactions. What an interesting name, but sad that it had replaced Thallasa.

Anyway, we made a reservation and headed there on a Wednesday evening. The restaurant was relatively full on a weekday. The ambiance was lovely, the outdoor section had dim ferry lights and creepers alongwith soft music. The service was extremely good, the servers were well informed, polite and friendly. They helped us with our order and suggested some great dishes. The menu here is very interesting, they have a range of healthy options as well as gluten free choices.

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We loved the food and here are some things that you must try when you’re here. The Afghani Ashak with Minced Lamb was epic. Literally melted in my mouth and one of the finest mince I’ve had. The Wavocado Toast – borodinsky bread toast with avocado, feta, sun dried tomatoes, pepitas, too yummy! The Khachapuri which is like a flatbread topped with artichoke, sunsried tomatoes, pinenuts, goat cheese, mushroom and onions. Another must try is their Dosa which comes with a curry like filling and is quite unique and flavourful.

For desserts, we tried the Almond and Nutella Babka French Toast with orange caramel, dark chocolate & coffee and orange ice cream. Again, something different, the flavours of the ice creams were great although I’m not a fan of bread in desserts.

Overall, we were extremely impressed with the food and service of this restaurant and it definitely calls for a repeat visit to try the other items on the menu! Keep up the good work guys.

Venue:  The Looney The Lover & The Poet

Overall rating

21st Road, Off Carter Road, Khar West

Landmark: Inside Hotel Shubhangan

Phone: +9198200 29933

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and The Looney The Lover & The Poet at @thelooneyloverandpoet

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter

Review: Taste of Punjab, Bandra

Bandra is always starving for new restaurants even though we have so many options. But North Indian cuisine is always a hit here as whereever we go, we enjoy our butter chicken and naan!

When we heard of Taste of Punjab, we couldn’t wait to try it. The concept seemed interesting, a buffet, with Punjab inspired interiors. We went here on a Saturday night, not knowing if we’ll get a table. Luckily, we did even though the place was packed.

The ambience was loud! The music was loud! The colours were loud! But we are not complaining, we loved it! There was a bhangra troupe performing in the dining area, there were huge glass mirrored walls, jhumka chandeliers and glass pillars. There were live counters for chaat, parathas and a buffet spread for the maincourse and desserts.

The starters were served to our table alongwith our drinks. The chicken tikka and the fish tikka were delicious, succulent and well cooked. Chaas was served in a huge steel glass, just like it would be on the streets of Amritsar. The veg hara bhara kebab was good too. From the live paratha counter, the gobi paratha and aloo paratha were served hot with a huge chunk of butter on it. The chaat counter had paani puri and dahi chaat, which were great too! In the maincourse, the biryani was delicious as was the bhuna ghosht. In the desserts, there was kulfi, gulab jamun and rabdi. Not too bad, but we would’ve liked some more options there.
Overall, the food was great, no complaints and the music was great, the best of punjabi songs were being played making it hard for people to not dance.

The only place where they were lacking was the service. We had to call someone multiple times to serve us the starters or even just for water. I’m sure if they work on this, they have a bright future as I am definitely going back here!
Balle Balle!

Venue:  Taste of Punjab

Overall rating

Linking Road, Bandra West

Landmark: Next to Croma

Phone: +9177388 92805

Follow:

Mumbai Candid at @chandnitolani @mumbaicandid on Instagram and Taste of Punjab at @topbandra

Mumbai Candid at @ChandniT @MumbaiCandid on Twitter