Pali Village Cafe (Pali Naka, Bandra West)

Though the looking glass  ****

Hidden in the cramped darkness, the only way to spot Pali Village Cafe is to look for the glass facade with moving images. Every evening, a projector lights up the panes with a movie or a game. Make your way through the dingy entrance and you’ll find yourself in a surprisingly large ruined colonial bungalow. Lit by a few candles and flickering bulbs, the place feels like a discarded hand me down. Like it was pompously left behind by a wealthy heiress, and then was converted into something charmingly quirky by her enterprising black sheep of a cousin.

I was in the company of two beautiful young ladies, childhood friends who I had known since the days barbie themed parties. Our setting seemed fittingly elegant, in a way symbolizing the evolution from  awkward protected little girls to passionate spirited individuals at the cusp of independent lives. Much time had passed since we last met, and there was so much to share. And shared it was over some goblets of sangria and some absolutely delectable food.

It look a while to order; everything on the menu was tempting. We selected about four dishes the share between us. The Chicken and Jalapeno risotto was packed with flavor. What came as a welcome change was that it wasn’t painfully cheesy, like most others locally available. The Asparagus and Leek Ravioli with a tomato based sauce had a lovely texture; the stuffing wasn’t overcooked and the chunks of pasta were coated with just the right amount of sauce.

Since I was in the mood for something light and refreshing, I ordered the Roast Duck salad. The dish fulfilled all my expectations. It was tangy & sweet, with fresh greens and a surprising burst of pickled beetroot, a perfect complement to my Melon Sangria. We also shared a Parmesan Gnochi, which was rich and thankfully a small portion. The cheese was creamy and the gnochi was soft, perhaps too soft. But since it was shared by a group and we had other sharper flavors at the table, it went down well.

Desert again bought up a debate, but we finally settled on a Vanilla Panna cotta and Meringue with Berries & Fresh cream. Both were perfect for the hot humid weather. The Panna cotta is perhaps the best I’ve ever had. I say this, because most have a uniform texture which after a few bites get boring. This one had that extra something; a sour acidic passion fruit jus which cut the sweet creaminess of the pudding. The other dessert was also good, but unfortunately in my eyes was out-shined by the panna cotta. I wish there was more of the meringue and less of the berries & cream. That would have added the necessary crunch, which the dish so sorely missed.

The evening left me feeling extremely happy. It’s evenings like these that are fondly cherished. The food lived up to the company, which is perhaps the best complement I can give Pali Village cafe.

Damages : The place is pretty expensive, and very evidently caters to the expat community. A meal with one drink cost us 1,500 each. I would revisit, but the costs would definitely make my think twice.

Sernyaa ( Oshiwara, Andheri West )

Meaty mouthfuls ***

In the sea of cheap Chinese joints that dot the Oshiwara landscape, one may easily miss this tiny Tibetan treasure. Had it not been for some recent twitter buzz about Sernyaa, I may have never ventured there. (thank god for tweeple!)  What I discovered was a low lit, little hole with a lot of soul and an underground appeal. It was packed, I had to wait for a table. Every one waiting had a knowing air;  like they were all a part of a secret that I had only just been let in on.

Luckily I was famished, so my appetite that day allowed me to really indulge. The pork momos were gorgeous, and a great start to the meal. The accompanying sauces perfectly complemented the dumplings. Based on many a recommendation, we had the Pork spare ribs and Tibetan chicken sausages. Both gloriously meaty mouthfuls. The tender peppery meat on the ribs, fell right off the bone. The sausages were spicy and with perfectly crisp outsides. I didn’t mind that they were made with chicken, as opposed to the more traditional pork variety.

The main course is not worth a mention. The dishes are essentially Indian Chinese-ish with tongue twisting Tibetan names. Next time I visit I will definitely stick to the starter selection, and if the weather permits try the soups. I highly recommend Sernyaa to all meat lovers; I was too distracted by the pork and lamb to try any of the vegetarian food. Don’t judge me; it was melt-away meat that fell right about the bone. I would unabashedly and unapologetically eat all that meat again.

Damages – Rs. 250-300 / head. (They do not serve any desert and only packaged sodas )

Location – Link Road Oshiwara, soon after the HP Petrol pump

Dumplings of Duck

Spicy tender chunks of duck encased in sweet sticky rice: a harmonious melange of flavors that had me cooing, drooling and gurgling like a mindlessly excited infant. My fondness for Dim sum began when I traveled in China, where I ate innumerable variants of this snack made quite literally to ‘touch the heart’, as the word translates from Cantonese. Though designed to be mundane street side food, the dish is pretty open to interpretation and often gets elevated to gourmet status. There was certainly nothing mundane about this particular steaming dish I chanced upon at Trikaya, Andheri W, Mumbai. They were sweet with a spicy edge, tender yet packed a meaty bite and light yet very satiating !

photographs © Salonee Gadgil  / Bellyfirst

The Tasty Tangles

Set right ! ***

Tasty Tangles has a rather enthusiastic twitter presence, where their set menu lunch was frequently mentioned. I like set menus; they offer little choice, so there’s no pussyfooting around what to order. The dark cloud of the impending bill doesn’t loom over the meal; ones goes in pleasantly aware of the damages.

Coming to this particular set menu, I was offered a concise list of items, and I all but had to check the corresponding boxes to make my choice.  I ordered Aromatic Spicy Chicken Dumplings to start. I’m a sucker for dumplings and if they got this one wrong, I would have written off Tasty Tangles completely. However, they triumphed. The dumplings displayed some very refined hand skills, and the spicy flavor was well balanced. Two just quickly melted away, and I was compelled to ask for another round.

The Char Kway Teow Beef noodles were also good, made particularly special by the tender well marinated chunks of meat. Something about the Steamed fish in XO sauce reminded me of my stay in China. The dish had a home-made charm, but the strong fishy smell is probably an acquired taste for most.

Asian restaurants usually fail when it comes to dessert. So my skepticism was warranted when I reluctantly ordered Cinnamon Honey fried wonton with Ice Cream. I’ve had countless renditions of this dish, but I finally found a place that got it right. I would go back for those fried strips of wonton drizzled with cinnamon powder and honey. I also sampled the fruit pudding, which was summery and fresh.

The ambience is boring, even borders on cheap. But the staff is polite and the food itself is well presented. Something about it fits all Asian restaurant stereo types, with Chinese paper lanterns and odd looking plastic pens. But I’d readily ignore all of that for this lunch. i

Damages : Rs.499 per head

Location : Khar west, in the lane next to Nike show room, above Sancho’s

Café Mangii (J.P.Road, Versova)

Sigh! **

For about a month I’d been tryin to peep in through Café Mangi’s large windows, and catch a glimpse of what promised to be elegant interiors. I subtly sighed everytime I drove past hoping my hints would prompt a date night. Finally my sighs were heard and I can drive by in peace without straining my respiratory system.

On a cold winter’s evening, the first floor dining space was perfectly warm and cosy. The open air dining space on the roof was definitely tempting, but I just wasn’t ready to brave the cold. It certainly is charming though, with a visible pizza oven emitting mouth waiting aromas.

Unfortunately, here’s when I began to sigh again. This time they were sighs of exasperation. We started with a plate of Mushroom Aglio Olio e Pepperoncino; nothing spectacular and unexpectedly spicy. We were expecting a salad, but our Alla Fiama pizza came out first. Since the place boasts of its pizzas we really had our hopes up. However, it was mediocre at best, the topping was sparse and the base a little burnt. The pizza too was spicier than we expected.

Now here’s where it got downright disappointing, the Caprese salad was a neatly arranged line of tomato slices and buffalo cheese, topped with pesto sauce. I was promised “field greens” ! Somehow the elaborate description on the menu did not lead me to expect what I was served. Lastly, we ordered a medium-rare Minute Steak, which was served to us well done, with partially uncooked potato wedges and almost rare broccoli florets. By this point I was ready to cry, partly from rage and partly because of the big hole this disappointing meal was about to burn in my pocket.

Since we were still hungry, we ordered a Caramel Banana pie, in a last feeble attempt to redeem the meal. We didn’t have our hopes up, but we were finally served something delicious. It didn’t save the meal, and I certainly won’t be visiting Café Mangii again, but at least I know where to get a damn good Caramel Banana pie.

Damages: Rs.2500 for a meal for two, without drinks.

Ming Yang ( Taj Land’s End, Bandra)

The Bitter Sweet End ***

I wouldn’t have known about or visited this restaurant, had it not been for an old school friend’s birthday dinner. It was a mini reunion of sorts. So the food should not have mattered, but of course, it did.

I entered the richly decorated dining area with high expectations. The place reeked of old school opulence, from the faux-gold accented furniture to the concierge who greeted us with proper colonial etiquette. Classic? Or stuffy? The décor sat on the thin line between the two.

As we were ravenous, we got right to it with Mushroom dumplings and Pork Buns, both were exquisite. The soups were nothing spectacular, nothing memorable. I must mention here that the timing of the service was spot on. Once we finished entrées, and were ready for our next course, we were served the Five Spice Pork, Burnt Garlic rice, and Hoofan Chicken noodles. The pork was tender, and was complemented perfectly by the rice. The noodles may have been the best flat noodles I’ve had; could’ve kept eating those.

I really wish I had ended meal here, because what followed was nothing short of disastrous. It was like following good sex with that ill-timed smelly fart. The pastry chef I think was hired straight from the renowned kitchens of Shiv Sagar ( no disrespect to Shiv Sagar ). The batter on the Fried Ice-cream was thick and oily, the Custard filled Spring Rolls were dense and the Date Pancakes were chewy. All the deserts left an oily aftertaste, reminiscent of cheap malpua. Even visually, there was nothing appetizing about them. Thank god my fortune cookies came with very pleasant predictions, at least the meal ultimately ended on a sweet note.

Fortune #1 – “Your lover will never wish to leave you” (phew!)

Fotrune #2 – “If you want good advice, ask your mother” (duh! mommy’s always right)

Damages : about 1,000 per head without drinks

Fellas

jolly good fella ***

I’m the kind that likes the corner bookstore with a friendly bespectacled owner who’s always up for a chat, as opposed to the Landmark / Crossword variety, where books are tracked by a computer. (The kind often touted ‘romantic’ )  Much the same vein I’m drawn to cafes with soul where every cup of coffee does not have the same sort of factory made uniformity. Lucky for me, Mumbai has an increasing population of these sort of joints, tucked away in easy-to-miss corners of the city. Fella’s is one such. I must admit, my first visit was prompted by a very prominent sign outside which reads ‘Valet Parking’, a real treat in Khar/Bandra’s always packed by-lanes.

This first visit however, was followed by several more. Built in the garage space of a building, Fella’s offers juices, smoothies, wraps, sandwiches and pizzas. It seems to have it’s patrons ; always a few hanging around reading or working at their computers ( they have wi-fi ). On any odd day you are likely to have their two resident pet pooches for company: a rottweiler and a bull-mastiff, who hang out on the periphery nonchalantly. The staff is polite and enthusiastic, service is quick.

What I particularly like about the place is that they make fresh juices & smoothies ( not with canned fruit or poured straight out of tetra-packs ). Their coffee is not remarkable. The sandwiches and wraps are wholesome; and make a good snack. I like the Chicken Cilantro Wrap. The whole grain pizzas are fairly enjoyable, though the topping choices are limited and the crust is always a little on the burnt side. They do serve main course dishes , but I’ve only ever visited the place for a snack.  If what I’ve had so far is any indication, I don’t think you will be disappointed. All in all, it’s definitely a nice place to meet-n-greet or maybe just spend some alone time.

Location – 14th Road Khar West.

Damages – Rs. 200 – 300 / head

Eat Around the Corner

Nip-n-tuck(in) ***

Bombay’s restaurants much like it’s population are in perpetual state of flux. Restaurants get bought over, renamed, revamped and made-over to whet Bombay’s unending appetite for the ‘new and improved’. The case in point, the swanky white washed ‘Eat around the Corner’ that used to be ‘Just around the corner’. The name is definitely a downgrade, but the place has received some much needed nips-n-tucks which makes it once again youthful and perky.

There are certain nice touches to the eating experience, the service is quick, the salad bar has a fair variety and it is one of the only joints that has a much needed community table. (Which by the way is made from beautiful rough cut solid wood, very stylish ) The place wins points for having some great burgers and sandwiches, and a variety of bread options.

You will not be able to resist the desserts. They are strategically laid out right near the cashier’s end of the bar. All mouth-watering and decadent looking, they will call out to you. You would be foolish to resist. I’ve tried the Fruit tart, the Orange Yogurt, the New York Cheesecake, the Baked Lemon Cheesecake, the Blueberry&Chocolate Mousse, and the Chocolate Danish. Visit the place enough times to try out all. I’m about half way there. They’re good enough to feel no guilt, although a workout after always eases the conscience.

In all honesty, the place does feel a little bit over priced, and the pizzas were surprisingly bad. A place that offers such nice sandwiches and deserts must work on their coffees, which are pretty sub-standard. However, you can always wash the coffee down with dessert.

Location – Junction of 24th and 30th Road, Bandra West