Pratik's ( mumbai ) Profile & Reviews

Kaminey

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Amol Gupte

Directed by: Vishal Bhardwaj

Release Date: 5 Jun 2009

19 Aug 2009

Thif if awefome!! Itf Mafala on Fteroidf :) If you've seen the movie, you know what I mean! Go and watch it - its a superb twist to the Bollywood masala genre. Its like Quentin (Pulp Fiction) Tarantino or Bryan (Usual Suspects) Singer or Guy (Lock, stock & 2 smoking barrels) or Steven (Ocean's 11) Soderbergh took the Bollywood story (Twins, intercaste love affair, corrupt cops, drug cartels, gambling - the works!!) and re-interpreted it as they generally do. Everyone has a bad side, everyone is not what they seem, its a thrill ride from start to finish. It has a language of its own as well to top it. Muft Watch!

Machaan

Unit No.812 8th Floor, Palm Spring, Malad West, Mumbai

Phone: 28818844

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

Tags: Northindia Chaat

31 Aug 2008

We ate in a jungle in Malad close to inorbit, sat next to a wolf, and a giraffe looked at us from the other side. The tree over us had a couple of birds staring at us. And all through it we had some loud bhangra music playing. I'm not lying. The team behind Mainland China, Sweet Bengal, etc have come up with this novel concept of a Faux jungle in a building on the top floor. Plastic trees, fake animals and birds, etc. Nice idea, but tone the bhangra down a bit. On to the review then!! We ate like pigs, really. I was in the mood for eating the bird (Thats what I call chicken!) and so we started with a bird starter. Tangdi kebabs. Robust spice and tender meat. Bhindi fry - Just right, crispy and spicy. The service was fantastic. I havent had such attentive service in a long time. Maybe the pint of beer I had helped a bit.... but my partner assured me that it was actually good :). The main course was again the bird - it was something they suggested, so I dont know the name - but it was scrumptious. Spiced perfectly, and really, really succulent. For me, the naans won it. Puffy, soft, and fresh. I love a good naan - to me it shows that the people pay attention to the small things. We also ordered a biryani - and I couldnt eat a single morsel, but my partner told me it was v. good. Kids love the jungle theme, so there are quite a few - and the place is noisy without the loud bhangra. Everything else is a winner! Go there, and eat, eat, eat!!!

Indigo Cafe

Clifton Trishul Housing Society, Off Link Road,, After Sab TV lane, Andheri West, Mumbai

Phone: 26336262

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

31 Aug 2008

Finally, Indigo comes to the suburbs. Rahul Akerkar's much vaunted Indigo launched in Andheri in a new Avtar "Indigo Cafe" in the same place where Vanilla Cafe was earlier. A lot of people will give this place 4 and 5 stars. I give it 3.5, but since I can't, have to give it 3. Its low because its very expensive, service not great and flies pester you a lot! Here's my review! We went on a weekday afternoon - if you can get past the filthy entrance road (muddy puddles, potholes, etc) - the place has a pleasant ambience. Consists of an al-fresco section and and internal dining place. We settled for inside, as it was afternoon. As soon as you enter, you are greeted by a display section with fresh breads, desserts, etc. Looks yummy so far! We settle down on our table and look at the menu. Fantastic menu according to me. They start at 9 for breakfast - I'm definitely going to try that out :). But today its lunch time. We ask for 2 soups (they have only 3), 1 gazpacho and 1 melon buttermilk soup. Unfortunately they dont have the melon buttermilk (a fact the server didnt know until 10 mins after they took the order) and they recommended soup of the day (This is after I specifically pointed out that I wanted the cold soups, he offered me a hot soup!!). So we had the gazpacho - which was really good, nice and chilled and flavourful. We ordered the starters - bombay style wings and potato home fries. One smoothie, green apple and mint. Our main course was the fusilli pesto. And then we waited.... waited.... and waited a bit more.... till our waiter came back with the smoothie. The smoothie was divine - don't think you get such a flavour anywhere else. Trust Indigo to innovate. And then out popped our waiter with LO AND BEHOLD - our main course (before the starter!!!). Confused looks on our faces told him he had done something wrong, and he asked us what sir, this is what you ordered. I said, yes of course - but don't you serve the starters before the main course? Sheepish looks - and immediately another waiter came over to apologise and assurances of paying attention. Till then we had asked for water around 6 times and got it once (Because we asked for regular water and not "Evian" or the "Regular Aava" as they suggested. Didnt go off very well with the la-de-dah staff I guess). Anyhoo, this guy was at least earnest, and kept filling our glasses the minute they were empty after that. Finally got our starters - and the food is a definite winner. The wings were superb with a very fusiony indian yet international test and a divine blue cheese dip. The home fries - huge and perfectly fried. The main course was ok - fusilli pesto a bit too cheesy for my taste, but my partner liked it. We couldnt finish it all as we wanted dessert.... and then started the waiting game again... this time waiting for a waiter... waiting and waiting... finally the head chef who was outside had pity on us and asked us if he could help (I like that a chef comes out and cares for the patrons). We settled for the rocky road milkshake. After tons of time, we got a Rocky road ICECREAM!!! Slight irritation on our faces by now - did we deserve all this because we didnt drink EVIAN???? And we asked for the head waiter, who didnt have a clue, so we told him we placed our order with the chef, who finally came and said - my fault my fault. Waited a bit more.... and got the milk shake. Good stuff, although they shouldnt have put the whole thing in a mixer, as the stuff that makes the rocky road "rocky" was all now in powder form :). The flies liked it too! Thats where it all ended folks. A definite plus on the food, beverages, etc. Service was extremely amateurish for a place like Indigo - don't know why, as they had over 8 waiters when we went there, and maybe 4 groups eating there. And get rid of the flies!!! How can there be flies inside a place like this?? Would I go back? Yes! For the food. And I always give good places 2 chances :)

Costa Coffee

Gazebo House, 52, Gulmohar Road,, Opp. Crossroad No 7, Juhu, Mumbai

Phone: 26255567, Mobile: 9911868654

Category: Food & Dining, Coffee Houses & Cafes

Tags: coffee, snacks, fast food

25 Jun 2008

Costa coffee - the name evoked memories of strolling through the streets of London, stopping for their famous "pick up from the display and pay at the counter" snacks, drinks and of course their coffee! A very well known chain in England, I was happy to see it here so I decided to try it out. Sunday evening, good time for coffee, right? Sadly, a bit too right. Too many people had the same thought. The minute you enter, even though you might want take away - the dude tells you - "sir waiting sir". I said, takeaway? He said, "sir waiting sir" :) till he grasped the alien concept of someone coming to Costa coffee only to take a cup of coffee on the go! Anyways, turned out I knew someone sitting there, so I got a seat - the coffee was good, true fans of espresso will agree that its marginally better than barista and CCD. A tad overpriced compared to both, the snacks are decent, the desserts not bad at all. I would go again, but I would go more often to Barista as there are more chances of getting a seat, and its better VFM.

Lemon Grass Cafe

1 Carlton Court Building Junction Of Pali Hill And Turner Road, Bandra (West), Mumbai

Phone: (22) 26432519

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

10 Oct 2007

There should be a way to add a half star, as I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but anyways, on to the review then!! A nice idea, a good thought, to be encouraged, just a couple of issues :) The place is set in a typical open cafe setting on the busy pali hill/turner road junction (Where Potpourri, etc are) - and offers a cool mix of Thai, Chinese, even some Burmese! The food is good - try the Khouswey (Burmese, if you like it), it isn't available in many places, and of course their Satay is good. I've been told the Malaysian pomfret is good, but I'm a non fish eater ;) So why did I cut the two stars? 1 for the ambience - although its pretty nicely done, it does get hot in the summer and its a bit too dark in the evenings.. and 2nd for the service (Here I just wanted to cut half a star) - Saturday evening, and you can expect to be attended to a bit less. Even then, I would definitely go back - as I like to encourage different ideas, and the latest I've heard is that they're branching out in many places!!

Go

Cast: Nisha Kothari, Kay Kay Menon, Rajpal Yadav, Gautam Gupta, Ravi Kale

Directed by: Manish Srivastav

Release Date: 5 Oct 2007

9 Oct 2007

The movie's name is very apt! You sit in the theatre, and the title tells you "GO". Now whose fault is it if you don't listen? Not Ram Gopal Varma's, right? Its your fault totally! Someone please tell me what Nisha Kothari is doing to survive in this industry - she can't act, she can't look good, she wears horrible clothes, God help! In a very generous frame of mind, I can say that the hero is not so bad, and Kay Kay is efficient. The story? I think they should have started a promo contest for the movie with huge prizes. Big prize for anyone who can understand the story!! At least people would have made the effort to see it :) Let me summarize. Go? No. Don't go!

Swati Snacks

248 Tardeo Road (Karai Estate Building), Grant Road, Mumbai

Phone: (22) 24920994, 56608405

Category: Food & Dining, Fast Food

Tags: Fast Food

9 Oct 2007

Ha bhai haa, sherdi no ras, fada ni khichdi aney dabka kadhi. Majja ni life!! If only the place wasn't so damn far away for us suburbites - whatta concept! Traditional home stuff and one of the safe ganne ka juice places :) And its cheap! They also have tacos, pizzas and falafels, but then I wouldnt go here for Mexican, Italian & Lebanese food, would I? Try the Dal dhokli, try the khichyu - all good stuff!

Geoffreys Pub

Marine Drive, Mumbai

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

8 Oct 2007

I say old chap, could I have a lager then, or do you have some pale ale mate? Oh damn, I forgot I was in Mumbai!! They've got the Brit pub ambience right down to the 'T'. Absolutely fab. Free peanuts and chips with the drinks, great atmosphere - good drinks, although could have done with some more beer varieties on tap. Its a tad bit expensive, but then its a 5 star - so one expects that. If you're in the area and need to go to a plush place for drinks, or have some clients to impress with drinks its great!

Nandos

Level 2 Inorbit Mall, Malad (West), Mumbai

Phone: 28785252

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

8 Oct 2007

Ahh Nandos! Where chicken is a religion... I discovered Nandos in my trips to London - we call going to Nandos a pilgrimage :) So I waited with bated breath when it was announced that Nandos was making its way to Mumbai at Inorbit mall - saw the walls with the Nandos logo and shouted (to my confused friends..) Nandos, Nandos - and they looked at me and said "Eh, who's Nandu?". Anyhoo, I was there in the month it opened and was all ready to compare it to the "Original". Did it pass muster - well, yes and no. The pricing is very reasonable, the menu almost the same, although they have added some "Localised" stuff, and the chicken is great. Whats wrong? The HOT peri peri is just too hot and sometimes unpalatable, the service not so great and the sauces do not seep through like they do in London. But even then, if its spicy chicken you love, and you're nearabouts Malad - go to Nandos, and order the medium peri peri chicken and the peri peri fries. Arm yourself with the lemon and herb sauce and eat with your hands, and don't leave anything!! I went there again and wasnt disappointed :)

Court Yard Restaurant And Bar

Minoo Minar Bulding Off Veera Desai Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai

Phone: (22)26734165/4159

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

Tags: Chinese

8 Oct 2007

Garden court is right at the beginning of the road, so they have tough competition. The only answer - lets be different... and how are they different? They have an outdoor seating section (nice...but gets hot and mosquitoes in monsoon) and the not so nice - they play bollywood music on the speakers.. Not exactly a family restaurant anymore once they do that! Food is typical - a little bit of everything, some kebabs are good. Not a place you would want to venture out specially to visit what with Garden Court and Aromas of China so nearby.