Pratik's ( mumbai ) Profile & Reviews

Dakshin

(Itc Hotel Grand Maratha Sheraton & Towers), Andheri (East), Mumbai

Phone: (22) 28303030

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

8 Oct 2007

Ok, its expensive. Ok, its a la-de-dah 5 star. Ok, I had a bad time the last time I went there, but this review is based on 4 visits to the place. 3 of which have been oooh oooh oooh, excellent!! If your idea of South Indian food is idli, medu wada, dosa and sambar - you will be so disappointed, you might hate the place. If your idea of South Indian is Chettinad, Ishtew, Kozhi vatata - come, come, make your way to Dakshin - The ITC's showpiece restaurant with multiple varieties of South Indian cuisine. Very very attentive staff (yes, yes, the least you expect when you pay that much - but believe me, there are a fair share of 5-stars which treat you like crap) and great food. Do let me warn you that the last time I went there, the food was below average.

Loins Of Punjab

Cast: Ajay Naidu, Shabana Azmi, Ayesha Dharker, Samrat Chakrabarti,Shantanu Mukherjee, Manish Acharya, Seema Rahmani

Directed by: Manish Acharya

Release Date: 21 Sep 2007

7 Oct 2007

Its the kind of movie which makes you leave the cinema hall with a smile stuck on your face. Not in your face hilarious, not serious for sure, but funny, feelgood and you might have met each of those characters somewhere in your life :) Shabana Azmi is efficient in her performance and really enjoys playing the selfish socialite. The standouts are Jameel khan (The way he says Bokade entertainment pronouncing it as Bakaadi, and his explanation on GYpsy kings - makes girls horny...), The "desi" foreigner, the "asses", the director himself with his girl (manish acharya I think) and the real find Turbanotorious B.I.G. with his dhaagi naagi dhin tana performance. The movie is a low budget movie, but very well enacted and directed. Its short, edited well and thoroughly enjoyable. I believe that reviews mustn't reveal much about the stories, so I won't say much other than the fact that its about a local talent contest for Indians in New Jersey sponsored by a company specialising in Pork Loins (hence the name, LOINS of Punjab) - and it shows you a lot of desi stereotypes WITHOUT actually stereotyping them, and therein is the charm of the movie.

Merwans Cake Shop

12/13 Madhav Nagar S.V.Road Andheri (West), Andheri (West), Mumbai

Phone: (22) 26248157

Category: Food & Dining, Bakeries & Cake Shops

8 Oct 2007

Merwans... ahh, what memories. School days when I used to do my studies well, the cashew and coconut macaroons and the chocolate eclairs and the walnut rolls were special treats. They even had a fast food joint where the 2nd Merwans is now. Yummy fast food they had, but unfortunately it shut down. The cakes still remain good, and attract a lot of loyal fans! One warning - their cream is made of fresh butter, rather than the normal milk cream, so it does have a different taste - some people don't like it so much (yours truly being one of them), but the chocolate balls are still wonderful :) And of course they have the usual chicken, mutton, veg pattice which also are good!! Merwans is proof that quality always lasts. The shop is over 3 decades old :)

Cafe Basilico

Gasper Enclave, Opp Golds Gym, Bandra (West), Mumbai

Phone: 67039999

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

Tags: A Cafe Cum Restaurant

8 Oct 2007

First things first, my review of 3 stars is not for the food or the ambience, they're both excellent. Its for the "Celeb conscious" service (or lack of it). Due to their reputation from the one in town and their location - its frequented by many a wannabe. When I went there, I was refused a table inside - none was available apparently, I could see a couple empty, they said they were being cleaned, I could sit outside and wait for some time. Some time later, Tusshar kapoor, Manish Malhotra and all walk in, and lo and behold - they got a table!! It happened with a couple of my friends as well, so its not uncommon! But the food is truly good, and the desserts to die for, and sitting outside is fine in winter... don't miss the Tiramisu.

Tgi Friday's (tgif)

Tgi Friday's Infiniti Mall (2nd Floor) New Link Road Oshiwara, Andheri (West), Mumbai

Phone: +91-022-67032063

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

7 Oct 2007

If you're a fan of typical American food (I'm not), then you might like this place. I guess a lot of people agreed with my taste, which is why the huge flagship joint in town quickly shut down. Why would you pay 350/- for a cocktail at such a joint? The one at Infiniti works better, it has happy hours (1 on 1 free), and a smaller place, so it fills quickly. The service could do with some improvement, and oh please don't make everything greasy... Don't miss the Jalapeno poppers and the Strawberry Margarita if you do happen to be there.

Vie Lounge & Deck

102 Juhu Road, Juhu, Mumbai

Phone: (22) 26603003

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

Tags: Bars Pubs Nightclubs Discos Discotheque Vie Lounge Juhu

7 Oct 2007

The 1 star removal is because of the pricing - expensive, and a couple of the so called moroccan dishes (overcooked, overspiced). Ok now that I'm done with the bad - here's to the good (and there's a lot of good!). Firstly, if you go to Vie, sitting inside is a bit of a waste - enjoy the beautiful seabreeze, go in the evening, and sit outside. I think its an old bungalow/house converted into a restaurant. The bar is really well stocked and they do some good cocktails. Of course, the pomegranate martini - even the caipiroshka is well made. Do reserve on weekends.

Stax

Sahar Airport Road (Hyatt Regency), Andheri (East), Mumbai

Phone: (22) 66961234, 66961235

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

Tags: Bars Nightclubs & Pubs Italian Pasta

7 Oct 2007

Be warned, its expensive, really expensive. 6 of us went and the bill was 10k plus. But the food is excellent, really excellent. The cocktails very well made. And yes, it IS authentic Italian, not Indo-Italian. The bruschetta was very good and not made the Indo-Italian cheesy way. Subtly flavoured, nicely cooked. The pasta, perfectly "al-dente" and the desserts - good!! Ambience is superb, as you would expect from Hyatt, service very good.

Cafe Alfa

S.V. Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai

Phone: (22) 26286875

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

7 Oct 2007

I have a lot of memories attached to this place, so my review might be a bit biased :) It used to be a Grade I restaurant serving excellent Moghlai food with a very good Biryani as well. The standard has gone down a bit now, but it still remains as popular, mainly because its excellent VFM and I think the only VFM Moghlai, Chindian (chinese Indian) and Biryani joint in that area. I still order home from there a few times (for old times sake) and the taste remains the same :)

Balle Balle Restaurant

Kholi Villa 130 S.V. Road, Andheri, Mumbai

Phone: (22)66963080/90

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

Tags: Indian Fast Food, Chinese, Mughlai

7 Oct 2007

Ah, you submit to popular opinion and lose your identity.... Balle Balle the authentic punjabi joint also serves, hold your breath.... CHINESE, or as I like to call it - Chindian food. As an authentic Punjabi joint with separate open kitchens (one for veg, one for non-veg - and you can see your food being cooked), it was good. Robust, spicy, gheewala gravies and parathas - and their tiny welcome drink. Owned by the Sardar uncle whose name I forget, it was a good place to eat VFM punjabi food in a decent Air conditioned ambience. It now is a kitty party pavourite which serves decent Punjabi food with a smattering of Chindian. They also make fresh Indian desserts everyday.

Urban Tadka Restaurant

8 Azad Nagar (Shiv Complex), Juhu-Versova Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai

Phone: (22) 26328172/73

Category: Food & Dining, Restaurants

7 Oct 2007

Why did I rate this place only 3 stars? The food is excellent (try the nimbu chicken and the desi chilly chicken), the drinks innovative (macho man, ganna singh), and the ambience rustic and charming... 2 very big reasons - the place gets crowded very quickly, leading to so-so service and they don't take reservations (just doesnt make sense to me). Sirjee, shape up - the public in Mumbai is very fickle when it comes to eating out, there are 100s of choices...