Up in the Sky...

Review: Sky Cafe

Alfresco dining is not a very popular choice in Mumbai. Two reasons for this 1) not many options 2) its too hot most of the year. But with the weather getting cooler by the day (yesterday Mumbai was 11 degrees, yes 11 degrees and yeah in Mumbai), its great to share a meal under the starry sky.

Sky Cafe is one such place. Located bang opposite my favourite cinema hall Sterling, Sky Cafe is actually the porch to FreeMason Hall at Fort. Am sure the word freemason reminds you of t'he sting operation on the Roman Catholic Church novel' - 'The Da Vinci Code'. So is Freemason a secret cult? I would say more like a Machiavellian cult based on the principles of ‘humanity and brotherhood’. But this would make another topic of discussion, for now lets discuss Sky Cafe and it’s food.

The decor of this Cafe is simple, lots of plants around, blue and white mosaic chipped tables and wooden chairs.  On a hot summer day you need those several wall fans and coolers facing you but on a winter night you would need a stoll and warm holding someones hand to keep you warm. A perfect setting for a romantic meal!

The menu is a mix of middle eastern food with mezze and shwarma, Chinese with burnt garlic fried rice and European with Pastas & Risottos.

We start of the with Cream of Mushroom and Almond Soup – the creamy thick broth was beautiful almost silky however the only thing disappointing was that there were no chunks of mushrooms.

We move on to the Chicken Khowsuey – with a colour so saffron, the Shiv Sena would be put to shame! However it was not all that bad, it had a slight zesty flavour to it but not the authentic ‘Busaba or Joss’ one you would expect.

We move on to Penne Romano – penne in a creamy white sauce topped with broccoli and French beans – scrumptious and cooked a la dente. Pair it with the garlic bread and you would know why Bryan Adams sings ‘Cloud no 9’

The next was the Pan Fried Chicken in Paprika Cream with Spaghetti – while both the grilled chicken and spaghetti seem to be delectable separately they didn’t go well together as a combination!

For drinks we had the Virgin Mojito which was nice and refreshing.

A meal at Sky Cafe would cost anywhere between Rs 200 - 350

Verdict:

Food: Good, Sasta ne Saaru!

Ambience: Beautiful

Service: A bit Slow

Quick Tip: Great for a quiet alfresco meal, serves some good variety and inexpensive food which is quiet a rarity in Mumbai. Must go in this weather!!

The Co-ordinates:

Sky Cafe

Where: Freemasons Hall, Marzban Road, Fort , Mumbai

Tring Tring: 22055557, 22055558

Timings: 12:00 PM to 11:30 PM

Food Type: Chinese, Continental & Middle Eastern

Payment Methods: Credit cards accepted

The Seafood Diet

Review: Pratap Lunch Home

A:  Do you eat fish?

Me: I love seafood!!

A: Do you eat Pomfret?

Me: No, I like Surmai better…

A: Aah, Surmai fish eaters are the real fish eaters!

This was the fourth or the fifth time we were having this conversation however it didn't seem to amuse us any less. Everytime felt proud at being acknowledged for my eating habits by a father figure and he feels proud for having made a conversation with a daughter he never had.

This post is dedicated to a loved one who passed away recently…..

Situated in the part that I love most, reminds me of our history, the british legacy and their majestic architecture – Fort, Pratap Lunch Home, was originally this dimly lit permit room kind of place. But recently it has been done up, inspired by Suraj Barjatya’s film – family friendly!!

On the walls you will see a sketch of a coast with burlesque’s of typically koli women selling their catch of the day to their customers.

The menu is a mix of Koli, Malvani, Mangalorean, Chinese and Mughlai fare.

We begin with Chow Chou Prawns – king prawns batter fried and topped with dhania seeds (coriander seeds) and green chillies. The potent dish was a rare yet divine combination. The next was the Tawa Ravas – again brilliant grilled Rawas and coated with traditional Malvani spices.

Chow Chou Prawns

Tawa Rawas

The next was the Crab Butter Garlic – steam crustacean topped with dressing of garlic and butter. Armed with a bib, bone marrow spoons and crab crackers we dig in. I thought the gravy was too thick, it did not combine well with the juicy crab meat to give that wholesome taste. It also lacked flavor. The one at Apoorva (check: http://luv4allthingsyum.blogspot.com/search/label/Sea%20Food) is more appetizing.

For the main course we order Prawn Gassi (Manglaorean Curry) with Neer Dosa and Rice. The curry was delectable with the flavor of coconut milk and mustard seeds. Pour it on a dollop of rice and eat it with your hand. Beware of eating your fingers though. It’s that delicious…

Butter Pepper Garlic Crab

Prawn Gassi

There was no room for dessert after this meal … Actually all I wanted was for someone to pick me up and take me home. Alas the Undertaker is not based in Mumbai.

A meal at Pratap Lunch Home w/o alcohol would cost anywhere between Rs 350-400 per head

Verdict:

Food: Excellent

Ambience:  Good but can get noisy

Service: Can misguide you. We asked him if 1 plate of crab would suffice 6-7 of us. The waiter said no and we ordered for 2 portions. We kept eating and eating and it wouldn’t get over!

Quick Tip: Got get some really good seafood at really reasonable prices and eat your heart out… Do not miss the Chow Chou Prawns, they are to die for!

The Co-ordinates:

Pratap Lunch Home

Where: 79 Janmabhoomi Marg, Fort , Mumbai

Tring Tring: 22871101, 40021101, 22871818

Timings: 11:00 AM to 12:30 AM

Food Type: Koli, Malvani, Mangalorean, Chinese, Mughlai fare

Payment Methods: Visa, Amex, Master, Cash, Credit cards accepted

La Dolce Vita

Review: Mezzo Mezzo

Yes Culinary Muse has been living La Dolce Vita or the Good Life lately. It almost like Fergie singing G.L.A.M.O.U.R.O.U.S in the background! She has dining (and wining) at Mumbai’s finest places! And the latest to join her list is the celebrity Italian Restorante at JW Marriott – Mezzo Mezzo.

With it’ dim (read: close to nil lighting) and wooden flooring (that went tock tock with her heals), you’d believe you are on the sets of God Father with the mysterious music playing in the background et all.

As for the food, here goes Culinary Muse’ take

 Citrus & Herb Marinated Alaskan Sea Scallops

Picolli Morsi or as they say Small bites  -  We started with the Citrus & Herb Marinated Alaskan Sea Scallops – juicy chunks of the fish marinated in this divine herb and zesty limoncello -  tasted just beautiful. The next Proscuitto San Danielle – Shaved Parma Ham with Warm Buffalo Mozzarella – the rusty saltiness of the parma ham combined with slightly bland mozrella was amazing. Then was the Pizza Biance Con Rucola – a delicious pizza sans any tomato sauce just Mozrella and Cream topped with the picante taste of rocket salad – brilliant again (Check out Chefs Corner for the Recipe & World Cafe for more about the dish). Not thats what I call exotic yet tasty. Who would say that Italian food is bland.

Proscuitto San Danielle

Wine - Alessandro Comin, Maitre D'Hotel suggested we pair this course  with Wine Zardetto Procesco Brut NV (Rs 700 per glass), a sparkling wine. Though it had a nice fruity flavour to it, I personally found the Vini too dry.

Primi Piatti (First Course) – We then moved on to the first course where we had two kinds of Pasta’s-  Rigatoni in tomato based sauce – giant flat pasta in a tomato consomme with braised egg plant and fresh ricotta – I thought this needed some more flavour or seasoning to it. The next one was a Giant Shell with Chantralle Mushrooms, Truffle Cream Sauce – ambroasial flavours of truffle cream cheese with the mildly peppery taste of the chantrelle mushrooms! However Culinary Muse thought that pasta was a bit thick and doughy.

Wine – We paired this with Ferragamo Family Estate II (yes Salvatore Ferragamo) Borro lamelle 2008 (Rs 750 per glass). The wine was straw yellow in colour and had an intense floral and peach taste to it with a hint of vanilla. Brilliant! Now this is the kind of wine Culinary Muse would love to get high on!

Secondi Piatti -  For the second course we start with Branzino al Forno in Guazzetto di Marre (thats a mouthful I know)– roasted Sea Bass Fillet, Clams, Mussels & Shrimps in a sort of white wine broth – I loved what the white wine did for all the sea food – just enhancing the flavours and not over powering them. Delectable. The New Zealand Rack of Lamb, however had some great flavour with perfectly mashed potatoes but was too rare and it took CM hell of time trying to cut through it. (almost felt like butchering it all over again). The meat was also quiet chewy

Wine – Again a  Ferragamo Family Estate II Borro Pian di Nova 2007 (Rs 600 per glass) was a ruby red in colour.It had this spicy taste to it that didn’t impress CM much!

Dessert – For desert we had the Classic Tiramisu – a bit sweet Italian delicacy – think I had too much of coffee powder on mine, the Mango Tiramisu however added different dimension, quite a welcoming one I would say. But a must have dessert was the Calzone - kanranji shaped bread filled with Nutella – one bite into it and you know what paradise would taste like!

Verdict:

Food: Excellent

Ambience: The God Father with music et all

Service: Good

A 4 course meal without Vini (Wine) at Mezzo Mezzo would cost Rs 2500 aprox plus taxes

Quicktip: To get a taste of authentic Italian supper Mezzo Mezzo is the place. Culinary Muse would it rank amongst the top three places in Mumbai where you could get a fix of Italian khaana.  Do try the seafood there, the scallops are to die for!

Foodies Ahoy!

Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet & Revie West View Bar & Grill

Culinary Muse always thought that there was something abnormal about her obsession with food. It is like hunger her only emotion, eating her meditation and food her life. But when she got invited for The Mumbai Food Bloggers Meet on October 1^st hosted by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal of A Perfect Bite, it was an epiphany to see a so many others who shared her mantra! Not to mention how she felt a part of them already! More like a Food Bloggers Family!

It was quite an eventful soiree over Wine & Food and meeting people from different walks of life but with a common passion- Food. There was Harini Prakash – the Vegan Mom who loves taking pictures and colours co-ordinates her daughters clothes to the food pics J (now thats what I relate to!) Then there is Snigdha – the Pretty Tea Sommelier (gosh that sounds so beautiful), there was ‘That’ Nikhil – quite precisely the Non-Chalant Gourmand, Jyothika Purwar – the very enthusiastic cook, Kurush Dalal – a bon vivant Parsi food caterer who juggles food & Archaeology together, Rhea Mitra Dalal his dulcet wife, Reethika - the vegan who taught me that Vegan is more of a way of life that just a diet choice and ofcourse Rushina the doyen of food blogging!

The evening was all about tinkling of wine glasses, clicking of cameras, chomping of food and ofcourse lots of talk about it! What can you expect when a bunch of food fanatics come under one roof!

The food – well it had some yum moments & not so yum ones. What impressed Culinary Muse was the exotic and exhaustive spread. Here goes the details –

Pic Courtsey: Jyothika (http://followmyrecipe.blogspot.com/)

Pic Courtsey: Jyothika (http://followmyrecipe.blogspot.com/)

Soup & Bread - CM opted for the non veg soup which was Sweet Corn Soup with Beer infused Chicken (yup you read that right beer infused) – it had a suttle twang and a nice flavour to it. What came next was this light airy Focassia that could be paired with flavoured oils in testubes. Amroasial!

pic courtsey Reethika (http://veganontheprowl.blogspot.com/)

Salads – Amongst Salads, the Roast Potato Salad – baby potatoes tossed in chilly flakes and balsamic sauce was delectable. The Tuna & Cumcumber Salad was also quite refreshing , the cumcumber added the crunch and freshness to it. The Yogurt Scallion Tarts - Scallion and cream filled into tarts was light and delectable. What really stood out was the Black Rice with Sunkist Oranges – I have never of such rare combination but it actually was winner on taste, the rice had a kind a gluttony texture combined with the sweet and sour oranges made for a delicious combination. The Pan Cooked Basa and Pokchoy Salad was a disappointment however with no real distinguishing flavours

Pic Courtsey: Jyothika (http://followmyrecipe.blogspot.com/)

Main Course – For the maincourse there was a spread of exotic stuffed vegetables like Stuffed Pumpkin, Corn on the Cob, Potato Gnochi and meats– Arabian Sea Prawns (these were huge), Virtnamese Basa Fish,Himalayan Trout, Weiswurt German Sausages, Chicken Satay crusted with Oats, Porkloin etc etc. We had to choose our fare and then hand over our plates to the the ‘Girls on the Grill’ – Chef Padmaja & team. CM is really happy to see women chef because usually hospitality kitchens are dominated by men. So tasted the Viatnamese Basa & The Arabian Prawns both grilled – while the meat was cooked perfectly, both lacked seasoning which them bland. I was told that the Prawns were going to be cooked with some lemon and garlic sauce. I could hardly taste that. The Sage & Pumpkin Gnocchi & Oat Crusted Chicken Satay could be compared to Pankaj Kapur’s Mausam, looked very promising but was a disaster! The Chilli’s stuffed with apricot puree were even worst with a mish mash of bitter, sweet & spicy. The Himalayan Trout seem saved the day with it’s nice silky texture and subtle flavours.

Verdict:

Food: Exotic but Tastewise very average

Ambience: Nice

Service: Very Helpful (they actually what we were wearing to be able to serve us the right plate

A 5 course meal (cheese, soup, salad, grill & dessert) at West View Grill would cost Rs 2450 plus taxes.

Quicktip: If your a health freak, love your protein and have the money too, you can head to West View Grill for a healthy grilled spread. It would be best if you gave standing instructions on the seasoning and flavours etc.

MAMA MIA!

Here I go again! My My... How can I resist you?

Yup Culinary Muse has been singing this famous Abba anthem ever since she made a trip to God forsaken Powai (it is really far from SOBO!) for the Grand Italian Supper at The Renaissance Powai.

First let me warn you... it is a lot of travel from anywhere in Mumbai except for if you staying in Powai! Second is it worth it? Hell yeah & you’ll see why!

The Italians have a little saying about khaana – peena ‘Chi Mangia Bene, Mangia Italian’ which literally means 'Who eats well, lives well'  & the buffet at Fratelli Fresh (the Italian Restorante at Renaissance) truly serves you just that!

Let me first take you through the ambience of this place - The decor is minimalistic with Glass, Glass & some more Glass. –‘ Jin Ke ghar Seeshe ke Hote hain, woh dusro pe pathar nahi phekte’ pardon me am a big fan of 2 ‘F’s – Food & Films (what were you thinking? You pervert!). The place had wooden domes & ceilings coupled with tall glass panes which give you a breath taking view of the Powai Lake makes for a beautiful semblance.

On one hand you have a peaceful view while on the other hand you have the hustle & bustle of an open kitchen, where you can see little Italian Chef, Tony who reminds me of  Danny DeVito (the stripper Roy from Friends) dishing out some really fresh dishes! He says that Italian Food is the easiest, it doesn’t take much time & hence it can be easily prepared, right in front of you, fresh! Thank God for that I could wait to get my hands on those lovely aromatic dishes. Let me take one by one through my quest of devouring what Fratelli Fresh had to offer –

Soups – The Mushroom Soup was brilliant: a thick almost cappuccino like broth with a nice flavour of mushrooms made for a tasty delight. Add to it the bread croutons and count your blessings! The Chicken Soup was a clear chicken broth, almost a stock but again very flavourful.

Salads - The salad counter boasted of many exotic salads Pollo e  Patate (chicken,potato,parsley,vinegar), Insalata Rriviera (cauliflower,broccoli,green beans,zuchinni,baby potato,fish grouper) & Insalata Caprese. Personally I didn’t like any! All of it was very bland and dry. But then again I am not a salad person!

Sangria

Drinks – They had a bar that seemed to have really good variety of drinks. I had the Sangria, which was good while my accomplice had a Mojito - the citrusy flavour of which got us high!

The Grill – Now this is the 1^st most yummiest part of the buffet. Right in front of on a bed of ice lie – Cuts of Salmon & Red Snapper, Jumbo sized King Prawns, Lobsters. There is also an option for Lamb Chops! The Red Snapper – seasoned with the right amount of salt, the fish just melts in your mouth. No added spices just the natural flavour of the fish, yum! Same was for the King Prawns & Lobster – no added flavour just grilled to perfection, the natural juices just do the trick. The Lamb Chop however felt like a piece of tire in my mouth – chewy & hard.

The Pasta & Risotto: We ordered for Spaghetti Arabiatta & Fussilli Aglio Olio. The Arabitata was served to us with penne rather spaghetti, and tasted very okaish. The Aglio Olio was too dry and lacked substantial slavour. However the Raviolli in Chicken & Cream Cheese was delicate, beautifully wrapped and delicious. What was great to see that the pasta was made at the hotel which gave them an uneven rustic look, like home cooked food. The Mushroom Risotto was  - sticky, dolloped with lots of butter & cheese, just as it should be! However I would have preferred if they served it with Porcini instead of normal mushrooms. Nevertheless it was yummy!

Raviolli in Chicken & Cream

Pizza: The thin crisp, wafer thin Pizza tasted like heaven. The second yummiest part of the buffet. The earthy taste of the freshly baked pizza topped with slivers of melted cheese was delectable!

Shots & Chocolates – Now thats a novel concept! Beautiful shaped imported chocolates were displayed with Bubblegum flavoured & blue curcao shots! Now that swat I call getting high on Chocolate!

Desserts – This was the 3^rd yummiest part of the buffet. Authentic Italian desserts like Crostata di frutta i.e. fruit and custard tart, Crostata di fitchi e pere i.e. fig and pear tart were justmaking my mouth water! The best part of these desserts was the fact that they are not perfectly shaped and didn’t look like show pieced. They had the home cooked uneven look and even tasted yummy. The Budino cremoso i.e. Italian cream caramel was ‘Oh so yum’. The thick Chocolate Mousse served in a Wine Glass was ambrosial.  

Budino cremoso i.e. Italian cream caramel

 Crostata di fitchi e pere i.e. fig and pear tart

Additionally there were fresh baked breads with dips, imported cheese & cold cut meats

All in all the buffet had a humongous variety of more than 100 dishes. Yup more than 100! For the lack of choice is not an excuse here! All of this is priced at Rs 1500 plus taxes. Pretty much worth it for the kind of variety.

Verdict:

Food: Fresh, Delectable & Great Variety

Ambience: Beautiful

Service: Helpful

Quicktip: Skip your breakfast, and head straight for this brunch and eat your heart out! A great place for expats who are looking for a  taste of their home here! Warning: Do not by any means go on your weighing scale after this!

The Secret Affair

pic courtsey - Zomato

You are probably wondering why my new post is titled as ‘The Secret Affair’. Well, all of you have by now come to the Food & Me are in holy Matrimony. So if I am married to food, am secretly having an affair with Chocolate. Sushhhhhhh food doesn’t know about it. I avoid chocolate around it. Cause if I eat it after food, food gets angry and starts piling up in my body. Then it bribes the weighing scale into showing an enormous number. So I prefer to spend time with chocolate alone! Secretly, I travel to places, in disguise and spend some quality time with it! We even made love a couple of times! Here are the details of our escapades

Culinary Muse’ Top 8 picks of Chocolate Desserts (Read: Divinity)

8.      Double Trouble, MOD – Mad Over Donuts yummy chocolate treat comes at no 10 with yummy milk chocolate casing on top and thick chocolate filling in between. Tips: Take HUGE big bite to savour both at one time.  Approx priced at Rs. 200. Available at all MOD outlets

7. Gooey Cake, Cafe Churchill & Mocambo – This yummy, soft cake is perfect when shared with you date! How does it taste? Well, the name says it all! Approx priced at Rs. 80/-. Available at Cafe Churchill 103-8, East West Court Building, Opp. Cusrow Baug, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba, Mumbai & Cafe Mocambo, 23/A, Sir Phirozshah Mehta Road, Fort, Mumbai

6. Walnut Brownie, Theobroma – Now this is what I call food for the gods! This square shaped slice has just the right combination of soft cake, crispy crust and cruchy walnuts. All packed together. I dare you to just eat one! Approx priced at Rs. 40. Available at Theobroma, Colaba & Bandra

5. Cafe Mocha’s Chocolate Avalanche – Now this is one huge dessert Even the Jr. Version (yeah they have Junior & Senior version). It is so filling that you can keep eating it all day & it won’t finish!  Go with a huge group and dig in to this gigantic mountain of fun! Approx priced at Rs. 300. Available at all outlets of Cafe Mocha

4.  Dense Chocolate Loaf, Theobroma – When you are happy, any you know and you really want to show it, Go get your family and yourself the dense chocolate loaf from Theobroma! Brilliant family dig in dessert. Approx priced at Rs. 200. Available at Theobroma, Colaba & Bandra

3. Lindt’s Lindor Truffle – If you haven’t tasted this chocolate! You seriously have missed something. It is beautiful solid on the outside with this molten chocolate on the inside. But never eat it just out of the fridge, let it be outside for a while to enjoy the yummy molten centre! Approx priced at Rs. 1000. Available at Fantasy Chocolates

2. Chocoholic, Theobroma – This yummy three layer mousse cake is immaculate. With each layer having a different kind of chocolate. It justs melts in the mouth! A must have for birthdays!  Approx priced at Rs. 75. Available at Theobroma, Colaba & Bandra

1. Chocolate Fondant, Busaba – Watching this itself is an orgasmic scene. When served cut through it, you will a stream of silky molten chocolate rush out! And if that doesn’t give you a gastro turn on, I don’t know what will! Oh and it’s taste? A kiss from your love! Approx priced at Rs. 450-500. Available at Busaba, Colaba & Lower Parel

Quicktip: Listen to voice! If you are sounding like you dog died, you need  hevy prescription of the above! Go get yourself one of these and faith will be restored!

Hot & Steamy

Call them Dumplings, Momos’, Dim sims or just simply Wantons, this dish made of ground meat or vegetables wrapped up in delicate rice or flour skins and then steamed to create a smooth as silk, melt in the mouth savoury, is a treat to all the senses. They are beautifully wrapped like the Australian Dim Sims and Chinese Sui Mui, once served the  steamy smell they let makes your mouth water and what can I say about the taste. Surreal!

Culinary Muse definitely has a penchant for these juicy appetisers and she brings to you her guide to where you will find the best of these in Mumbai

Culinary Muse’ Top 5 picks of Steaming Brilliance (Dimsims et more)

5.      Steamed Chicken Wanton’s, Mr. Chow – At no. 5 we have Mr. Chow, a Chinese home delivery chain. They have yummy steamed chicken wantons – dumplings of soft chicken, spices, sprinkled with sautéed golden garlic flakes and spring onions. Priced at Rs 100 for 6 pieces, this the most affordable option and mind you not coprimising on quality. Mr. Chow has outlets in Colaba ( # 22160076), Bandra (#26489951) & Prabhadevi (#24334551)

4. Korean Momo’s, All Stir Fry – These are succulent bags of hmmmmm (thats what happen when you put it in your mouth). You need to eat it to feel it. Approx priced at Rs. 200. C/O The Gordon House Hotel, 5 Battery Street, Apollo Bunder, Colaba , Mumbai. # 22894400, 22894451, 22894452

Wanton Soup at Oriental Blossom

3. Dim Sim Set Menu, Oriental Blossom – A while ago Oriental Blossom the Pan- Asian restaurant at Marine Plaza introduced an ode to the dumplings with a Dim Sim Set Menu. From Dumpling Noodle Soup – a clear broth with silky wantons in it to the prawn rolls and sui mui’s, everything here is brilliant. Come here to savour a an amazing array of steamed dishes! The set menu is priced at Rs 500 for Veg and  Rs 600  for Non-Veg and is only available on the weekends. Hotel Marine Plaza, 29, Dinshaw Wachha Road, Marine Drive, Nariman Point, Mumbai

Busaba Momo's

2. Tibetan Momo’s, Busaba – No one can beat the momo’s at Busaba! Gorgeously wrapped  in an extra thin layer of phyllo, it goes really well with the green and red chilly sauces they serve. The divine experience of eating this will always keep you craving for more!

Cheung Fun at Royal China

1.  Cheung Fun, Royal China – Numero Uno position goes to beautiful dish from Royal China. These actually look like steamed spring rolls, translucent enough to reveal the meat rested in a pool of mild and balmy soy sauce. From the moment this enters your mouth you know that Paradise is made of things like these!

Quicktip: Get yourself to learn how to use the chopsticks and instead of snacking on some unhealthy burgers, pastas and pizzas, treat yourself to this tasty & nutricious steamy fare. Accompany it with some Jasmine or White Tea and Ooh Heaven is a place on Earth!