Fat Kong, Santacruz, Mumbai

Timely Takeout 
Rating 1.5/5


The food tastes like anything else. The curries are all there, they are what you expect from street chinese in Mumbai. The soups are watery, so skip your first course if you are ordering from FatKong and go straight into the mains. The curries have a semblance of differing flavours and the garlic stays on your breath long after you have brushed and gone to be. But if chinese takeout is what you want, it hits the spot. And fast.


The restaurant itself is mostly a kitchen in the garage of what is now a fancy building and red plastic chairs and basic tables are as kitsch as this place can go. The tables are set out on the curbside and so I would stop there to eat only if I had no where else to go. Ordering out is passable. Eating in, avoidable.


As a style secret: Taking mediocre Chinese food from takeout joints such as this and plating it in oriental laters along side a set table complete with flavoured tea and chopsticks does bring some sense of dignity to the meal. Alternatively, brown paper boxes with chopsticks and a nice wine make it simple and sophisticated for a night in. Just does because its cheap, it doesn't have to be tacky!


FatKong *.5/5
Raheja Classic, SV Road, Santacruz West, Mumbai 400054 

Recommendations: Chicken in black bean sauce, Egg haka noodles

Atmosphere: Curbside, street food

Service: quick

Decibel: Traffic, but otherwise youdo have elbow room

Price Range: Rs. 400 for 2 people

Hours: 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 12.30am. 
No reservations

Child friendliness: Mosquitoes, traffic don't make it easy to have kids with you.

Nobu, 57th street, NewYork City

Nobu

Rating ***/5

Has it become much too touristy for it's own good? It's still an excellent place for a steep drink. But the thing that struck us at Nobu on 57th was the disdainful disinterest of the hostess. She can make or break an evening. And it is with regret that we must fail her in that department. The food was served just right, well informed waiting staff and a hip ambiance met with some personality. That said, we would recommend Hakkasan (London) over Nobu in overall experience.

The Peruvian sashimi was worth mention. The mixologists are talented. In short it has the makings of a perfect formula, but it lacks soul. Enough said

Nobu: ***/5

40 west, 57 street, manhattan, New York

Decibel: Moderately loud music, conversation possible but intimate

Price Range: $ 200 for 2 people

Hours: 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 12.30am.

Book a table for dinner

Child friendliness: Children not permitted downstairs but they aren't thrilled to have young guests at all.

Pritam Da Dhaba, Dadar Mumbai

Pritam Da Dhaba
Rating *

It used to be quite the speciality restaurant, upto 15-20 years back. But now it has lost its edge. It continues to cater to a certain clientele, but the flavour of the food has gone South as has its sheen and experience. The Salted Lassi was so sour that we had to return it. They offered to make it with fresh curd - which leads to the question - why didn't they use fresh yoghurt to begin with?

The gravies had the same tomato base flavour and was altogether too rich for you to enjoy the food. My father-in-law, an experienced restaurateur of almost half a century, often says this about too much cream in the food, "It doesn't work for the customer, as they are more health conscious and it masks the inherent sharpness of flavour. It doesn't work for me as it is so heavy, no one orders more than one dish." Pritam Da Dhaba should take a page out of his book for the methi matar and the dal. Tasted ok, but richness personified!

The gulab jamun was hard and cold and that was just the icing on the cake gone bad! and the bar was hidden and poky and not inviting at all.

Pritab Da Dhaba */5
32 Dharmputra Pritam, East Dadar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400014. 

Recommendations: Dahi Wada, Dal

Atmosphere: Family restaurant, old school

Service: inefficient, lax, uninspired

Decibel: conversational with elevator music

Price Range: Rs. 800 for 2 people

Hours: 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 12.30am. 
Book a table for lunch and dinner, expect to wait. No reservations at the bar

Child friendliness: They are used to little foodies running around.

Banyan Tree, Fort, Mumbai

The Banyan Tree, Fort
Rating **1/2
It is a lovely feeling to drink coffee, surf on your iPad (yes I show off here) and know you are surrouned by lovely books, progressive art, and creative knick-knacks you can buy. The Banyan Tree at BMB Art Gallery is lovely. Nestled in a lovely lane surrounded by some of the city's oldest schools (Cathedral and John Conan Middle School and JB Petit for girls) the location is a dead ringer. The fresh fruit is inspired and piques your interest and the brownies and muffins make you feel right at home.

Its the entrees that surprise you. It has a satisfying menu that blends coffee house eats with the feel of a deli.  The Spinach Burger was surprising - I don't normally like vegetarian burgers - The Thai Curry was not bad and the muffins are excellent. they also get their coffee bang on - which is most important in a coffee house.

The Banyan Tree Cafe **1/2
Gallery BMB, Fort, Mumbai 400001

Recommendations: Spinach burger, Coffee

Atmosphere: Arty, Contemporary

Service: Efficient

Decibel: Quiet, with random music from the '90s (?)

Price Range: Rs. 1,000 for 2 people

Hours: all day long 
No reservations

Child friendliness: It's more adult, but they would welcome young visitors.

Indigo, Colaba, Mumbai

The Chef's Kitchen
The 100 Word review is not easy. And to say I liked the first menu the most is unfair as its now tinged with the colour of wonderful memories. But booking a table will get you personalised menus. The staff is extraordinarily polite and not at all elitist. It is an upscale, expensive fine dining restaurant with the owner's heart firmly in his "pet project". I have seen Rahul Akerkar on busy nights come out of the kitchen and help clear up.

New, hip bars that have opened up in the area after Indigo made Colaba the chicest dining district. And they have only served to improve the experience at Indogo. The press of people has dropped to a steady stream of the city's swish set. The music is definitely lounge and conversation is a pleasure.

The decor is interesting with colour blocking and culinary art works, but doesn't take away nor does it pretend of add to the dining experience. The food is King, country and content.

Indigo: ****/5
Malviya Road, Colaba, Mumbai

Recommendations: Blackened Chicken and Lobster Risotto

Atmosphere: Hip, Corporate

Service: Efficient, quiet, but not invible

Decibel:lounge, allowing for coversation

Price Range: Rs. 2,000 for 2 people

Hours: 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 12.30am. 
Book a table for dinner, no reservations at the bar

Child friendliness: Children not permitted except on Sunday.

Zenzi, Bandra West, Mumbai

Rating: **/5

The Zany Wateringhole

The outer edge of Bandra’s yuppie culture, Zenzi is the watering hole for people looking to getaway from the swish and the serious. Production crew, models, artists, photographers and media own the long bar on the outside and the tall tables that line the verandah. Boheme is an unspoken given here and the music, while occasionally loud, especially when the band is new is over zealous, can often be loud enough for you to talk over and buzzing enough to get into the groove thang!

The Bar snacks menu is limited but the have the New York style China Box which is quite popular. Rumor has that it was created by friends who would stay till late and grab some noodles and gravy in the wee hours. They have a mushroom starter that deserves some mention but for the life of me I cannot recall what it is. And the amnesia is itself a testimony to the bar.

But to be honest, the barkeep and his crew are not dazzling in their display nor is the bar limitless. But  the sultry outside complete with amateur photographic art for sale on the walls draws you in for a casual drink. Its easy to see this bar become your regular watering hole. Somehow the inside bar and dining experience feels like a whole different place and experience. And what passes for busy and buzzing outside seems like no elbow room on the inside. The food passes muster but isn’t anything to write home about but Zenzi has a clean-ish restroom that make an evening of beer-guzzling bearable.

Somehow the drinks that are served best here are the ones that come out of a bottle – entirely. The wine is chilled, the beer is iced and the whiskey should be on the rocks. The Bloody Mary lacks punch and the Caipiroska is too muddled and the waiting staff can be too familiar.

Still as you leave, with you head buzzing pleasantly, you know you will come back. For a beer, an evening of debauchery or for the New York-style China Box.

Zenzi **/5

RK Patkar Marg, Khar West, Mumbai 400050. Tel: 022 6643 0670

Recommendations: China Box and Beer.

Atmosphere: Relaxed, creative

Service: Prompt but over friendly

Decibel: Moderately loud music, louder conversations

Price Range: Rs. 1,000 for 2 people

Hours: 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 12.30am. 
Book a table for dinner, no reservations at the bar

Child friendliness: Children not permitted in the evening.

Places in the neighbourhood: