Barbeque Nation (Khar West)

National Pleasure

Barbeque Nation is essentially a concept joint, more than a restaurant dedicated to the quality of its food. The signature fare here is the meat or mushrooms on the skewer over a barbecue bang in the centre of your table, with marination and sauces of your choice. Unfortunately, barring the mushrooms and to some extent the prawns, the remaining 10-12 of the barbecued morsels are not particularly impressive. The other starters though do well to make up, and the potato in cheesy dip is worth a lick even for those who have come exclusively for non-vegetarian fare. It is a good idea to fill yourself up with starters, since the main course is not as attractive. However, if one thing is to be tried out within the latter, the vote would be for the grilled fish in lemon butter which is just the right combination of sweet and sour, not to forget ethereally soft. The desserts range from phirni and Arabian cakes to mousse and vanilla ice-cream with chocolate sauce - most of them quite palatable but possibly a little better when cooler. Overall, the buffet worth INR 700 with the unlimited starters, main course and dessert is actually good value for money when you survey the entire package on offer, along with the essential barbecue (never mind how the restaurant spells it) experience. Surely worth a one-time visit!

Ambience                ★★★★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★★ 

http://mumbai.burrp.com/establishment/search.html?q=Barbeque+Nation&n=Khar+West&doProximity=true&s=OR 

Cafe Farhan (Mahim West)

Yes, this one is in Mumbai too

A modest place, Cafe Farhan, and more importantly, without any pretensions to Mumbai-esque excesses. And therefore, the only place where one can have a one-course meal at only INR 20, and not be the poorer for it. The chapatis, at INR 2.50, are simply superb and the chana masala is not too bad either. The table-sharing (one ought to get used to that if one is going to think beyond High Street Phoenix) aside, a recurring woe with the eatery is that the stewards are perpetually confused, and it has often happened that the Chinese menu (they do, in fact, have 2 separate cards for Chinese and Indian) has been handed to the customer while the only fare available is Indian. Home delivery from here, therefore is not recommended at all. What is recommended, however, is stopping there to pick up chapatis to accompany whatever you have cooked at home.

Ambience                ★
Service                    ★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★

Noodle Bar, High Street Phoenix (Lower Parel)

Tossed up beautifully

The Chinese specialty restaurant of Blue Foods is best known for Toss It Up, the customised Wok where one chooses what noodle one wants, along with the accompaniments (vegetarian / non-vegetarian), sauces and garnishing. Choose whatever combination you want - what emerges at the end is invariably palatable. The other notable thing here is the starters package, varying from some delicious dim-sums to corn in butter garlic sauce. One area of improvement for the place is the quality of service. While the stewards are obtrusive in serving the food right on your plate, they often mess up in serving people seated at the corner and the aisle while people in the middle are often stranded with the remains of the tray. If one insists on serving oneself, the food might actually be enjoyed better, for it is right there to be enjoyed.

Ambience                ★★★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★★★
Taste                      ★★★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/noodle-bar_high-street-phoenix_mumbai_restaurants/11345396

Hard Rock Cafe (Worli)

Where music is the food of love

John Lennon's glasses, Madonna's jacket, Eric Clapton's guitar, Sir Elton John's shades, and some rather good food. That is Hard Rock Cafe Mumbai, located in what used to be the Bombay Dyeing Mill. While the place acquires an ethereal flavour on Thursday nights with the live band, the dedications and the culmination with the signature track YMCA that has the entire staff swaying to its tunes, the food (and even the musical mementos) are best enjoyed during lunch on a weekday. The set lunch (especially if you choose the burger) is totally worth it, as is the buffet comprising soups, salads, pasta, dessert and the usual Indian fare. Special mention must be made of the Cream of Spinach Soup, one of those rare things which you indulge in without feeling guilty. The Chief Steward is of course a class act, with his trademark "Ladies and gentlemen, I need a little help" as he politely asks which dish goes where. However, his team falls woefully short of the mark, with inordinate delays in getting cutlery and false assurances of serving certain dishes at the table to people opting for the buffet. But forgive them their sins in true Iron Maiden fashion, and you shall be richer from the overall experience.

Ambience                ★★★★★
Service                    ★★
Presentation            ★★★★
Taste                      ★★★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/hard-rock-cafe_worli_mumbai_cafes-restaurants/114162495

Gopalkrishna Boarding House (Dadar West)

A smile at a vile hour

Forget what the food is like. Forget even the not-so-pleasant crowd. What is important is that this place is open all night. And, well, the food is not too bad. The 'Boarding House' adjoining Dadar Station (one is yet to discover why it is called that, unless the owners meant 'Public House') is essentially a midnight watering hole, where the drinks menu is thrust on you before the food menu, and the steward looks askance if you tell him you are not drinking. However, once that bit is cleared up, a must try is the delicious-looking kulcha with any vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish of your choice. What is also particularly impressive is that despite the rather shoddy atmosphere inside, Gopalkrishna does accept card payments, which even its more popular fellow Dadarite Oven Fresh does not. Overall, if you are too hungry at midnight to be intimidated by the mostly inebriated crowd there, Gopalkrishna ought to be in your consideration set.

Ambience                ★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★
Taste                      ★★★

Cafe Goodluck (Pune)

Lucky to have been there

It comes as quite a surprise that a place which is far from the glitz and glamour of Mumbai's fashionable restaurants is among the first recommended to Mumbaikars visiting Pune. However, the Goodluck Special Chicken or Butter Chicken (two exquisite variants of shredded chicken) with the unusually large and rather tasty chapati should be sufficient to demystify the entire thing. Add to that the caramel custard at the end of the meal, and you have the complete Pune package. The place is rather dingy and often overcrowded, but the recent innovation of a water spray has done a great job in refreshing the atmosphere. The stewards too tend to get a little erratic at times, though they may be forgiven given the volumes handled on a daily basis. Overall, worth a visit if one is in Pune, especially for brunch if one has driven down from Mumbai in the morning or taken an Inter-City Express.

Ambience                ★★★
Service                    ★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★★


http://pune.burrp.com/listing/cafe-goodluck-restaurant_fc-road_pune_fast-food-shops-cafes-restaurants/192746217

Thank God It's Friday, High Street Phoenix (Lower Parel)

Or Saturday, for that matter

TGIF, as the place is diminutively called, is a trifle difficult to find a place at. But once you have a table (or a bar seat), what follows is completely worth the wait. The burgers are as delectable as they are sizable, and the Caribbean chicken and seafood rice is just about the best alternative to biryani anywhere in the country. Of special mention is the mushroom, cheese and garlic sauce, best enjoyed with beef steaks but also appropriate for burger, fries and even the seafood dishes. And then there is the service - extremely meticulous, and ever-prepared with constructive suggestions (only the third place in India where the reviewer has heard the steward recommending an order to be cancelled since it might turn out to be too much given the portions usually served). The place does burn a bit of a hole in your pocket, but, well, it is the weekend after all...

Ambience                ★★★★
Service                    ★★★★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/establishment/search.html?q=TGI+Friday&n=High+Street+Phoenix&doProximity=true&s=OR

Kakori House (Mahim West)

Pig on the kebabs, but don't dig the rest

An extremely small restaurant with a capacity of around 15 serves what is arguably the best choice of kebabs in all of Mumbai. Try the signature dish Kakori Kebab or the Murgh Afghani, and you will be left wondering how it is possible to have kebabs as soft as they are delicious. The kebab wrap could be an excellent snack, with the bread being superbly baked as well. However, once the starters have set the stage, the main course is a bit of a disappointment. While the mutton biryani and murgh handi are quite decent, as is the coconut-flavoured daal-e-khaas, one can never quite reach the level of delight that the kebabs induce. So, not a great place for a one-course meal but a must-visit for the kebab-lover and for those of us who can engineer complete meals with different combinations of starters.

Ambience                ★★★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/kakori-house_mahim_mumbai_restaurants/1475493762 

Mumbai Masala (Shivaji Park)

Just the Place for some Masala

Call it invisibility or what you will, Mumbai Masala, off Mahim Bay, certainly deserves more than 25% occupancy. While prices are on the steeper side, the food is worth a shot, especially if one likes the traditional daal-roti fare. The dal makhani is among the best available this side of town, and the bread too is soft and quite palatable. Unfortunately, the open bar here seems to work to Mumbai Masala's disadvantage, since it is an immediate turn-off for those in the family scheme of things. For the casual diner though, the lack of people offers the added advantage of a peaceful dinner with food not only for thought but also for conversation.

Ambience                ★★★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/mumbai-masala_shivaji-park_mumbai_bars-pubs-restaurants/162131247

Dynasty (Santa Cruz West)

Sweet meat!

This hugely popular Chinese restaurant on S.V. Road serves an above-average chicken dish and a decent variety of noodle preparations inspired by culinary schools across South and South-East Asia. One of the most popular dishes here is the Chicken with Spinach starter, a dish that would be excellent to look at at a food exhibition, and would definitely taste better without the sugar added to it. Like its neighbours Yoko Sizzlers and Fat Kong, Dynasty too has the problem of not being large enough for its name and thus cramping people for space, as a result of which the 15-minute wait might not yield anything extraordinary. However, if you are alone and are looking for a good Chinese meal, this is the place to be.

Ambience                ★★★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★★★
Taste                      ★★★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/dynasty_santacruz-west_mumbai_restaurants/169113940 

Asia 7, High Street Phoenix (Lower Parel)

7th Heaven

Being in the Palladium building, Asia 7 clearly has standards. No roadside joint this - it is the very epitome of fine dining. And so, as is expected, one ought to be prepared to give one's credit limit a reality check when one comes down to this place. However, let's get this one straight - it is worth every rupee overspent. First up, the Mongolian and Japanese decors themselves leave you spellbound, as do the wet towels on the table that spring up the moment you pour water on them. And then there is the food - the softest Dim Sums with the most exciting Oriental sauce; and diced chicken with mushrooms that one just cannot wait to dig into. In addition, the place has an eclectic collection of both Indian and foreign wines - the Italian Capriccio Chardonnay is a good bet to try out (there is a bottle of wine laid out on your table already, but do ensure you take a look at the price tag before asking for it to be uncorked).Finally, given the low turnout thanks to the price (yes, that happens even in Mumbai), you almost always enjoy special attention even from the floor captain. In all, Asia 7 is not your everyday eatery, but definitely a place to consider for that special date. 

Ambience                ★★★★★
Service                    ★★★★★
Presentation            ★★★★★
Taste                      ★★★★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/asia-7_high-street-phoenix_mumbai_restaurants/1134950396

California Pizza Kitchen, High Street Phoenix (Lower Parel)

Every bit the fusion that the name suggests

California is clearly not the first place that comes to your mind when you think of pizza. Neither is Thailand when you think of pasta. And yet, try the Thai linguini made in rich olive oil, and feel the best of both east and west. Then again, while the pasta is right up there with the best in the city, trying the fancier salads may be a waste since they are a little too dry, often bordering on the tasteless. The food apart, the place itself is a good one to sit and have a chat or even watch cricket, primarily thanks to its second floor location which keeps the Blue Foods crowd away. One recurring problem is that the EDC terminal is somewhat faulty, especially when it comes to chip-enabled payment cards. Overall, a good place for a date and some good pasta to go with it.

Ambience                ★★★★
Service                    ★★★
Presentation            ★★★
Taste                      ★★★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/california-pizza-kitchen_lower-parel_mumbai_restaurants/1796819930#

Copper Chimney, High Street Phoenix (Lower Parel)

Too hot to handle!

Is it the modern open kitchen, or the frequent opening and shutting of doors, that makes this place so terribly hot? Not too sure, but one can definitely say that it is almost a sure-shot way to add a cold drink to one's order. Once that drink (a fresh lime soda is recommended) is downed, one can settle down to the various culinary pleasures this place has to offer. On the vegetarian front, any dish with mushroom or paneer is fully worth it, and the dal makhani is among the best the city has to offer. For non-vegetarian delicacies, one needs look no further than the eternal favourite, butter chicken. The service, unfortunately, leaves a lot to be desired as the stewards keep falling into the trap of recommending the most expensive dish on the menu when asked for their two cents (including tosh to the level of "Roomali roti is the best roti we have"). Not too surprising, perhaps, given that the service charge going to them is a direct percentage of the total bill amount a la most fashionable places nowadays.


Ambience                ★★ 
Service                    ★★
Presentation            ★★★★
Taste                      ★★★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/establishment/search.html?q=Copper+Chimney&n=High+Street+Phoenix&doProximity=true&s=OR

Yoko Sizzlers (Santa Cruz West)

Yoko - Yahaan Roko!!

While much has already been said about what are touted as the best sizzlers in town (including words like 'sizzilicious'), Yoko does not disappoint even when you want to try out some of the other fare. The chicken and chips is highly recommended among the appetizers, although it might have the unpleasant effect of filling you up to quite an extent even before your sizzler is here. Of course, given that consuming sizzlers takes time with all the paraphernalia including vegetables and other toppings to be negotiated, it is little wonder that the time spent per customer per meal increases substantially, with the result that the queues outside get longer. The stewards too are not particularly friendly, especially when it comes to mundane stuff like water and serviettes. Finally, with all the smoke from the sizzlers, the whole place does suffocate one a little, and it might be in order for the next branch of Yoko to be an open-air one!

Ambience               ★★ 
Service                   ★★
Presentation            ★★★★
Taste                      ★★★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/establishment/search.html?q=Yoko+Sizzlers&n=Santacruz+West&doProximity=true&s=OR

Fat Kong (Santa Cruz West)

Fa(s)t-track across the street

Located opposite the road from big guns like Dynasty and Yoko Sizzlers, Fat Kong provides a low cost alternative in Chinese cuisine, or so we are led to believe by the citations on the wall.While cost is not something that stands out distinctly, what does is the speed of service - even a seemingly complicated dish is put on the table within 5-7 minutes (and this is a blessing as opposed to the never-ending queues outside the likes of Yoko). The food itself could be a lot better though: while the chopsuey options are usually good, experimenting with exotic-sounding Thai or Korean dishes might not be the best thing to do since they do not taste very different from their Chinese equivalents. And then, quite suddenly, the value-for-money proposition is not there any more!

Ambience               ★★ 
Service                   ★★★★
Presentation            ★★
Taste                      ★★


http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/fat-kong_santacruz-west_mumbai_restaurants/146750663

The Bayview, Hotel Marine Plaza (Marine Drive)

Midnight Madness

The midnight buffet at The Bayview restaurant starts on a nice note, as you tuck yourself into a relatively silent table and stare at the Queen's Necklace. However, once the initial euphoria settles down and you take a closer look at the spread, you are bound to get a little disappointed by what is on offer. The biryani is insipid, the mutton undercooked, the vegetables tasteless and the fish producing a putrid aftertaste. While some of the salads and sandwiches are fairly decent, the sauces and salad dressings on the buffet are without labels; so you are not too sure what you are adding to your salad. The redemption, however, is in the form of the desserts, with the blueberry cake emerging right up there, and the unlimited chocolate sauce along with the ice cream producing a much-anticipated finale. 

Ambience               ★

★★★★

Service                   ★★★
Presentation            ★★
Taste                      ★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/the-bayview_marine-drive_mumbai_restaurants/171105138 

Sapre & Sons (Goregaon West)

Baap Re!

If the name of the eatery-cum-store (more reminiscent of a cloth merchant or an undertaker) on Aarey Road is not enough to put you off, the atmosphere inside would surely suffice! While a low-cost breakfast might not be too bad a thing for a weekend morning, one certainly deserves more than tables without adequate leg space, especially when there is no reservation of tables. The food is quite ordinary for the most part, but the coffee is certainly worth it. Overall, not a place worth planning out a meal at, but a decent pit stop for some coffee or a vada especially if you are headed for the headquarters of the Indian Whistlers' Association located in the same building.

Ambience               ★

Service                   ★★
Presentation            ★
Taste                      ★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/sapre-and-sons_goregaon-west_mumbai_shops-dessert-shops-restaurants/1639860346

Bombay Blue, High Street Phoenix (Lower Parel)

Not quite the blue-blood, but Bombay all right

The flagship restaurant of Blue Foods at Phoenix Mall has been overshadowed of late by its sister concern and neighbour Copper Chimney. The reason is not difficult to guess, especially if you have ventured into pasta territory here.The barbecue penne, billed as a 'Hero Dish'; is rather insipid, and it is a good idea to stick to nachos since it is difficult to go wrong there. The stroganoff in pepper sauce is a notable exception though and is highly recommended. The Indian fare is a little more palatable, and the starters are certainly worth a try. A good addition to the menu is the set of starters hailing from every region that is represented in the IPL. Talking of the IPL, there are two things that impress here - the presence of two LCD screens (one on either of opposite walls) in order not to inconvenience anyone based on where s/he sits; and the cricket quiz and puzzles on the table mat that you can have fun with while you wait for your food to arrive.

Ambience               ★★

★★

Service                   ★★★
Presentation            ★★★★
Taste                      ★★★

http://mumbai.burrp.com/listing/bombay-blue_high-street-phoenix_mumbai_restaurants/17933930