Global Chaos - Fort, Mumbai

There are restaurants which have multiple cuisines on their menu but end up making things taste similar. Won't it be a luxury if one could eat a Kebab Appetizer, a Chinese main, an African second course and an Italian dessert? Won't it be even better if all of these tasted authentic? Well this gets taken care of at a great extent in Global Chaos.

Though the name says Chaos, it does not literally mean that. The menus are easy to navigate through and you can form an opinion quickly. The only chaos exists in the form of choice. With so many delights on the offering, what does one choose?

Located in the crowded but posh locality of Kala Ghoda in fort, the place could initially be a little hard to spot. The ambiance is reminiscent of a typical fine dine restaurant. It has a formal vibe to it and most of the patrons seem to be office folks from nearby places. Judging by the large number of six or more seater tables, I assume that they get lots of large groups at prime time. The place feels more lounge like at night when the lights become more prominent.

Shellfish Bisque soup is based off Creamy French soups. This had a smoky, creamy and savory flavor to it. The Shellfish added umame to the mix as well. It wasn't salty and its flavors felt like the deep sea. It also a had a sweet undertone due to the usage of brandy in the preparation but this can only be felt at the start. It was a proper French soup if you ask me, a good way to kick off the meal.

Cheesy Chicken Tikka had a lot of chatpata powder and chaat spices. The onion was also coated in a bit of pickle adding a bit of an "achari" flavor. Though the cheese wasn't perceivable, this kebab was creamy, spicy and felt like a fusion of chaat and Tikka kebabs. An interesting flavor, but the chaat masala suppressed the tikka spices and the cheese.

The Burnt garlic chilli noodles was a good main with the flavor of burnt garlic and basil acting as an earthy base. The Chili however was not properly married to the dish with the chef simply peppering it with paprika flakes. Powdered red chili would have worked better, paprika simply add a different kind of flavor.

Sichuan Chili Chicken curry was spicy, loaded with sauces and had a delectable aroma. This was on par with the curry served at other Chinese Fine dine restaurants. Barring the paprika flakes, the other elements worked well for the curry and noodles. The two complemented each other well as a main. I would recommend this combination to the reader.

Blueberry Panna Cotta was absolutely the best panna cotta that I have had in Mumbai. It beats all previous favorites easily. It had a thick consistency, was creamy and boy did it jiggle like a jelly. The flavor was appropriately sweet and it pampered my taste buds gently. My compliments to the chef for this. Note that The panna cotta was a regular vanilla panna cotta, the blueberry compote was just added for aesthetics.

The service was a bit problematic - while the Captain level staff was professional and displayed proper etiquette, my server made a lot of mess ups. Instead of getting noodles, he got rice. His sleeves touched the curry while serving. He did not ask for nor recommend any drink. He was not informed that the restaurant was out of stock on pork, took him twenty minutes to find out and relay it to me.
So I suppose this area can be improved a bit.

The pricing is similar to most casual diners in the area. The foods quality justifies the prices for most cases in my opinion.


The multiple cuisine offering seems to work well for Global chaos for now. One hopes that they will maintain food standards and only improve in times to come. Would I visit again? Most definitely, I would hope though that the service is better and that they have pork next time.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

Map Co-Ordinates
Global chaos,
Mistry Mansion,
Opposite Mumbai University, M G Road,
Fort, Mumbai



-I was invited to sample the grub. My review however remains objective.-


 

Lemon Leaf - Fort, Mumbai.

The posh neighborhood surrounding the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel and the Gateway of Mumbai is dotted with a lot of big names and famous restaurants. Lemon Leaf, a suburban star which was quite well known in Bandra for its Pan Asian food has now opened shop in the same area. Virtually hidden in a lane behind the Taj Mahal hotel, this place is a Golden Emerald jewel. (Emerald thanks to its Edamame like Mascot and Golden ambiance)

It has three seating areas. One a semi Al Fresco that faces the street, the Golden lit interiors inside and a space on the second floor above. The eclectic mix of furniture makes the place look cosy. Whether its books by Tolstoy near the couch or the counter like tables by the wall, the place has a bit of everything that one is familiar with.

Popping Passion was a virgin mix of passion fruit, cranberry and lemon grass. As the restaurant's liquor license wasn't cleared at this pre-opening event, we had to do well with mocktails. This was a sweet and tangy fruit mix that would be good to quench thirst though nothing more than that.

Ramen Bowl with Spicy Broth was a mix of vegetables, tofu, a bit of wakame and chicken. It was a flavorful little appetizer and its taste was a mix of spicy and savory. Though not an exact replica of the real soup and ramen that one finds in Japan, it was a decent emulation that seemed to be adapted to Indian palates.

Salmon Ceviche felt much like a sweet and tangy salad. There was no salmon or seafood that I could perceive while eating this hence this was a bit of a disappointment. Its presence on the menu was curious as well since this dish is of Latin American origin but a ceviche derivative called Kinilaw does exist in the Filipino cuisine.

Silken Tofu was a visually alluring dish. It would also please vegetarians but it seemed to have a bit of flavoring issues as it felt very much like regular Tofu. The sauces and garnishes hadn't quite endowed their flavors upon the Tofu.

Sushi platter was comprised of two seafood sushi and two meatless sushi. The Tuna tatare was a flavorful California roll with the weed mats being inside. Went quite well with the wasabi.
The asparagus tempura and Dijon Mustard sushi rolls were all right too. May suit a vegetarian well though I prefer my sushi with seafood.

The Sizzling Chicken Sisig was a near perfect emulation of the Filipino delicacy. The chicken was juicy and full of flavor. The egg added a flavor variance. It made a good snack and one must applaud Chef Mitesh for adding Filipino dishes to the menu, a cuisine widely unheard of in mainstream India. Would go well with a Rum based cocktail.

Chicken Gyoza were flavorful Japanese dumplings. The execution was perfect in both visuals and flavor. The batter did not feel invasive and the chicken fillings dominated the flavor. Again like the Sisig, these made an excellent appetizer and a lip smacking snack.

Dakgangjeong or Korean Fried Chicken is a different form of KFC. The appearance seemed to emulate the American Korean snack. Though I felt that the batter was too thick. The flavor was fine. The chicken was less greasy and felt tender. The final chicken was painted with some sauce as well. The chicken was served with Lettuce and steamed buns. While the chicken itself was fine, it absolutely had no combination with the sides.

Sri Lankan curry was the dish of the night. The flavors were accurate. The curry had a coastal aroma. The fish was perfect and from the sea as it should be. I am glad they did not use Basa. The flavor made me feel like I am by the seaside. The curry itself had a soul food like flavor and went well with the rice. A must have if you are visiting Lemon leaf.

Chocolate Sushi was made of deep fried tempura batter rolls and a pudding like chocolate stuffing. While the batter was better at maintaining structure, I felt that subtly sweet sticky rice would have been better than the tempura in creating a more sushi like feel. The chocolate stuffing itself was decent and this item felt like a nice novelty.

I sadly do not have pictures of their homemade ice creams but their sesame flavored (Yes that indeed is a flavor) was the best of the desserts that I tried at Lemon leaf. I would recommend the ice creams over the sushi.

I cannot comment on the service since it was a pre opening event. The crew seems well trained and professional enough. Some of them are seasoned staff from their Bandra avatar.

The pricing is quite easy on the pocket given its posh location. It is certainly a place that you would like to visit for decent food at friendly rates.

Lemon Leaf has just started its show at Colaba. While they do have boatloads of experience from their stint at Bandra, they still have a lot of work cut out for them in a locality with some of the best restaurants in town. For now Lemon Leaf makes an easy on the pocket option for a decent Pan Asian fare.


The Captain's Score : 7/10

Map Co-Ordinates
Lemon Leaf
4, Mandlik Road,
Behind Taj Mahal Hotel,
Colaba, Mumbai

-I was invited to a pre-opening event for media personalities by the Restaurant. My review however remains objective.-

1441 Pizzeria - Fort, Mumbai.

Storms, monsters, pirates - we faced them all but none perhaps was more terrifying then what lied ahead. The fabled sea of shipwrecks. It boasted of beautiful islands and legendary restaurants but all of that came at a price. Of every ten ships that would enter this sea, only one would successfully sail out. Me and the crew had a discussion late in the night. Yes, we all desired the blue compass but was it worth the risk? Just then the lookout rang the bell. 

We were passing a rather small isle with nothing but a single tavern on it. The island was the last piece of land before the dark dangerous sea. It was always better to discuss matters of such importance over food. Maybe we could get some useful information as well.

1441 Pizzeria at Fort is a new outlet of an already established brand. The restaurant feels like a small bistro and may sometimes resemble a quick serving restaurant. 1441 is named after the co-ordinates of the town of Naples that is 14 East and 41 North. 1441 boasts of being the only wood fired pizza place in Mumbai which lets people design their own pies. Its a true pizza parlor in that sense.

I was invited to a pre-launch meet by the restaurant's PR. The meet was attended by fellas who wrote on Zomato. Though, a little oversight saw far too many people being invited and crowding the little restaurant.  I was asked to shift a couple of times to make way for groups of "foodies". The joys of being a solo writer, ha. The staff for the most part was nice which was commendable given the chaos that had descended upon the room.

The restaurant had a lovely neighborhood cafe like appearance. The walls showed scenes from Naples and there was even a map of Italy. Had the place been less crowded that day, it would have actually been a nice little sanctuary from the busy road outside.

Dough Balls make a nice replacement to the overused garlic breads. Traditionally, these must have a smooth surface, golf ball like shape and soft texture within. 1441's variants were were tough, chewy and I was also unable to cut these with a knife and a fork. It is likely that I got a bad batch since a lot of folks seemed to enjoy these.

BBQ Chicken Pizza. Though 1441 brands itself as a pizzeria where one can design their own pizza from scratch, I was strangely recommended to try one of their pre-made combinations. Being privy to the horrors that can be unleashed by laymen in a kitchen, I decided to take their advice and play safe. Though not wanting to go home without testing the customization bit, I decided to add a few more toppings to the fixed design. No worries, I knew these combinations worked from experience.

I was a little saddened that pork options were missing from the menu. Parma ham and Chorizo make some great gourmet pizzas.

The pizza was very different from my expectations. This was not due to my additions, mind you. It was due to two factors.

A good napolitana pizza always has a leopard print base which was present here too but the base's appearance and flavor also signified a bit of overheating. The spots should never become too big because that can be a turn off to the rustic experience. Subtly charred should never become burnt.

The Mama's sauce used in the pizza resembled Pumpkin puree and was a bit a mismatch as far as flavors go. I would have preferred San Marzano tomato paste instead. I am told that they do offer an Italian tomato sauce, so thats for next time.

Thankfully, the sauce had not invaded the entire pie and was only present near the edges. The rest of the pizza was a satisfactory experience. Pesto chicken, herbed salami and spicy sausages made a delectable combination in flavors.

Captain : Rather small place eh?

Crewmate : There are a lot of sailors here. Are they all going to the sea of shipwrecks?

First mate : Unlikely. Think these be traders passing by these routes.

The Nutella Pizza has been a darling of instagrammers. There are so many images of it floating around from the first 1441 outlet that it definitely becomes an intriguing option for most people visiting the restaurant. But visible novelty aside, this pie was a major disappointment.

Taking a pizza base, spreading some nutella over it and tossing some toppings on it is easy. There has to be something more than mere optics for this dessert to work. For me, I would have been content if this dessert was sweet. That was my only requirement. The salty pizza base was the party pooper. It is not difficult to create sweetened dough and use that to make dessert pizza bases rather than using regular bases. Had the base been sweet, this dessert would have worked as a sweet dish. But for now it requires work.

I cannot comment on the service since I was part of a pre-opening meet. The servers were polite for the most part but they had their moments when they gave in to the chaos. One of the other invitees took my chair when I was standing up and looking the other way. The staff was completely helpless when I requested them to find me a replacement. Thankfully, I was spared as a few fellas were leaving and chairs became available after ten minutes of standing.

The pricing seems to be a mixed bag. Its apt for their starters, salads and classical pizzas. But on the higher side for their customs and gourmet pizzas. Though understandable since these pizzas use a lot more materials, the quality does need lot of improvement. This pricing is close to what places like Indigo or CPK charge and those places clearly have a superior pizza.

1441 has a nice concept but it clearly has a lot of work cut out for it.

The Captain's Score : 7/10

"
Captain : Time to set sail into what lies beyond this island.


Engineer : You make it sound scary. Not very helpful.

Captain : :D

Tavern Owner : Venturing out to the treacherous sea, are ya? Just remember two bells save the day and three send you away.

Captain : What is that supposed to mean?

Tavern Owner : Who knows? Heard it from some fella who made it out of that sea alive.

"

Map Co-Ordinates
1441 Pizzeria,
Ground Floor,
Hari Chambers, S B Road,
Fort, Mumbai


 -The meal was on the house but my review is objective.-

Farmer and Sons - Fort, Mumbai

The mountains adorned the far side of the horizon as we sailed towards our next destination. The island of six mountains and four rivers lied ahead of us. Though grapevine suggested that its not four rivers but rather four roads. I wondered if I would find the blue compass on this island. That could possibly not be true. The most coveted artifact in human history cannot be found so easily after all. A part of me wanted the compass on the next island while another yearned for greater adventures. 

The radio suddenly came alive. 

Radio : This is the Navy, state your business for visiting this island.

NAVY?!! Barnacles.
Lads, hide all the Rum, gunpowder and pirated music. Put on yer best faces. Let em know that we are uh...merchants carrying uh...spices. 

Farmer and Sons (Hereby known as F&S) takes the place of the erstwhile Nico Bar. The management is still the same but the re branding exercise seems largely pointed to right the wrongs of its predecessor. While the place may not seem as popular as Kapoor & Sons, this Farmer has his heart in the right place.

The eatery feels like a mix of a small bistro and a bar. The narrow bar comes before the slightly wider dining area. The entrance can thus get a bit of a bottleneck if the bar gets too crowded. The bar resembles classy taverns found in West European destinations. The Golden light also felt comforting and calming, though it could be a little troublesome for food photography.

I was part of a Blogger/influencer bunch invited by Food Blogger's association of India. The bunch gladly occupied most of the bar area creating the aforementioned bottleneck. The first course of course(ha) were the drinks. The barkeep Sylvester explained the house specialties like the Drunken Dragon Milk or Mumbai Ice tea for example. His explanation was accompanied by busy food paparazzi gulping the cocktails with their cameras.

Rhubarb and Rose Mojito - After patiently waiting for the battle field dust to settle, I managed to get Sylvester to whip me one of these. The mixture contained Rhubarb compote, Rose Syrup, White Rum, mint and lime. It was a sweet take on the classical Mojito. It was quite an interesting flavor. This was pleasantly sweet(as opposed to traditionally sweet sour Mojitos) and yet was still a Mojito.

Navigator : Rum with Rhubarb? That is quite unheard of. Could this be our clue?

Captain : Unheard to you perhaps. Stop looking into your drink for clues.

Navigator : Yes Sir :(

Salads make an odd course for a dinner but that is easily forgiven with F&S's stellar salads. This little forest in a bowl was made out of Quinoa, Kale and Broccoli. It was dusted with flax seeds, pomegranate and feta. A bit of Honey mustard dressing added a sweet and tangy flavor to the otherwise leafy salad. It easily pleased my palate and I could heartily hog down spoonfuls of this.

The Grilled sea food salad however was the one that took the cake.(That sounds like such an Oxymoron) This salad resembled a sunken island which had re-surfaced after many years. Containing Fish, calamari and prawns - this salad had quite a flavorful depth. It also had a rather generous amount of spade leaf which dominated the salad. The Tamarind Vinaigrette dressing added subtle sour undertones.

Chicken Doner sounds like a homage to Kebab Doner and sounded similar to Kebab Doughnut(I swear that I heard one of the servers say this). This pita pocket was full of a mixture made out of roasted chicken and Tzatziki. It also had pickled beetroot and house made fresh Aioli. One cannot help but sense the flavor resemblance to Shawarmas. The only problem that I saw with these pockets were their inherent ephemeral nature. They got over too fast.

The Braised Pork Belly with Kimchi was quite pedestrian. The Pork belly had an acceptable flavor but it felt far more buttery/fatty than normal. The salty meaty flavor was overshadowed by the uneasy feeling of oiliness. The accompanied Kimchi was a damp squib in both visuals and flavors. It felt like cabbage leaves coated with some sauce. Have easily had better Kimchi than this.

Beetroot Borani is a rarely found variant of the famous Irani yoghurt dip. This was sweet, slightly savory and all around fun. It also had a "just right" mixture of spices which enhanced its flavor to near perfection. The visuals, aroma and the taste all worked well with this one. Vegetarians would enjoy this dish.

Sassoon Dock pizza was recommended by a few Zoman reviewers that I follow. Thus I made it a point to sample it while at F&S. True to its billing, it was a genuine Napolitano pizza. The rustic crust was a hall mark of a genuinely wood fired oven pizza. It had the aroma of Naples and was loaded with sea food. Calamari, fish, clams and fish - all cooked to perfection. The toppings felt very Mediterranean.

But just like how a bad singer can adversely affect the performance of a choir, the pizza sauce somehow felt excessively salty. Mistakes do happen and I am told that I may have drawn a bad straw with this one. Well, I guess that I may try this again on another day.

The Finger Lickin Duck was the star of the night as far as my opinion goes. This sandwich was made of whole duck, caramelized onions, Gruyere Cheese, poached orange segments and a bit of house made mustard sauce. The flavor was a mix of salty, slightly zesty, sweet and pungent flavors. The flavor captured me taste buds like a veteran cowboy rounding up cattle. There were many things happening with every bite. This sandwich was an experience in itself. Despite being a bit pricey, the experience felt well worth it.

Captain : Poseidon be upon us. This is quite juicy.

Navigator : Hmmm.

Captain : Why are you staring at the map?

Navigator : I think I saw something interesting. But I am not sure what it means. 

Captain : Tell me when you figure it out and stop wasting precious dialog space mate.

The White Chocolate cheesecake was sure a strange one. On visuals, it did not appear to be a traditional cheesecake but yet it was made of cream cheese and tasted like a genuine Philadelphia cheesecake. It also had a sweet and pleasant aroma. The chocolate scrolls and pomegranate coulis didn't seem to augment the flavor and were merely added for visuals which ironically could be improved.

The service was decent but greatly stressed under chaos since a ton of bloggers had dropped upon the small place. But I think that under the pressure, they acted quite professionally and decently. Though, they could be a little more informed on the names and ingredients.

The pricing is on the higher side of the scales. While its a welcome climb down from the steep pricing structure at its former avatar, the pricing still feels a bit high. Some items on the menu feel well worth the moolah though some feel a bit of scroogey on the portion sizes.

As I mentioned before, the farmer has got his heart in the right place but there is still a long journey that needs to be covered before he reaches his zenith. The food is good, the pricing can be adjusted and may give this place another shot in the future.

The Captain's Score : 7/10

"
Captain : This place shows no sign of the next clue. Maybe we should ransack the place till we find it.

Navigator : That may not be needed Capitan. Have a look at the map.

Captain : What the...? Why did you draw these lines on it?

Navigator : Have a look closely. I took the four places that we have been to so far including this one. Then I drew lines between this place and the Daily Bar. And another line between Cafe Free India and Please Dont tell.

Captain : And what of it?

Navigator : These lines intersect at a certain point. That point is a small but popular isle in the blue yonder.

Captain : Sounds like co - incidence to me. You are over thinking it mate.

Navigator :  Perhaps I am but the intersection happens at the exact center of this tiny island. It cannot be co-incidence. I think that this restaurant's location itself was the clue.

Captain : Hmm, I don't like this theory but you do make it sound intriguing.
"

Map Co-Ordinates
Farmer and Sons
105, Apollo Street,
Bombay Samachar Marg,
Kala Ghoda, Mumbai


 -I was part of an invited Food Blogger(FBAI) delegation, hence the meal was on the house . But my post is objective and neutral.-

The New Menu at Loco Chino - Fort, Mumbai

Me ship was sailing through a canal that I was familiar with. In fact, I remember seeing a crazy Chinese guy dressed up as a Mexican carnival singer and yelling random Spanish phrases the last time I was here. I spotted the place where he stood at but it was conspicuous by his absence. 

My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to dock here once again for another meal at Loco Chino. When I entered this little restaurant, I saw the guy with an even more flamboyant Mexican attire. And he was eating Sushi. I think the sea has some strange sights.

For my older post regarding this place(For Ambiance, Service, Pricing), Please read :
Loco Chino First Run

Loco Chino has added a few new items to their existing menu. This included more signature dimsums, Tostadas and even some Sushi options. I was sent a request by their PR to come sample their new grub. Since I had intended to travel to Fort for the colorful Kala Ghoda arts festival, I thought that I would combine the two trips. Lunch at Locos and then a long walk at the festival.

Sea food dimsum tasted like a mixture of minced crab and shrimp meat packed in a soft cover. It was styled like a chilli on the plate though the spice content was not high.

Clockwise from Top right, this dim sum platter had Burnt Garlic Basil Chicken, Roasted chicken, Lemon Grass Chicken and Spicy black pepper chicken dim sums. The colored dim sums tasted really great.

The red colored roasted Chicken dim sum had a soft filling inside. The chicken was mildly spiced and sprinkled with herbs.

The green colored black pepper chicken was a great package. The soft green wrapper and the melt in mouth pepper chicken were quite divine.

Captain : Red Mine. Green Mine.

Crewmate : Yay, I get the other two right?

Captain : Nina, look I saved you two white dim sums.

Cat : Nya~ :3

Crewmate : T_T

Vegetarian Taco is not a part of their new menu but its something that experiences a different variation every day. So it would be fair to say that this item is reborn every day. This soft Taco had a rich filling of greens, beans and spicy sauces inside. It was quite appealing even to a carnivore like the Captain. It is easily superior to the likes that are served at food court installations.

California Rolls were a surprise addition to the menu. One doesn't expect Japanese in a Chinese-Spanish place but Sushi is really catching on to the general restaurant eating populace these days. And while I am not particularly fond of Makizushi(I prefer my sea weed outside), Loco Chino's creation was a decent work. The obvious improvements would be a better sushi rice, better aesthetics and perhaps more meat in the sushi to impart that typical umame. More wasabi would be welcome too.

Black pepper Chicken was actually a part of their old menu. However, I was told that they added some new variations to it thus making it part of their new menu. I am no culinary expert so I could not track the said variations. But I still enjoyed Black pepper chicken just the same, it is after all one of me favorite dishes.

Chicken Serrano Tostada was a perfect emulation of the Spanish snack. Well cooked juicy serrano chicken was topped with pico de gallo and sour cream. The only glitch in this item was the lower spice content. If one is using serrano peppers, the spice content has to be sporting.

Not much has changed as far as service or ambiance is concerned. One can find elaborate discussions on these topics in my previous post on this place. The pricing is again easy on the pocket. Of the things that I tried, I found the dim sums and dumplings quite good. The Sushi could use a bit of work and Tostadas more spice.

Meal done, time to head out to the arts festival.


The Captain's Score : 7/10

"I am so glad that I found the strange multicultural bloke. It would be a shame to pass this canal without seeing his colorful antics. Now lads, full speed ahead - We have a busy day in the oceans ahead. "

Map Co-Ordinates
Loco Chino
27-29, Gayatri Chamber,
Opposite OneForbes, Kala Ghoda
Fort, Mumbai

-I was invited by the restaurant's PR to sample the grub.-

The Bar Terminal - Fort, Mumbai

The night was cold as I rubbed me hands. This be my last documented voyage for the year. I could see my breath being turned into mists as the temperatures fell. The sight of the lights in the distance brought much needed warmth. The final port for this year lied ahead. A small tavern with warm light, was me mark for the night. After all, a sailor does need some grog to warm his timbers. The old port was almost empty as me crew docked the ship. The last destination for this year was aptly named "The Bar Terminal". 

The Bar Terminal is brought to you by the team behind Spices n Flavors and Sky view Cafe. Following their usual theme, this food traveler's terminal is a vegetarian bar. The Grog's the real deal but the grub is purely green. The grub however comes from the kitchens of Spices n Flavors and is thus some of the best vegetarian food in the city. It seems to blend well with the drinks. I had been invited here for a blogger's preview meal along with my good friend Christina Peter and we were always up for some drinks.

 

The first thing that gets to you is the idiosyncratic ambiance. One of the walls has a fence similar to that in Pont des Arts. Put a lock for memory sake.  Then its the decor, most of it is made with recycled products. Old baskets, Vinyl records, motherboards, keyboard keys, gears have all been embedded into the ambiance. The job seems quite well done as each of these things seem to be lending a 90's feel to this place. Colorful yet rustic in some ways.

It may feel quirky initially but it adds to the uniqueness of the place. Here is a picture of one of the tables. Each table had a different theme to it. The designing must've been hard work.

There is also a segregated inner area that is reserved for the family types or private parties. This area continues using the blast from the past theme but it somehow feels different, probably due to the usage of different lighting.

Summer Dream was a blissful alchemy of Star Anise, Basil, Passion fruit and Vodka. The drink had a mild kick but the Anise, Basil and passion fruit provided both a fragrant and a flavorful punch to the palate. This felt much like a dessert cocktail due to it sweetness. The Star Anise was the strongest element while the passion fruit subtly provided a natural saccharine flavor.

Captain : It be odd if I have Summer's dream in Winter. Ain't it?

Crewmate : That means you are missing Summer right?

Captain : No, I love the winter. But a touch of summer ain't be such a bad thing.

Jack Sparrow was served in a replica of an oak barrel. It had a very Caribbeanesque appearance to it. This cocktail was made of dark Rum, Jaggery(unrefined cane sugar), lime juice and sugar syrup. While this one had a stronger potency than the Summer dream, it felt undesirably sweet. There were too many sweet elements thrown into the barrel. I think it would have done well without the Jaggery and better with some coconut milk instead.

Caribbean ride was hands down a better drink than the "so sweet" Jack Sparrow. While I am not usually fond of syringe drinks, the flavor of the final product was actually great. This was a sweet tangy mix of Peach schnapps, gin, coconut rum, pineapple and orange juice. I could feel myself on a beach of the Bahamas during the sunset with this one. The Coconut rum added the Caribbean flavor while the fruit juices gave it a tropical feel. The potency was right and the drink was the best thing of the night.

Captain : This feel like a relief after meeting sweet ol' Jack Sparrow.

Crewmate : He won't be very happy with that title, Cappy. 

Captain : Whats he gonna do? Chase me with a bottle sized ship ha?

The Mint affair is something I'd love to have in the morning, spoilt as that may sound. It would also work well in a high octane dance party. Made of Whiskey, Apple Juice, clove and mint - This was mildly potent and the refreshing kind of cold. The drink had a strong aroma and a hybrid kick. More than the whiskey, the kick actually came from the clove and the mint. This cocktail feels very much like the big daddy of stuff like Red Bull.

Smoked Berry was made of fresh strawberries, tequila sour and was infused with dry ice smoke. The flavor of the vapors thus took on a strawberry flavor. It was quite an experience inhaling strawberry flavored smoke while having a sip of this sweet and tangy cocktail. I have actually put up a video of this on my Instagram. Please have a look.

Popsicles were three "Golas" dunked into fruit flavored alcoholic concoctions. The mixes were really light and I think it would be apt to call it an Alcopop on a stick. Fun to try but I don't think it would really make a appropriate drink on a Friday night.

The bar nibbles were quite fun. Though these did not seem to naturally pair with the cocktails, the whole experience of drinking and eating was still a satisfying one.

Mumbai Masala Garlic Bread was the traditional garlic bread king-ed up. Stuffed with mashed potatoes, herbs, veggies and crowned with a cheesy coronet. This was a fun take on the old snack.

Chatpate Aloo was presented really well. But the flavor was another story. The flavor felt insipid and could have used more of the Hariyali Masala. It felt too much like plain Jane potato mashing.

Crispy Pappadum Bowls was perhaps the most fun item among the nibbles. It left us wanting for more. Cups made out of poppadom were filled with garden veggies, cheese and sauces. The flavor resembled McDonald's Pizza McPuffs. However, the salty pappads added an Indian saltiness and crunchiness. These were some fun crunchy savory cupcakes.

It has to be mentioned that both Christina and me spotted an obvious flaw with these. The poppadoms were uncooked around the folds. Though, this felt like a teething issue.

Captain : These cupcakes be De-lee-cious.

Crewmate : Why would you call them cupcakes Cappy?

Captain : Because they are inside cups.

Verdure (Top) and Taste of India (Bottom) was a specially made split pizza since we wanted to try two but had the hunger of one. The verdure was a decent pizza especially if you are a vegetarian. I however, found the flavor of the TOI pizza resembling that of homemade cauliflower dishes. This isn't a bad thing but my palate was very used to this "Ghar ki Gobi" flavor so I cannot actually bring myself to find any praise for it. TOI was made of cheese and spices. It was a variation of the classical margherita.

Gulab Jamun Lasagna was a good looking dessert but probably could have used another name. It had three rough layers of Gulab Jamun, Motichoor and Rabdi on top of each other. I get that the lasagna part probably came from the layering involved though the same can also be said for a sandwich.

The dessert tasted great with none of the three individual sweets overriding each other. The unison of flavors was indeed a sweet delight. The taste was chiefly dominated by creamy Rabdi. Motichoor added extra sweetness and chewiness. The Gulab Jamun added sweet juiciness. I think more than Gulab Jamun Lasagna, the name Rabdi Sandwich would fare better.

I cannot comment on the service since the staff was still under training. Most of our dishes were served by a server and the manager himself. This was Day Zero, the place opened shop the next day.

The pricing was variable. The drinks felt fair, the lighter ones being easy while the more potent ones being higher. Though I found my favorite Caribbean ride to be well priced. The food pricing seems to be on par with most pub establishments. It would be difficult to go any lower in this part of the town anyway.

I think the place makes a nice stop for week enders. The only problem would be the lack of non vegetarian food but if its drink and nibbles that you seek then this place works well.  I'd say, another great addition to the Kala Ghoda food scene.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"The new year beckons us lads. New adventures and oceans await us. Enjoy the grog tonight for tomorrow begins a brand new saga."

Map Co-Ordinates
The Bar Terminal

Rajabahadur Mansion, Ambalal Doshi Marg,

Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai

-I was invited to sample the grub by the pub's PR. But my post is unbiased and neutral.-