The Paper Pot Food Fest at Shanghai Club - ITC Grand Central, Parel, Mumbai

Food festivals and special themed menus need no introductions. Every week, there are many food events all over Mumbai. However, your time and resources are still limited and precious so it literally pays to know which festivals and places to attend and which to skip.

I usually share my recommendations about festivals on my Instagram these days since it connects faster to an audience who may not have time to read a post like this. However, I want to chronicle my experience regarding the Paper Pot festival menu at the ITC Grand Central over here. I want this memory to remain in the universe.

Shanghai Club is known for its authentic Chinese food and its dishes are designed by ITC's very own Chef Jia who hails from China. The paper pot festival was his idea and he had to import the paper pots and ingredients straight from China .

Food served in Paper pots is a rare occurrence anywhere in the world, let alone in India. Food is usually cooked and served in Paper pots called as Washi - The paper is both fire proof and water proof. You could boil food inside it over high heat and the paper won't catch fire. Although, the restaurant did not cook the food in paper pots in this case, the food was served in paper pots with a flame underneath it to keep it warm.

This was a first time in my life, hence it had to be written.

I sampled two meaty pots along with one vegetarian pot. It was not just the pots but even the dishes that were unique to the festival. One may not find these dishes outside the festival. 

Shanghai club offers an ambiance that seems like a perfect mix of class and luxury. Its good for the sophisticated white collared folks who prefer a noise free rich environment. And its good for the Tourist and food lover types who love a bit of Asian blended into their surroundings. After all, the ambiance does help you in enjoying your food more. 

Like a good prologue to a rich novel, White Jasmine tea serves as a good starter to a wonderful Chinese dinner experience.

Not really a part of the menu, these dim sums were ordered by my company to add an appetizer course before the pot mains. The Chicken and Prawn based dim sums were of the best quality. Far superior to what one would have had at the many blooming Pan Asian places in the town.

The Chef's special Chilli bean pork was served in a silver colored paper pot. The paper's color was purely aesthetic. It was the chef's choice to differentiate meat based dishes from the vegetarian ones.
The best of the three pot based dishes, the flavor was the king here. Soft flavorful pieces of pork with comforting sauces and veggies tossed in, this dish was quite delightful.

It is important to note that Chinese cuisine has a lot of Pork based dishes. A lot of Asian restaurants discard Pork based dishes from their menus thereby sacrificing cuisine authenticity. Shanghai club thankfully remains truly Chinese.

The Prawns in Special Chilli Soya were the seafood lover's delight. The prawns had a rich flavor, texture and the sauces worked well in synergy. Although, I did feel that this dish would have looked better in a white pot.

The Chinese greens with Chilli Garlic Soya was a simple but flavorful vegetarian dish. Served in a white paper pot as part of the chef's convention - this dish truly exemplified the paper pot festival. As evident from my picture, the paper is both fire and wetness proof. Plus it does not contain any harmful chemicals or toxins that would affect the food.

I ended the meal with these delicious desserts.


ITC Grand Central is not as flashy with promoting its events as some other five star properties which call a legion of Instagrammers, journalists and socialites to promote their events. However, the food quality and the experience were no lesser than any other. In fact with an experienced Chinese Chef on their team, Shanghai Club ensures that food is truly Chinese.


The Captain's Score : 8/10

Map Co-Ordinates
Shanghai Club
ITC Grand Central,
287, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road,
Parel, Mumbai


-I was invited to sample the menu by the Restaurant. However, my review is remains objective.-


 

Hornby's Pavilion at The ITC Grand Central - Parel, Mumbai

There is this Manga or Japanese comic strip that I read called One Piece. In it a character named Sanji is shown as a runaway Prince serving as a cook on board a ship Captained by the protagonist. The author of course has employed an adventurous fantasy. But fantasy sometimes does become real.

Chef Akshraj Jodha, a descendant of Rao Akheraj of the Akheraj dynasty in Rajasthan would technically be a Prince. A Prince of Chefs who brought amazing food from the House of Akheraj.
The Rajasthani food festival was one of many food festivals held at the ITC Grand Central. I will be honest, Mumbai's take on Rajasthani food had left me disillusioned. I did not attend this festival with big expectations. I mean, I was quite tired by the likes of those Rajasthani Thali restaurants serving inauthentic food.

However, not only did the food at Hornby's Pavilion take me by surprise, it made me completely change my perception of Rajasthani food. Chef Akshraj personally cooked everything for the duration of the festival. He ensured that the food remained authentic and completely followed his recipes. I enjoyed both the Vegetarian and the meat based grub in this festival. The man really is a Prince of cooking.

Here are some of the dishes that I tried.

Aloo Gawarphalli was a vegetarian dish made out of cluster beans and potatoes. I dislike cluster beans usually. I have since childhood swept them to the side of my plate, unconsumed. However, I found myself taking a second helping of the cluster beans over here. The flavor was completely different from the one I am acquainted to. It was a mix of bitter, sweet and salty flavors. I must call the chef a genius over here. No one has so far been able to make me eat Cluster beans before.

The salads and chaat counter had a mix of interesting appetizers. These "Chaats" had unusual ingredients like Jalebi in it. If you love good Indian food then these are for you.

Laal Maas or Read Meat was historically a curry made out of wild game meat like deer or Wild boar. It was a favorite among the royals. But now days its made of tender lamb. Hornby's version was a beautiful flavor pot of spicy and savory sensations. I do not think that I have had a tastier Laal Maas than this.

The Rajasthani Quail was a decent experience though I have had better variants elsewhere.

Apart from the above, there was a live counter with fish tikkis and vegetarian tikkis being cooked for the patrons. Being a Five star hotel property, the restaurant also had its regular buffet options along with the festival buffet options. In completeness, it was a great experience. My best at ITC so far.

The Dessert platter was one of the better ones in Mumbai. I found myself saving just enough space to hog a plate full of desserts.

The service at Hornby's Pavilion was as excellent as that at Shanghai Club and K & K. It goes hand in hand with ITC's exemplary hospitality.

The Pricing was on the higher side as it is a restaurant inside a five star hotel, however this was the best Rajasthani food that I have ever had. I think the food at the ITC makes the festivals well worth the cost and time.

Its shame that festivals are ephemeral. Nonetheless, Hornby's pavilion offers a GREAT dinner buffet platter. Well worth a visit at any time of the year.


The Captain's Score : 9/10

Map Co-Ordinates
Hornby's Pavilion
ITC Grand Central,
287, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road,
Parel, Mumbai

-I was invited by ITC Grand Central to sample the Festival menu at Hornby's Pavilion. My review however is objective.-

Kebabs and Kurries at The ITC Grand Central - Parel, Mumbai

One often yearns for good purist food in this era of food fusions, celebrity chefs and culinary thingamajigs. To please local palates or to impress a bunch of instagrammers, restaurants often modify traditional recipes resulting in "fun but not really genuine" grub. Kebabs & Kurries in ITC Grand Central has weathered this trend and serves North Indian food as its meant to be.

Chef Farooqui may not be as famous as Gordon Ramsay but he is a master of the Lucknowi or the Awadhi way of cooking. Awadhi cuisine for ages has satiated the taste buds of aristocrats and royalty. Very few chefs are still armed with these traditional methods as younger and newer chefs embrace fusion and modern methods of cooking. Chef Farooqui has trained his team and his able first mate Sous Chef Patrick Braggs in the art of creating Awadhi culinary treasures.

Modern methods have their advantages but Traditional methods are the only route to eat traditional food as its meant to be. Your idea of North Indian food may completely change after you have a meal here. Come to Kebab & Kurries to get acquainted with real Awadhi food.

For a detailed coverage of the Ambiance - Read my earlier post on K&K over here -
http://www.grubzon.com/2015/09/k-at-itc-grand-central-parel-mumbai.html

The place is a Golden lit fine dine with different areas given different themes. The kitchen is visible to the patron and one can see how their food is actually made.

Oudh means Awadh here.

I was here to specifically try the Niyaamatein-E-Bahar menu. This was a Winter themed menu that stays till the end of January 2017. The menu revolved around the philosophy of serving food that makes one feel warm inside rather than feel the heat on the tongue. Its a marriage of spice and the internal properties of ingredients.

Chef Farooqui abhors the idea of sprinkling hot spices on top of completed dishes, a practice that is employed in mediocre places. He believes in integrating spices at the right place at the right time. This not only amplifies flavor but it gives an eating experience like none other. Regardless of where you have eaten North Indian food before - Your idea about it is incomplete until you try the food at K&K.

I flagged my meal off with the Restaurant's customary welcome drink. This watermelon and spice filled drink was a refreshing appetizer.

The Kebab in the forefront is Murgh Pasanda, a kebab version of a famed curry. Thin chicken strips were marinated with onion and spices which resulted in a powerful flavor. Initially it felt creamy like Malai Kebabs but the spice kicks in when you start to swallow. So the heat actually is felt beyond one's mouth. Cooking is an art and cooking is a science. Yet it continues to produce miracles which I cannot fathom.

Shaped like a disc is the Tofai e Aab E Gil Shikampur. That is a big Urdu name with possible some Persian thrown in. Its a kebab made out of minced yam with a variety of flavors. The texture was rough but the kebab was super smooth. It melted in my mouth. This created an explosion of the finest Indian flavors while I chewed the kebab lost in a pleasant reverie.

It had mild sourness emanating from green mangoes stuffed in, subtle sweetness from the Yam, savory salty flavor from the cheese stuffing and a pleasant fragrance from the Ginger. It was not spicy and the chili on the top was merely for aesthetic purposes. This kebab was easy on the mouth as one doesn't even need to chew it - It just melts away. This was an amazing experience even for a carnivore like myself.

I have been to many fine dines which have unsuccessfully tried to make Prawn Kebabs or at best have attained mediocre results. Chef Farooqui however has whipped up one of the most delectable Prawn creations that I have ever eaten - Lagan Ke Jhinge or Prawns cooked in a Lagan pot.

The meat felt completely different from prawns used in a western dish. The gravy had completely blended with the prawn's natural flavor to result into something unique and different from the flavors of either ingredient. The aroma was appetizing and the jumbo prawns were juicy, oozing out flavor with every bite. One could feel as if this food was made with both professionalism and passion. If you love seafood, then this is an item not to be missed. The tails have been removed so it makes the experience more comforting.

These four are portions from the mains. Murgh Tilayee at the front is part of the event menu. It was a beautiful creation made of chicken thigh cooked in its own juices and given a finish with vark. This was tender chicken with just the right flavor. It was neither too mild nor too spicy. Juicy, savory and it made the heart warm with happiness. That also counts as internal heat I guess.

To its left is Burani Gosht, an extremely flavorful and moderately spicy dish. This mutton based dish is one of the restaurant's best sellers and all for good reason. The flavor is very addicting and the aroma very enticing. The usage of yogurt makes the flavor smooth on the tongue.

The green colored dish at the top is Hari Mirch Gosht. Its lamb cooked in a marinade of green chili. This one was very spicy and very rough. Its recommended for those who love to turn up the heat in their food.

The small portion at the right is Guchidara Murg - It was a wonderful fusion of chicken and morel mushrooms. The flavor was a mix of slightly sour from the mushrooms, savory and salty. Its another one of those things that one won't find anywhere else.

This was the creamiest Kulfi that I have ever had. And I am not kidding. It was far better than any ice cream I have had. This malai Kulfi felt very much like a cream caramel flavored ice cream, except that its creaminess was legendary. It was served with a bit of Rose falooda(dessert noodles) and sweet saffron syrup. I preferred to eat the Kulfi on its own as its flavor was amazing.

The service at K&K is one of the best that I have seen. The people are well trained and know the menu well. Its another one of those small luxuries of eating in a restaurant inside a famous five star Hotel. The service quality was exceptional.

The Pricing is on the higher side. Its expected since the restaurant is inside a five star and the food is made from the best of ingredients by the best of chefs. I'd say its money well spent.

K&K is one of the best places for North Indian food in Mumbai. And it specializes in the Awadhi or the Oudh cuisine making it an important place on any food connoisseur's map. The regular menu itself is amazing and the special event menus simply enrich the experience even more. If you love Indian food, then a visit to K&K at the ITC Grand Central in Mumbai is an absolute must.

The Captain's Score : 9/10

Map Co-Ordinates
K & K
ITC Grand Central,
287, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road,
Parel, Mumbai

-I was invited by ITC Grand Central to sample the special menu at K&K. My review however is objective.-

 

K&K at ITC Grand Central -Parel, Mumbai

We were sailin' through familiar seas and I had me looking glass glued to me eye. I was looking for a place that I had visited many moons ago. Soon enough, I spotted it on the horizon. An island with a lone grand palace on it. Unlike last time, the ship was in good health and I was just on the look out for fine grub.

As we approached the island, the radio buzzed. The message told something about a restaurant in the palace celebrating its birthday. Eh! people celebrate birthdays, how does a restaurant do it? Intrigued, I chose that restaurant for my excursion. There be something special about it, I could feel it in me bones.

The erstwhile Kebabs and Kurries renamed itself to K & K. It is an award winning restaurant that is primarily known for North Indian grub especial Kebabs. (Psst, The name was a giveaway.) The establishment is celebrating its tenth Budday...err anniversary in a grandiose fashion. ITC Hotels had summoned eight of its finest Chefs from across India to Mumbai in a celebration fit for a king or at least a greedy Kebab lover like yours truly.

The Ala-carte menu for this event offers forty (yes you read that right) different Kebabs covering eight different cities and local cuisines. Sadly, the event lasts only till 13th September which means you can read this later and head to K&K right now. Its truly a celebration of Kebabs or Jashn-e-Kebab.

I had been invited to a Blogger's table event in which one could sample sixteen of these forty kebabs. I was thankful that it was not forty. It would have been too much to eat and write about. But sixteen is not a small number either. I wonder if I made it into some kind of record books for the most number of different gourmet kebabs eaten in a day. Oi Guinness! are ye listening?

The restaurant has a typical North Indian-Mughalai appearance. The golden lights and decor work well. Although, I found the ceiling work to be a tad bit of a mismatch. One is greeted with an open kitchen where one can see the grub being made. The restaurant defines itself into three regions - The Maidan(Open Ground), The Kheema and Qila(Fort). Maidan is meant for small groups as visible on the lower floor of the above picture, Qila is slightly elevated giving people a view over the entire restaurant and the Kheema is more for community folks on a large communal table.

This is where we sat.

The evening opened with a glass of sparkling champagne and soon enough each of the eight chefs presented two Kebab dishes each. Each Chef brought their signature style of cooking and regional influences on the table. North, South, East, West and Center - Most of India was covered in their collective work.

Gulnaar Kali
A Chef who has been working for twenty eight long years in the ITC Grand Central Kitchens, Chef Haji Mohammad Farooqui has certainly mastered his craft. These tender, succulent Lamb Kebabs were so good, that I compared everything after this with it. It was the paradigm of a good kebab. This had a very North Indian and homely feel to it. Its a cuisine one would rarely come across outside Lucknow. These Kebabs were cooked overnight in malt vinegar and a collection of fine spices. It is said that these Kebabs were once served in royal courts of Mughal emperors and somehow the recipes have survived though a few chefs.

Captain : Oi, as Captain I ask you to give me your Gulnaar Kali.

Crewmate : Mighty nice of you to come straight Captain. But sadly I cannot give you my Kebabs.

Captain : You are disobeying your Captain mate?

Crewmaten : Heavens No Boss. Just that I already ate em'. :D

Peekaboo its Guftaguu - ITC respects its Vegetarian customers and as a result each chef had at least one vegetarian craft on offering. Chef Haji's kebabs are made of minced Cabbage mixed with saffron and cardamom. Although I am not a big fan of either cabbage or vegetarian grub, the melt in your mouth trait of these Kebabs was certainly appealing. These would dissolve right away leaving the spicy mixture as an after taste.

Chef Sundar from ITC Grand Chola presented the Kovalam Vathu Ulartyathu Kebabs. Lets call em KVUs for now. These tender morsels were made of Kerala style pot cooked duck. All right, this was my first time eating a duck so excuse me if I am incorrect - The meat didn't taste that different from chicken but the spice mixture in which it was cooked was quite potent. It was spicy and strangely the addictive kind of spicy. The flavors seemed to permeate deep into the meat making the entire bite a flavorsome experience.

Captain : Duck tastes much like Chicken.

Crewmate : For a lover of fine food, that sounded very naive Captain.

Captain : Who cares? I enjoyed the duck and the spice mix was lip smackin' good.

Vazahapoo Pertati
Chef Sundar's banana blossom and spiced potato Kebabs had a new flavor for me. Though I did not find myself liking this newly experienced flavor of banana blossoms.

Chef Surat Singh from ITC Mughal brought forward the Sarsonka Machi Kebabs. These were made of Fresh water sole. The kebabs were cooked in a mustard marinade, stuffed with chilies-spices and charcoal grilled. The chef wrapped them with a thin slice of eggplant as a finishing touch. These were juicy, soft and almost perfectly cooked. Mustard and fish go very well together.

Kache Kele Ke Kebab had a lot of K in it but apart from that, these were made of minced raw banana wrapped in mace and green cardamom. Though I am not originally fond of Raw Bananas in Indian cooking, Chef Surat had really worked the spices well in this chargrilled banana kebab. The Kebabs tasted much like potato kebabs and they easily got lost in the mouth. These were not the melt in mouth kind but somewhere quite close. It was a unique experience.

Chef Gunjan Goela presented her vegetarian only Kebabs made with a lot of old world knowledge.
Vrantikam Kebabs were well plated. It resembled Tacos in some sense. These were made of thick slices of eggplant stuffed with onion and hungcurd. I however could not get over my dislike for eggplants to enjoy the dish. The thick slices of eggplant did not appeal to my palate at all.

Shabarkand was again well plated and this one synced well with me. These were made of sweet potatoes  cooked in charcoal. These were served with sweet and tangy chutneys and topped with pomegranate and sev. This had a mix of sweet, salty and tangy sensations. It felt very close to the popular Mumbai street food of Ragda pattice.

Its important to note that Chef Gunjan invented both these Kebabs so it would be impossible to find it elsewhere.

Chef Zaki Kazmi from ITC Gardenia brought a wonderful creation in form of Pathar Ka Gosht.
These lamb escalopes were grilled on stones in a technique only used in Hyderabad. These thin slices of meat tasted great. The yogurt and the mild spices made the flavor creamy and savory. These ended up being one of my many favorites at this event.

Captain : These thin sheets of meat be me favorite.

Crewmate : These get over too fast.

Captain : Your shoe laces are untied mate.

Crewmate : Oh let me check. (Bends) I don't have shoelaces on my sandals... HEY where did my Kebabs go?

Captain : You just said that these get over too fast, right?

Chef Zaki's Gulezar Dhungari Kebab resembled Cigars to be honest. These were tasty juicy vegetarian kebabs and I instantly found a liking to them. These were made of minced Garden vegetables, dry fruits and wrapped in aromatic spices. The Kebabs were cooked on skewers in a tandoor and felt soft with a calming flavor. I am no chef but somehow felt that the flavor could have been enhanced further with the addition of Cheese in the core.

Chef Srinevasu of ITC Windsor brought this succulent shishkebab called as Bijapur Mutton Roast. This kebab was made of roasted and yet juicy chunks of lamb cooked in a style popular in the district of Bijapur. The spice mix was unique and I found the flavor of Star Anise to be a new addition to Kebabs. The kebabs were roasted with curd, almonds and coconut and as a result their flavor had married the meat perfectly. The aroma was quite appetizing as well. If I had to judge on aroma alone then these morsels had the best among the dinner platter.

Chef Srinevasu's Tofai-e-Zameen looked like brown ice hockey pucks. The shape was almost perfect and these had a powdery appearance on the top. These were yam kebabs stuffed with cheese and pomegranate. The flavor was a bit strange with sweetness of yam and pomegranate slightly clashing with the saltiness of cheese. It felt very much like a lentil Kebab due to the chickpea it was wrapped with. Can't say I liked this one.

Chef Akshraj Jodha served us with Achari Maans Ka Shola. These were again Lamb Escalopes with an unique addition of Figs and Rum. But somehow I did not feel Figs and rum anywhere and the flavor felt very Rajasthani. The coriander was strong on this one. Chef Akshraj had fused the Royal desert state's spice mix perfectly with the meat. Its surprising how the same Lamb Kebabs can differ so greatly from chef to chef.

Sangriki Shami by Chef Akshraj did not feel Rajasthani. It strangely felt a bit Kashmiri to me atleast. It was made using a Rajasthani recipe involving cluster beans and Chana dal known as 'khersangri'.

Chef JP Singh of ITC Maurya served great meat and vegetarian kebabs. Jhinga Firdaus Shahi was as good as Gulnaar Kali. These were my two favorite meaty kebabs of the evening. These tender freshwater Shrimp kebabs had a crunchy batter coating and a flavorsome core. These were marinated with Firdaus E Mauj spice mix which I apparently have no idea about. All I knew was that these were crunchy and tasty. Just the way I like them' shrimps. These could make great bar nibbles as well.

Captain : I always love me a crunchy shrimpy Kebab.

Crewmate : What is Firdaus E Mauj?

Captain : Uhh..Why don't you google that while I finish eating...err wait for you to find out :D? 

Crewmate : Wait for me? Yeah right Cappy. >_>

Chef JP Singh's Guchhi Paneer Ke kebab was made of Morel mushrooms filled with cheese. These had a little spice and were a perfect combination of spicy and savory. I don't think there was a person on the table that did not enjoy this kebab. I have eaten many mushroom and cheese combinations but this one definitely has been the best duo in my experience so far. Again this would make a great bar nibble. The flavor felt very Punjabi.

ITC's vegetarian Pulao and Mutton Biryani are quite famous in Mumbai. ITC Grand Maratha is said to have the best Mutton Biryani in all of Mumbai but sibling ITC Grand Central isn't too far behind. The mutton Biryani was less oily and definitely one of the best I have had. In fact, there was only one other place which offered better Biryani.

Gulab Jamun Panna Cotta was brought in by smiling Chef Avani Mudbodri who had created this dessert. The Panna Cotta had perfect consistency and would make the best of Masterchef contestants fume with envy. It was properly fused with the essence of Rose and once could savor the flavor deep within. It was paired with Gulab Jamun and both seemed to go well together. This goes on to say that Indian and Western foods work very well together. If only they stop talking about who is better and start working together (wink). The grainy yellow mixture surrounding the dessert seemed to resemble the flavor of Almonds and Sohan Papdi.

The prices are on the higher side as is the case in any super five star establishment. But how often does one get to experience eight experienced chefs from all over India making forty different Kebabs with many signature recipes that no one else can concoct? KnK seems to enjoy good patronage as there were many patrons seated on other tables. The restaurant appeared crowded.

The servers were professional, very well versed with the grub themselves.

I thank you, if you managed to reach this point. I felt that it was necessary to cover all sixteen Kebabs, each was an unique experience after all. That still leaves twenty four so there is a lot left to explore ha. This is once in a lifetime kind of thing. Sadly it only lasts till the 13th of September so if you love Kebabs, you better head out fast.

The Captain's Score : 9/10

"The Banquet is over, stop being greed lads. SIXTEEN Kebabs should keep ya happy for a week. Time to leave this island...for now."

Map Co-Ordinates
K & K

ITC Grand Central,
287, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road,
Parel, Mumbai

-I was invited by ITC Grand Central as part of a Bloggers and Influencers bunch. The meal was thus on the house.-

Shanghai Club - ITC Grand Central - Parel, Mumbai

Me ship urgently needed repairs. Our small electricity generator had been under the weather and we needed to find a shore for spares. The lookout spotted something spectacular in the sea. There was an island with a single grand palace on it. Intrigued and left with no choice, we decided to dock on this island. Upon closer inspection, we found that the palace had some restaurants within it. All the lads wanted to join me on this fancy excursion but the ship Engineer claimed dibs on the spot. She said that she needed to find spares on tis island and hence is the ideal candidate for the restaurant party. Well no one could argue with that sound of a reasoning.

(Picture taken from Restaurants website. Apologies, I could not get a good image of the place)

To quote Hawkeye "The city is flying! We're fighting an army of robots! And I have a bow and arrow! None of this makes sense!". I was invited to Shanghai Club (within ITC Grand Central) to try a new Sangria menu (plus seafood) made by Chef Yuanzhong Jia with in an Asian themed restaurant. While the seafood made sense, I was surprised about the Sangrias. But just like the Avengers movie, sometimes things that make little sense together turn out to be a great experience in the end.

ITC's Grand Central is a majestic property. Located away from the busy main streets, this palace like place always wins the peeks of the people passing by. I mean, would you look away if a gorgeous Ferrari drove past you?

A little late to the party, I was escorted to the restaurant by the maitre. At first, I was a little confused since the restaurant I entered was of an Indian theme but that was just the part of the way. Adjoining the Indian restaurant was Shanghai Club. The decor was quite intriguing. It looked like a miniaturized version of a colonial era Chinese restaurant. The vases may not have been Ming era relics but they did invoke the name in my head. I joined a group of connoisseurs seated on a large communal table.

The theme of the dinner was Seafood and Sangria. Hence we were presented with a quartet of four Sangrias. Each of these was an excellent concoction on its own.

Very Berry Sangria was made by blending berry juices with Red Lady Merlot. This clear Ruby colored Sangria had a tangy flavor with a strong undertone of the wine.

Classic Spanish Sangria was a twist to the classical concoction with fruit punch and rum mixed with red wine. It had chopped and diced fruits added to it as well. While the fruits definitely felt one with the Sangria, I did feel that the fruits were a bit more than needed.

Cherry and Plum Sangria was made with the flavor of Cherry and Plum fused with White Wine. The sweet fruity flavor of Cherries and Plum seesawed with the tang of the white wine. It was an interesting experience for someone who had come to associate Sangrias with red wines only.

Like most people, I always save the best for the last. Watermelon and Basil Sangria was undoubtedly the best amongst the Sangrian selection. The melon's tropical flavor combined with the wine provided a soft soothing sensation to the taste buds while the basil provided a savory kick when the drink went down the hatch. I very much enjoyed this and it seemed to pair well with the seafood for me. Tis was a rich experience.

Moving from the divine wine, the second half of the game began with the Seafood. We were informed that some of the served delicacies were from the restaurant's Asian style set dinner meals all of which come with an unlimited pours of Sangria.

Captain : Cheers lass. A toast to us not finding any spares and yet fine dining without notice.

Engineer : Its fine Capitan, as long as we don't tell the crew about this.

Captain : Aye, they'd be envious.

Steamed Prawn with Asparagus was a bite sized amuse gueule that seemed to go well with wines and also signaled the diners about the food to come.

Steamed Scampi was tossed with Hotbean sauce and Mango. The shrimps seem to go quite well with the sweet savory mixture. It made me crave for more, hence was a good appetizer.

Crispy Pomfret was a relatively simple dish made with fish and Barbecue sauce. The appearance was soft and smooth, the taste crunchy and the Barbecue sauce created a juicy sweet flavor. This goes on to show that a simple preparation done right can do wonders. I was quite thankful that they did not use the overused Basa. Shanghai Club lived up to its stature of a fine dine.

Prawn Bamboo shoot and Water chestnut Shumai was the classical Prawn Siu Mai. The flavor of the prawns somehow was suppressed by the Water chestnuts and bamboo shoots making the dumplings taste unnaturally vegetarian. These were still better than most dumplings I have had but these could have easily been better.

Singapore Chilli Crab with Egg white was a grand looking Crab dish which would make any Asian restaurant jealous. I usually avoid Crab dishes because they tend to be messy and I am averse to breaking the shell. Today, the crab invited me. Knowing fully well that its impossible to go the fork and knife route on the crab, I took it in my hands and in one stroke broke the shell as if I had been doing it for a very long time. Then I enjoyed the delicious meat literally oozing out.

The egg white made the flavor rich and the greens really lit up the plating. It was a bit surprising that this was served before the appetizers. This feels more fitting as a main. I enjoyed the crab and it also felt like a little achievement - breaking the shell on my own. No pun intended.

Seafood Chilli Butter soup had an eclectic mix of flavors. The lemon's sour citric flavor at the first sip reminded me of sweet and sour. But then the Chilli came barging in and made itself right at home. Bits of seafood provided a satisfying experience. The aroma was quite appetizing too and the colors very appealing. It was carefully crafted and the pieces had been placed together just right. I found myself finishing this to the very last drop.

Steam River Sole was freshwater sole cooked in a ginger Soya concoction. While the fish tasted well on its own. I felt that the Ginger felt a little offbeat. It could very well have been a personal thing but somehow this dish did not appeal to me. Had the ginger concentration been slightly lesser then this dish would have been more palatable to me.

Stir Fried Lobster with Guzion sauce was without a doubt the highlight of the night. The dish was plated well. It smelled heavenly, enough to overpower the greatest seafood epicure and certainly the regular guy who uses an oceanic theme in his posts. The lobster was soft and succulent. It could just melt in one's mouth like butter. The sauce added most of the flavor. Sadly, I don't have the slightest bit of knowledge about Guzion sauce nor could I google it up. But it looked like a mixture of Garlic, Soya, chilli and perhaps a bit of meat stock. I can describe its flavor as salty, savory and tasty.

Captain : I wonder what Guzion is.

Crewmate : Who cares Capitan? Its tasty.

Captain :  Go easy on the food lass. Think of your Captain.

Not much to write about the rest of the mains. Stir Fried Asian Greens tasted average. Steam Rice and Fried rice both seemed to be made of Basmati. These would have been closer to the authentic deal had Jasmine rice been used instead. The noodles looked and tasted ordinary, though they seemed to complement some of the meat mains well.

The best part of the dinner was definitely the Dessert's selection.

New World Star Anise Torte was quite a visual delight. Almost perfect in appearance, its top layer reflected light like a silvered mirror. The white marshmallow pearls and chocolate tile provided perfect plating. The star element(excuse the lame pun) was the Star Anise. This Chinese spice often tastes like liquorice. The layers look delightful and the star anise provided the unique twist. Although I can't say that it was my favorite of the night, it still made me quite happy.

Captain : This reminds me of my trips to the New world lass.

Engineer : Are you going to make a Caribbean reference now?

Captain : I would have, but you called it out and ruined it. 

Red bean and Vanilla Ice cream was mostly premium vanilla ice cream. Since I have had Red bean ice creams during my Hong Kong travels and loved it, I did expect something of a similar quality here. The red bean flavor had not fused with the ice cream and instead the few Red beans present had sunk to the bottom of the ice cream. A true red bean ice cream has red bean bits present all around the serving.

Jasmine Flavored Tiramisu can best be described as the orient meets the occident. It was a premium quality Tiramisu blended perfectly with Jasmine flavor. In a true case of "How is this even possible?", the sweet aroma and essence of Jasmine had partnered well with the mochastic Tiramisu. The cream layering at the top had a beautiful texture as seen in my picture. This dessert satisfied the eyes, nose and the tongue. Now only if it could play the piano like Yanni.

Captain : Through the soft layer of Mocha and Jasmine cream.

Engineer : Ah, the fellows told me about this.

Captain : Lies the most delectable island made of cake crusts.

Engineer : How does one even get high on dessert?


The service was on par with any fine dining outlets. The servers were articulate, knew the dishes well and served properly without their sleeves even nearing the dishes.

To conclude, I loved the Basil and Watermelon Sangria. The desserts were fun for the most part, just that the Red Bean ice cream needs work. The crab, Scampi and Stir Fried Lobster were the highlights of the seafood course. Makes me curious about what else is there on the menu. I would definitely come again to try the rest of their menu.

Whether some politician's tall claims of remaking Mumbai like Shanghai happen or not, Shanghai Club definitely brings a piece of Shanghai into Mumbai.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"All right lads, bad news is that we found no spares. The Good News is we had some great grub. Now back to the seas to find our spares."

Map Co-Ordinates
Shanghai Club

ITC Grand Central,
287, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road,
Parel, Mumbai

-I was invited as part of a Food Bloggers association of India meet to the establishment. Thanks go to the staff of the restaurant for inviting and tolerating us food monsters.-