Copa - Juhu,Mumbai.

This island was a dangerous place. Ruins everywhere and ragged shipwrecked sailors hiding in makeshift houses. We moved in a stealthily manner escaping the attention or sight of the island's desperate inhabitants. The map and the last clue showed an ancient symbol as the mark and we faced a crumbling structure covered with that symbol. Could the fabled compass be inside? We had traveled long and far, battled greedy adversaries and faced monsters. The crew wanted the quest to end and that we go back to our regular carefree ways. I wanted that too but not without the compass.

Copa is a pub that has been around for many years. Its located on a coastal strip which I fondly call as the Caribbean of Mumbai. This strip is famous for its eateries, beaches and a party vibe. Copa is among one of the favorite destinations on this strip for people seeking drinks and cheer. Its a minimal lighting restaurant that is best suited for escaping attention of the world and enjoying grog and grub. Copa has a rustic looking Al-Fresco, a minimal lighting indoor area and a rooftop area which seems to be under development.

Tangy Mangy was a colorful, sweet and a spicy cocktail made from spiced Rum, Cola and Fresh orange juice. The potency was mild and its more of a "Lets get this party started" kind of a drink. 

Classical Manhattan was more of an alcoholic based beverage as its flavor was dominated by whiskey and the taste was bitter. This had far higher potency and would go well with chicken or a long night of Bro talk.

Butter Chicken Tacos is an idea that is famous abroad but for some reason is completely unheard of in India. Copa's butter Chicken Tacos were simply amazing. These were made of Tortilla shells stuffed with soft succulent chicken chunks oozing out flavor of the famed curry with every bite. It smelled good, it looked good and it tasted good.

Captain : For some odd reason, I feel like eating Butter Chicken.

First Mate : Seriously? All this in the midst of exploring a potentially dangerous structure? 

Captain : I don't know. Its as if, another version of me in another dimension is having Butter Chicken right now as we speak.

First Mate : Science fiction overload.

BBQ Chicken Pizza. Do note that square pizzas are not the same as flatbreads despite the resemblance. Though not very aesthetically pleasing, this pizza was one of the best pizzas that I have ever had. It was loaded with cheese, grilled onions and huge chunks of chicken glazed with BBQ sauce. The flavor was extremely pleasing to the palate. This Pizza makes an excellent choice for mass pizza gatherings. It was gourmet grade pizza for just INR 250.

Captain : Woah, I didn't realize that such a large abyss could be inside a small structure like this.

First Mate : Ever heard of the fourth dimension, Captain Science fiction.

Crewmate : There is a rope bridge over the abyss leading somewhere into the darkness. 

First Captain : We should probably rope ourselves to this end, that bridge looks dangerous...Oye where did he go?

Chicken Steak with herbed potato mashing and mushroom sauce. Chicken steaks are rare to come across as the word steak is usually associated with red meat. Copa's Chicken steak was a perfect white meat emulation of the red meat favorite. The chicken was medium rare and tasted well. The soft potato mashing went well with small bites of chicken and mushroom sauce. The dish was scrumptious though I felt that oyster sauce would have worked better than Mushroom sauce. This dish would go great with an aged red wine.

The service was average as our server appeared a little lost. He stumbled a lot on descriptions and recommendations as well.

The pricing felt on the easier side for a place of this calibre. The food was certainly cheap though the drinks were priced as those are everywhere else.

Copa feels like a fun place, a place to disappear into when you need to get far away from the world's ever curious and intruding gazes. The only thing that Copa lacks is a proper dessert menu. Would love it if they add something beyond the old Brownie bit.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"

First Mate : Great, so we are over a wobbling rope bridge that seems to lead nowhere and we can fall down anytime. Thanks to you.

Captain : What are ya on about? Don't ya like adventure? 

First Mate : But this was dangerously reckless mate. We don't even know whats beyond and we are on an island of desperate sailors willing to kill and snatch without hesitation.

Crewmate : Sirs, there is a sound up ahead.

Captain : Hark, what is it mate? That sounds like wind.

First Mate : Strong Wind.
"

Map Co-Ordinates
Copa
Anna Building,
13th road, Opposite Juhu Gymkhana,
Juhu, Mumbai

-I was invited to sample the event menu by the Restaurant. My review however remains objective.-

Opa! Bar & Cafe - Andheri Airport Road, Mumbai.

The sun shone brighter than before. It was so hot that most of the crew wanted to stay indoors. The lookout sat in his spot with an umbrella and sunglasses. We sailed in unfamiliar and unexplored territory. I wondered if our next mark would be the place where we finally find the blue compass. 

There was commotion on the deck as I took out me looking glass and studied the horizon. There was a sandy island up ahead. It also seemed to have a large town on it. Time to restock and sample the local taverns. As the ship neared the coast, we almost hit a local fishing boat. Opa!

Opa! which originally meant something on the lines of Oops in Greek is now often used in Greek celebrations or in high emotions. Opa! is a Middle eastern restaurant with some Greek and Turkish influences. Its located on the top of the Grand Peninsula hotel close to the Saki Naka Metro station. It could be difficult to find for the first timer, seek help from the hotel staff and thou shalt be fine.

Opa scores highly on its thematic ambiance. It feels like a true Middle Eastern restaurant. It is comparable to the stuff I saw in Dubai and the pictures of fine dine destinations in Lebanon and Morocco. The wall decor feels like the remnants of old Arabian palaces and the furniture feels very Moroccan. Combined with the summer sun in India, one is literally transported to the locales of the Middle East or North Africa. Opa has to be one of the finest roof top cafes in India. A true Arab Pavilion.

This also presents a problem. The summer heat can be rather harsh and Mumbai's humidity can sap the strongest man's strength. The small fans were mostly ineffective in offsetting the ambient heat. Its not impossible to tackle heat in an outdoor cafe. I do know of a certain other rooftop tavern that uses industrial grade coolers to keep its outdoors cool even in summers.

Opa! is quite well known for being a Hookah Bar as well. However, I don't smoke so I cannot describe well on that part. My friend however enjoyed the hookah facilities quite well. So I can claim that the Hookah is decent.

Opa scores high on food (mains and appetizers), mediocre on drinks and poorly on desserts. The ambiance, hookah and the food are the restaurant's strongest assets.

Opa's special Whiskey Sour. The color looked slightly atypical to that of the regular Whiskey sour. The drink was mildly potent. Its flavor was affected by the tremendous amount of ice put into it. It also felt too sweet. Due to the ice melting, the drink lost its flavor halfway through. The ice needs to be reduced to at least a third of what was put in.

The Cold Mezze platter was served with an assortment of dips like Baba Ghanoush, Hummus and labneh with various breads. This served as a nice appetizer, side and a filler in between courses. The dips felt authentic and set one right up for the other courses.

The Hot Mezze platter had an assortment of meat based appetizers like Adana Kebab, grilled chicken and Shish Taouk. There were also some greens and falafels. The meats were a passable fare save the Taouks which were juicy and delectable. I positively enjoyed the first platter more.

Chicken Sheefa is a popular dish in the middle east and surprisingly England. It usually has breads of various shapes stuffed with soft minced meat. Opa's variants resembled pots which were stuffed with an aromatic and savory stuffing. The stuffing was made of minced meat and various spices. The buns felt fresh, soft and slightly sweet and the stuffing was delectable. Though a Toum dip was provided with the platter, I found myself enjoying these buns on their own. To me, the sheefas were the perfect appetizers. The best in their class.

Captain : I like these hot buns.

Crewmate : Maybe we should focus on restocking. The prices here be cheaper than the last land.

Captain : Its still twice of what we paid outside this sea.

Crewmate : This is a desert island after all. No cultivation.

Captain : But the lowered prices indicate an island nearby with cultivation.

Arak Shrimps were made of pan tossed shrimps glazed with Arak. Rarely does one find the anise flavored Arak liquor in India. Its usually in the domain of five star hotels and big names. Opa brings it to the masses through its house specialty. The prawns tasted like everyday prawns sold at other places but the spicy and tangy flavoring made them delectable. The Arak added an unique twist which elevated a regular prawn dish to an elite prawn dish. A must if one loves sea food.

Chicken Bruschetta was made of grilled chicken on a focaccia toast. A bit of cheese was added on the top as well. A herb seasoning had probably been used somewhere too. The chicken was tangy, juicy and savory. This made a good antipasto though the chicken would easily get dislodged from the bread making it slightly annoying.

Time to move from the appetizers and side to the main like stuff.

Chicken Pide is a traditional Turkish flatbread that resembles a boat or a rugby ball. Pide is slowly making its moves and taking over from Pizza as the premier flatbread delicacy. Opa's variant had bright colors and flashy flavors. The chicken felt mixed and barbecued in flavor. The Rustic feel was in there. Pide uses butter instead of olive oil so it tends to be smoother in flavor. Opa's Pide was definitely the star among the mains.

Captain : This island has some nice delicacies. The world is bright and fun. Opa! :D

Crewmate : I like this Pizza.

Captain : This is not Pizza. This is Pida...Pide!

Crewmate : Pide, Lame Sparta wordplay :(

Vegetable Pita sliders were darlings in both visuals and flavors. These were made from mashed potatoes, cauliflower, Bell peppers and Jalapeno. The flavor was very snacky. The chef used pita bread instead of Burger buns making it some kind of a fusion food. This is something that can get over fast in the midst of a happy conversation.

Fish N Chips. This was beer battered Pomfret served with mushy peas and tartar sauce. The presence of this item on the menu was surprising since its British but I suppose the menu included a bit of diversity. The fish was disappointing since it felt a little too salty and crumbly within. The batter was too thick as well. I have definitely had better fish and chips.

Captain : Nina would you like some fish?

Nina : Nya :(

Captain : Oh you don't like the batter coating, eh? What if I remove it for you?

Nina : Nya :3

Crewmate : That Cat is the only creature you willingly share food with :(

Baked Umm Ali is an Egyptian bread pudding. Its supposed to have a solid bread pudding base and its appearance should be more of a semi solid than a bowl of gloop. Opa's variant did not feel authentic.

Sticky Toffee pudding was not as accurate as a traditional recipe goes. But the flavor was satisfactory. The pudding had more apricot than required mixed into the liquid below. This changed the flavor towards a tarty side. Minimal Toffee sauce was used on the sponge cake which sadly did not impart the typical toffee sauce flavor. The ice cream and the liquid salvaged the situation but otherwise I'd say that this was a pretty average dessert.


The service at Opa was great. The servers made sure that our tables always had fresh cutlery, water and the chef routinely inquired about the quality of the dishes.

The pricing seems slightly on the higher side as far as appetizers, drinks and desserts are concerned. Two of these three were off their mark on the day. The main's pricing felt at par or even lesser than other restaurants in town. And the mains (especially Pide) mostly won the day.

To sum it up, Opa! has more in its favor if you are looking for a good meal. The ambiance (especially at night) and the food make up a genuine Middle eastern/Turkish/Greek fare. The drinks need a bit of balancing and the desserts need rework.


The Captain's Score : 8/10

"
Captain : We don't need to buy too many things here. The port activity suggests that there are islands nearby.

Quartermaster : Just three days of stock. Your theory better be right.

Captain : Studying the wares sold in market, I suppose its an Island with a lush Bamboo forest.

First Mate : Ya know what? If you are right. I will do one week of deck sweeping but if you aren't, you will be doing the sweeping.

Captain : D:
"

Map Co-Ordinates
Opa! Bar and Cafe,
Hotel Peninsula Grand,Rooftop,
Opposite Sakinaka Metro Station,
Sakinaka, Mumbai


 -I was invited to sample the grub by the Restaurant's PR. My review however is objective.-

Aqaba - Lower Parel, Mumbai

The ship stood still as I slept on the deck with one of me charts covering my face. It was a pleasant night and the stars were out in the full. Suddenly the calm seas were disturbed by a mild gust of wind. The chart flew off my face waking me up. The breeze carried the chart with it alarming me. That chart was important because it lead to...uh I forget. But carrying on with this little sea tale, I chased after the flying chart to the edge of the ship. 

That was when I saw a flotilla of ships heading somewhere. Not wanting to miss out on the action. I followed the flotilla clandestinely. The ships stopped and out came the dinghies as their crews rowed their way towards the land. I got a few of me mates as we rowed our way to the coast. I tailed the crews as they disappeared in a large structure. On entering the structure, I heard of a grub party in a place called Aqaba. What serendipity! Now where would Aqaba be.

I pulled out my pocket watch (actually my smartphone) and exclaimed "I am late." The actual fact was that I wasn't late but that comes with me being a punctuality freak. There was no hint of where Aqaba could be. I made a few circumambulations around the Peninsula complex until I found a security guard who pointed me to the right direction.

The event was a massive meet up of 'almost' everyone in the food blogging/reviewing sphere that I hold dear.

So as expected, Aqaba was raided at dinner time by a motley platoon of hungry food writers.

The name Aqaba seems to be inspired from a coastal Jordanian city and a popular tourist destination. Though the inspiration stops just at the name. The place had a very western feel to it. There were also some Sakura like trees added into the ambiance which makes the place resemble an upscale New York restaurant.
Its housed within an office complex so it can be hard to find your way around.

The dining area is huge and its surprising how such a big restaurant can be hidden behind that small door.. Its almost like someone played with the fourth dimension while constructing the restaurant.

And if that was not large enough, Aqaba had a beautiful courtyard for banquets and possibly wedding parties. The courtyard had a breath taking view of the city's skyline. Methinks that this place on its own could make a very good roof top restaurant.

Aqaba comes out to be a Lebanese restaurant initially but it is a mixed bag with dishes from Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Jordan, UAE and even European countries like Greece and Italy. Its safe to say that you will always find something worth your moolah in Aqaba.

The meal started with this brilliant looking Virgin Orange Mojito. But the flag off was a bit bumpy since this drink despite its enticing visuals lacked both tang and sweetness. I could not find myself finishing it since it lacked flavor completely.

Kakabia soup looks like a curious misspell of Kakavia. While it did not quite resemble the ancient Greek delicacy being a bit higher on the broth and lesser on the seafood, the concoction was still heavenly. The stew was quite delicious. The flavor was salty-savory with prawns dominating the flavor.

This soup made me forget the drink at the start and I considered this as the real start to the evening. The bread stick did not quite pair well with the soup so I left it out. Its a soup that smells of adventure while sailing across the Mediterranean coast.

Captain : This soup brings back memories of me adventures in the Mediterranean. 

Crewmate : Those were good times Cappy.

Captain : We are still young lad. This Kakavia inspires me to set sails again for the those tranquil seas and the warm sun.

Marakkesh Spiced Pita was a Moroccan twist to the regular Pita. Rubbed with a spicy North African mix, this pita platter found a lot of fans across the table. I found myself stuffing three or four of these. It was clear that Aqaba tried something different than just dumping a platter of pita on the table with some dips. And like most times, creativity scored.

Regular Pita Platter - Despite the above, Aqaba did offer regular pita with an assortment of dips including the old favorites like Hummus, Tzatziki and Baba Ganoush. Though the old favorites fell flat from a flavor point of view, there was another dip in the set. The dark horse of the show.

This was the Norwegian Smoked Salmon and dill dip which instantly became everyone's best friend. Not just pita but this dip found its way to pizzas and everything and anything else. It was almost a savory version of Nutella. To quote somebody on the table, "Man even cardboard would taste great with this dip."

Captain : Lad lets pilfer this salmon dip and make a run for it.

Crewmate : Salmon dip and Pizza :D

Captain : Oi, Are you listening?

Crewmate : Salmon dip and rice :D

Captain : Captain to dullard. Can you hear me?

Crewmate : Salmon dip and Ice cream. :D

Captain: Aye, that's getting weird now.

After the pita appetizer course, the mains appeared on the horizon. Batata hara is supposedly a Lebanese spiced potato dish. I have not had it before so I cannot comment much on it. But its safe to say, that it was probably not close to the real deal. The old and wise Internet suggests that neither the flavor nor the appearance mimicked the original. The dish found no love across the table as it was moved like dead weight by people trying to make space for better stuff.

Harissa Humus and Chicken Shawarma was a colossal disappointment for something priced at INR 600. Being a Shawarma lover myself, I have had better Shawarmas at Maroosh and the like at a quarter of the cost. The Harissa was either too less or absent. This Shawarma lacked the succulent juiciness that the meat in this preparation usually has.

The Paesana Pizza was the best highlight of the evening. Despite its curious naming, the pizza itself was one of the best that I have ever had. The smoked sausages and roasted chicken were cooked in the absolute perfect way that I can imagine. The flavor was smoky, salty and addicting. The sausages were of premium quality. It reminded me the pizzas which I had as a child at Narulas in Delhi.

Till that day, I had been looking to find a pizza with similar taste and had been unsuccessful. Aqaba fulfilled this decades long quest of mine. Though the basil pesto did not contribute much to the flavor, it still helped in making the pie visibly and aromatically enticing. The pizza was definitely a ten on ten.


Captain : This pizza takes me back many years. I have been searching for this my whole life.

Crewmate : Just like the white whale?

Captain : That's Captain Ahab you barnacle headed scallywag.

The Moroccan Fish was perhaps the most debated item among sea food lovers on the table. While at surface, it appeared well cooked with a good mix of spices and orange butter. The interiors however suggested that fish had been overcooked a bit. As such the dish ended up being an average preparation despite having immense potential. If the cooking had been just right, this could have easily been one of the stars of the evening.

Malfatti con Spinach E Ricotta was a hidden gem in the menu. When it arrived, a lot of us conservative protein folks looked at it with one eye. However like the adventurous epicurean that I claim to be, I fished out one of these spinach and Ricotta dumplings on me plate and ate it. And everything changed then. There was sudden silence and everything else vanished from the sight. These baked dumplings dipped in a tomato Parmesan sauce were the only things in sight.

The flavor was heavenly and this dish could make even the most conservative of carnivores a food liberal. The sauce had a divine aroma as well. Reality was restored when the dish was completely devoured by the people across the table. It brought me both happiness and disappointment. (That it got over so fast.)

Mansaf is supposed to be a Jordanian equivalent of Biryani. Just loaded with more meat than rice. Aqaba's version appeared uninspiring resembling a mediocre Stroganoff. The flavor felt very dry and the rice tasted unauthentic(Tasted like Boiled rice) for an Arab dish. Its fair to say that this recipe needs a rework. Mansaf did no Insaf to the recipe.

Falafel is one of the few vegetarian dishes from the Middle East. Its usage of chickpeas makes it a tough preparation in India as most Indian chefs often end up making moong dal vadas or local Chick pea variants instead. Aqabas variant remains true to the Arab recipe and I found the flavor to be consistent with the Falafels that I had in Dubai. The taste was rich and went well with the hummus.

Aqaba scored highly on desserts as most of them were devoured before I could lay my eyes upon them. That tends to happen in large meet ups where people's primal instincts takes over their refined connoisseurs personas. In a fight of the strongest, I managed to purloin a few portions.

I would have been happier if Aqaba had considered the fact that a single portion of their pretty desserts will not be enough for fifteen people across the table.

Aqaba's Tiramisu was easily one of the best that I had in Mumbai. The item was well plated and tasted well. Just a little complaint would be that it was perhaps a bit too bitter than expected.

Captain : This looks pretty. Tell you what lad, let me have all of this and I shall give you a week of any duty you desire.

Crewmate : Can I be a part of all the landing parties for a week?

Captain : You got it lad.

Crewmate : Sweet, I was not a Tiramisu person anyway.

Captain : Barnacles.

The Baklava felt very mediocre in flavor. I won't say that these pastries were bad but I have had better. Perhaps, I was expecting more from Aqaba since Baklavas are common across a lot of Arab countries, Greece and Turkey.

The Baked Yogurt was a fun dessert for those who are fond of Yogurt. The berry confiture provided a sweet tang to the dense liquid below.  The presentation was quite good too.

The Chocolate Fondant was average. I found the liquid to be less sweet and viscous than expected. The crust was a bit dryer than normal.

The pricing for Aqaba tends to be diverse. While some items feel well worth the money like the Malfatti and the Paesana pizza is a steal at INR 475. I am still curious how the Shawarma can cost INR 600.

The service was all right but could certainly be improved. The servers were not well informed on the dishes and we had to collectively put our gyan (Knowledge) to play on analyzing the dishes.

In totality, Aqaba is a pot pourri of many cuisines. Emirati, Lebanese, Jordanian, Moroccan, Greek and Italian seem to form the core of their menu. And strangely to me, their best dishes were from their Greek and Italian fare.

I would recommend the Kakabia soup, Marakkesh Spiced Pita, Paesana Pizza, Malfatti, Rose petal Ice cream (this was apparently served on our table and vanished in seconds) and Tiramisu.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"All right lads, we leave as quietly as we entered. Out from this concrete complex and back to the Blue seas where we belong. Until next time."

Map Co-Ordinates
Aqaba
Level P5, Peninsula Business Park,

Senapati Bapat Marg, 

Lower Parel, Mumbai

-The meal was extended by the Restaurant to our group as part of a review menu. My good friend Assad Daddan arranged everything for us.-