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.-

Vedge - Andheri Lokhandwala, Mumbai.

My navigator was studying Arianna Silvers' antique charts carefully. Nina was running around his legs like the adorable furball she was. He looked up and said that we were not just facing any wall of ice but something called as the mirror of memories. Arianna must've been a romantic lass coming up with names like that. However, something strange began to transpire. Suddenly the mist was gone and I was standing inside a restaurant. I could not spot the rest of my crew save one person and Nina. 

Crewmate : Captain, we have been here before.

Captain : Holy Arianna Silvers. I know this place, I was here before. Its Vedge.


Vedge would always be special to me. Almost two years ago when I was a struggling blogger, a nice lady by the name of Chandni Tolani invited me to this place. And that is how Grubzone came into existence. Now, both Vedge and me have grown from what we were back then. I used to feel that Vedge would cave in to the contest of the eateries in Andheri Lokhandwala and I used to feel that I won't survive long as a blogger either. Jeez, I sure was a poor sod back then.

Flash forward to present, Vedge has not only survived but it has got multiple awards and has recently upgraded its menu to bring a truly vegetarian fine dine experience to the table. As for me, I would love to tell my tale over a cup of hot chocolate another day.

Vedge still looks the same as far as ambiance is concerned. Beautiful lamps hang from the ceiling. An eclectic mix of modern art design adorns the wall. And then there are the antiques. At this point, I would request you to have a glance at the first blog post I ever made. Ok actually the second.

There is a new chef in town so a new menu was apt. Vedge simplified its menu, removed some "not so favorites" and added a whole lot of new things encompassing Indian, Italian, Chinese and Mexican.

Here is what I tried from this diverse menu.

Paan Mocktail was refreshing, minty and sweet. It did not actually contain Tobacco or betel nut. A simple drink that was delectable. It reminded me of the Paan shots that I had in my last Vedge trip. I had longed for a full drink rather than shots.

Captain : Did this memory get upgraded or something? I don't remember this the last time.

Crewmate : It was there as a shot last time, Cappy.

Nina : Nya :3

Captain : If this is a memory being replayed then only me and you have to be in here. Why are you in here Nina?

Chili Honey Potato emulated the Honey Chili chicken that I love so much. This wok tossed potato did not make me miss my favorite protein. An emulation well done. It was juicy with flavor oozing out of every bite. The flavor felt like a mix of spicy, sweet and had a bit of tang.

Laksa Soup was a simple affair. The flavor was earthy and spicy. It had a lovely aroma as well. They do offer the option of making it less spicy but that would kill the flavor. This soup is very appetizing so expect yourself to be quite ravenous after eating this.

Tex Mex Lasagna was the piece de resistance of the Vedge experience. Initially I was disappointed to see that it was not a classical Lasagna. Pasta sheets were replaced with Tortillas, Italian veggies and spices with Mexican beans, rice and spices. But the flavor was quite something. The crunchy sheets with spicy savory mex beans tasted amazingly food. It got over and I didn't even realize it, it was that good. I wouldn't call it a Lasagna, preferring to call it a Nacho sandwich. But semantics aside, it tasted great.

Captain : This is too good. And this was definitely not there last time.

Crewmate : Maybe this memory is getting updated from the real Vedge somewhere in the world. 

Captain : I like this memory, its tasty. Fine food in the middle of nowhere. Thats magic.

Massaman Curry was pungent, savory and tasted similar to Thai green curry minus the color and Kaffir lime. While it tasted well to me due to its similarity to Thai green curry, its important to note that this dish is difficult to replicate in a vegetarian environment. Without the seafood's inherent flavors, this curry tastes closer to Green curry or Khao Suey as coconut milk becomes dominant.

Magic Chocolate Pot was reminiscent of the popular chocolate bomb that I am seeing at many places. This contained praline, hazelnut mousse, chocolate, brownie and caramel sauce. It was a tasty dessert but a heavy one at that.

Captain : Cannot afford to go high within a trance. What would that make it? A trance within a trance.

Crewmate : Ince..

Captain : Don't say it. 

Crewmate : ception.

The service was fine and the servers even accommodated my constant shifting of the dishes to a table with daylight( for food photography). This bit is always annoying for the serving staff.

The pricing felt a bit on the higher side. But seemed to be on par with premium vegetarian eateries like cream centre or the like.

Vedge has definitely come a long way since it opened shop. They do seem to have a good menu on the table. All that remains is consistency. I enjoyed my meal experience despite being a carnivore and I think that itself speaks a lot about the place's caliber. Vedge is a must try if you are a vegetarian.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"
Captain eats the dessert and wakes up back on his ship. The crew is staring at him in shock.

Captain : My head hurts. Did I pass out?

First mate : No, you had completely disappeared. Along with the deck sweeper and your furball.

Captain : The dessert woke us up, apparently the mirror of memories doesn't support inception yet. 

Crewmate : But why did only that memory play? Could have been anything else. Is there a reason?

Captain : Huh who cares. I am tired of waiting. Row the ship backwards if you have to and blow this damn wall up.

Navigator : That won't be necessary.

"

Map Co-Ordinates
Vedge
Fun Republic Mall, Ground Floor,
New Link Road, Andheri Lokhandwala,
Andheri West, Mumbai.


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

China 1 - Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.

After a few days into sailing from our previous stopover, we spotted a green island. Ah yes, looked like I will be winning that bet with firsty. But was this island truly what it seemed? There was a small port but no ships. The island gave off some strange vibes but we had no choice but to explore. As we explored the forest on the island, we spotted a small modern town in a clearing. There were a few restaurants in here as well. Ah this was turning out to be a rather good day so far.

China 1 is an oriental fine dine restaurant located in the heart of BKC's financial district. It neighbors a lot of known names and popular restaurants and its located deep inside The Capital.

The ambiance is elegant and seems mostly catered towards a professional crowd. The Asian influences are in there but nothing flashy or loud. The restaurant is well illuminated with diffused white light. I actually got great indoor pictures in here. China 1 is a place where you go for a nice quiet meal without the need of in your face Asian tropes.

China 1 Special Thick broth soup was a colorful potion with many flavors. It was tangy, slightly pungent, spicy and the chicken in it felt savory. The soup felt rustic yet had an unique taste which I have not found in other Asian themed restaurants so far. The carrots, baby corn and greens added balance and the colors.
I gobbled this up and made sure that not even a single drop was left behind.

The Salmon Maki sushi. Chinese restaurants have recently become Asian restaurants as they incorporate popular dishes from further east and south east Asia. This sushi however suffered both in presentation and flavor. The taste was pedestrian and I felt that the rice could have been better.

Dynamite Prawns have slowly found their way into Asian menus across the globe ever since they were popularized by P F Chang's. China 1's variant was made out of batter coated prawns tossed in a mix which seemed to be made of Sriracha sauce, spices and honey. It was moderate on spice, zest and a little low on sweet. Methinks a little more honey would do the trick. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this. The prawns were addicting, juicy and full of fun.

Crewmate : Should we not look for supplies Cappy?

Captain : Eating is supplying me stomach lad.

Crewmate : That makes sense. Can I have a prawn?

Captain : No prawns for you, little shrimp.

Rawas in Black bean sauce and Prawn Soba noodles. I have no idea why these were marked as Entrees in the menu but these were my mains for the day. China 1 makes the same error as most restaurants in Mumbai do. It calls that despicable fresh fish Basa as sea food.

Thankfully, their new menu had Rawas(Indian salmon) as an option. The Rawas felt like a mix of Earthy, tangy and savory flavors. The earthiness came from the fish while the other flavors came from the black bean sauce. The fish felt a bit rough and it could have been more tender .

The real star was the Soba noodle. The noodles were savory with a rural undertone. The flavor was enchanting. Most Asian places give a step motherly treatment to their noodles but not China 1. As I ate these noodles, I was no longer in the restaurant. I had been teleported to the Chinese countryside walking under the harvest moon on a cloudless night. Food that can take your senses and imagination to different places is truly rare. Do note that I enjoyed the noodles alone rather than pairing it with the Rawas.

Lemongrass Panna Cotta looked white, sophisticated and beautiful, just like the Greek Parthenon. The flavor was dominated by refreshing lemongrass which I think is a first in India. The panna cotta had perfect consistency and was creamy. The two sensations in unison create a party in your mouth. This dessert acted as a palate cleanser post meal, a sweet dish and even a mouth freshener. Must have if you are doing desserts at China 1.

Captain : Good Calypso, I haven't had a good dessert in a long while.

Crewmate : It looks like a delicious table top mountain.

Captain : That be true lad or the Greek Parthenon.

The service was top notch and my server Apem knew the dishes on the menu well. I am thankful for her recommendations and excellent service.

The pricing seems to be at par with places like Mainland China as far as a la carte options are concerned. I feel that its a good buck spent.

Despite the small glitches, I enjoyed the complete experience. Chef Kazip Horam provided a wonderful lunch experience.


The Captain's Score : 8/10

"
Captain : Why are you lads standing and staring at the sea?  We have our supplies, sail out.

Navigator : We are going to be stuck here for sometime Captain.

Captain : Is our ship damaged?

First Mate : No, but the sea is. Look at that. (Points at a huge fissure in the sea beyond the port)

Captain : O_O That wasn't there before. Where did that chasm come from? It looks like a waterfall in the middle of the sea. How do we sail to the other side?

First Mate : We don't. This is the reason why there were no ships here. That thing is some strange sea phenomenon. According to the locals, It will stay there for a week after which the fissure will disappear and we can sail again.

"

Map Co-Ordinates
China 1
C-70, Ground Floor,
The Capital, Bandra Kurla Complex,
Mumbai.



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





 

Kook - Chembur, Mumbai

They had us cornered and were ready to get rid of us. Or at least that is what they thought. 

Captain : Don't say that I did not give you a chance to walk away. (Loudly Whistles)

Rogue Captain Peter : What the...

(Captain's Crew surrounds the alley. Double ambushed.)
First mate : Thought you had us fooled mate? Think again.

Rocky : Why you...(Raises rifle to fire)

Gunner : Oye Oye, drop your weapon or you will lose your head...literally.

Narakdu(Raising hands) : Does this mean I don't get paid Boss:( ?

We had our fun disposing off the rogues. Many challenges still await us as the quest for the Blue compass only gets tougher. For now, we set sail to a nearby industrial island for repairs and eating...uh information gathering.

Chembur is a district that I have never been to so far. Its far and too industrial. So I was very skeptical about going to Kook when I received an invitation by the owner. The owner decided to take care of my biggest peeve - traveling and thus I dived into the unknown. Kook is a small eatery which specializes in catering but has recently opened up a fully functional dine in restaurant. The restaurant is composed of a small Al-fresco which faces the road and an air conditioned dine in area which is somewhat underground.

Despite being small, the area has been effectively used and has its own theme and decor to go along with it. The ambiance may not be the best but feels comfortable. I was worried that I may feel claustrophobic (I have an issue with small places) but thankfully that problem did not exist here. And if the comfortable dine in wasn't enough, there are even large screens to display IPL, EPL or whatever that dominates prime time.

The Kook special was a fruity virgin concoction with peach, cranberry and apple juices. It was fizzy and slightly spicy which came from the addition of cinnamon and 7 up. A simple but effective mix to beat the heat.

Butter Garlic Prawns were smooth, slippery and quite flavorsome. The butter garlic garnish had imbued a perfect blend of salty and savory flavors upon the prawns. Each bite was full of juicy flavor. The prawns tasted very fresh and the preparation felt very inspiring. If one loves sea food then this is a must try.

Captain :  Smooth and tasty. I love seafood.

First Mate : I wonder if the sharks liked the land food when we tossed Narakdu to them.

Captain : Depends on whether the sharks like junk food.

Baida Paratha(bread stuffed with egg and/or minced meat) is a tricky creation. A slight miscalculation can give a hard chewy dough and there always is a chance of the stuffing tasting bad due to the way its minced. Even big names falter on Baida parathas many times. Thankfully, Kook had no such issue. Despite becoming cold from all the delay due to food photography, the dough remained soft. The minced meat tasted genuine and savory. I actually regret not going for seconds on this. It was quite a journey for my mouth traversing the depths of this delectable creation.

Veg Thai Roll looked pretty to the camera. This pastry roll was filled with a soft stuffing of minced greens and kaffir lime. The first bite put me on a high with the subtle flavor of kaffir lime driving my taste buds to cloud nine. The minced vegetables were clearly a masterstroke. There were no obstructive large chunks of vegetables to spoil the day. A good option if one wants a vegetarian entree.

Captain : The lone roll on the plate reminds me of someone.

Gunner : Rocky? After you marooned him on an island with a pistol and a single bullet? 

Captain : Nah, I replaced the gun with a water pistol.

Gunner : You are such a troll.

Tawa Mutton Chops was a colorful dish that reminded me of Autumn in temperate destinations. Reds, browns, greens with a little yellow - ah, this was almost an edible painting. Shame my camera could not see what my eyes did. The flavor was very North Indian - moderately spicy and very Punjabi with a bit of grease. Kook manages to successfully juggle multiple cuisines in limited infrastructure. This is quite commendable.

The Asian Trio - From Top in clockwise order

Chili Garlic noodles was the only dismal preparation in the entire eating experience. These felt very flat and uninspired.

The chicken in oyster sauce was a mix of tangy, pungent and savory flavors which made it quite a lip smacking dish. It tasted well with the Thai Pot rice.


Thai Pot Rice was the best eat of the day. It was a good emulation of the original Thai delicacy in flavor. It may need a bit of work as far as the visuals are concerned though. It was Zohan grade silky smooth due to the cornstarch adding a soft touch. It almost felt like an Asian Risotto. I would recommend this for roughage to go along with the meat or stews.

Captain : The rice is so amazing. I wonder how our friend Peter is doing...on the other side.

First mate : Don't think that he is coming back from Davey Jones locker anytime soon. 

Captain : No one steals from the Captain, No one.

First Mate :  Now to solve the mystery of the fool's co-ordinates.


The desserts at Kook felt very average. The eggless variants tend to disappoint any true dessert connoisseur. But I suppose the vegetarian variants are targeted at the broader Indian audience.

The Blueberry cheesecake was a no bake variant made of cream rather than cream cheese. It tasted very similar to the conveyor belt variant offered at Monginis or Birdys. I prefer my cheesecakes to contain eggs, Philadelphia cream cheese and be baked.

The Red velvet cake was much better and clearly a better eat. Though it too suffered from the lack of genuine ingredients. Cream cheese or mascarpone should replace the whip cream. The cake itself was quite good for an eggless variant.

Kooks Pricing tends to be on par with most mainstream North Indian restaurants. The appetizers may feel a bit pricey though.

I will leave out service since the restaurant has just opened and this was a meal on an invitation.

Kook in conclusion kooks up a real meal with real value for money. I wouldn't advocate it as the best or soul stirring and the like. But it serves up a good meal which is the only thing that matters at the end of the day. Its location can be a hassle for folks on the western side but if you cannot travel, try ordering a hot meal from the place.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"
 (Late night in the middle of the sea, most of the crew is asleep. Captain is awake in his cabin and his table lamp illuminates the room. The sounds of the sea are the only things to give him company. That and the half asleep look out and Coffee drinking navigator)

Captain : That old man did not look like a liar but why would he give me bogus co ordinates?

Captain : Wait a minute. (Multiplies the three digits of each ordinate 352, 258) Three by five by two gives thirty and Two by five by eight gives eighty. These look like valid co ordinates, YES. But hey is it North or South. East or West. Four possibilities. Urgh.
"

Map Co-Ordinates
Kook
Swami Jayramadas Shopping Centre,
R.C marg, Near Basant Park,
Chembur East, Mumbai


 -The meal was on the house as I was invited by the owners. My review however is objective.-

Chinese New year at O:h Cha - Lower Parel, Mumbai

Due to trips to distant lands, I discovered that I missed things close to me home. In all the time that I was away, many restaurants had popped up in the islands around. So it was time to explore me native seas once again. The first place that I found was a restaurant called O:h cha. I had no idea what that meant till my linguist told me that it means delicious in Thai. I keep forgetting about that linguist. How did he get into me crew? Story for another day.

O:h Cha cha cha cha. The odd name means "delicious" in Thai. This place is located at a walking distance from home and yet I never knew how close this was. Its been a busy time in the past year with treks all across town to different eateries. Its funny how I missed exploring some of the finest places in my own neighborhood. Well no matter, the process of rectification begins with a new culinary adventure.

I managed to arrive here on a day designated as a Karaoke night. Although the shy Indian public is not generally the "sing in front of a crowd while drunk" kind, there were a few folks who tried crooning. Not me though, this pirate was intoxicated on rather strong Rum. The place is small but has a nice ambiance. It felt  like both a lounge and a restaurant rolled into one. The Green lighting and the fancy light work on the ceiling makes the place feel quite comforting.

The place was commemorating the Chinese New Year (Year of the Red monkey) and had a special menu in that honour. Now, CNY sounds like an odd thing in a Thai place but I guess it was generally an "Asian" celebration.

I was invited to sample the special menu by the restaurant's PR folk. And bless those people for making me acquainted with a rather nice Thai place close to home. Do note, a pure vegetarian may not form the best opinion for this place. A meat eater however will enjoy the protein filled fare.

Burnt Garlic and Basil Chicken Soup. This soup visually resembled colorful Asian soups. The flavor was mildly salty upon tasting but had a very spicy undertone which was perceived while swallowing the liquid. I love spicy food as the next guy but I personally felt that the spice was a bit high for Thai cooking.

Grilled Prawn cake on lemon grass skewers. Despite its simple appearance, the prawn cakes were quite sumptuous. These had been dusted by Kaffir lime as well. These were soft and full of flavor, almost like an oriental version of Kebabs. The lemon grass skewers were added for pure aesthetics as these could not take the cake's weight, ha.

Captain : This isn't a regular pop. 

Crewmate : It is a cake pop 

Captain : Indeed, but not the ones hyperventilating kids with smart phones would love.

Crewmate :  But everything a sailor would love.

Captain : Aye to that. Hey, where are the skewers.

Crewmate : Ha, finally I score. :D

Hoi Yin Yum Prig. This is a snacky kind of an appetizer that works well with strong drinks. The Okra however felt a bit invasive due to its size. I felt that smaller pieces of Okra would have worked better than the large chunks used. It also affected the cooking. The outer portions of the Okra were crispy, savory and crunchy but the core was soft and gooey. Given the theme of this dish, I am pretty sure the crispiness should have been in and out uniform for the Okra.

Thai Honey sesame chicken was a flavorful dish of chicken strips coated with its namesakes. The flavor mimicked the sweet Chinese honey Chicken with savory depth coming from other spices and sesame. This appetizer had an addicting and a tantalizing feel to it. I had already cleaned the entire plate a minute after I took my first bite. It makes an ideal appetizer to a multiple course meal.

Chicken with Chilli Garlic Sauce. I usually avoid safe/old favorites options when I am invited to places. It is all about experimenting new things after all. However, my server recommended this dish to me. And I gleefully accepted his suggestion. This colorfully piquant preparation had just the right amount of spicy earthiness. The soft chicken chunks had completely absorbed the garlicky flavor. It would go well with any noodles or be enjoyed independently.

Yaki Udon noodles were served in the traditional Japanese style with sauce, meat and vegetables. Though not the best variant of udon that I have come across, these were certainly better than mediocre replicas sold in the name of Udon at many places.

Chili Chocolate Tart with Coconut Ice cream. One may have heard of Nainital, but this was truly Nainitart. This tart and its plating resembled an eye from the top. A tasty fusion of east and west, this mildly spicy chocolate tart had chocolate soil and a scoop of creamed Coconut Ice cream in the center. The coconut obviously is a tribute on Thai flavors. The tart was soft and the rich chocolate paired well with the ice cream. The chili provided an interesting flavor undertone. Enjoyable treat to the last bite.

Captain : It be a dark chocolaty night . Me ship sailed silently towards Mt Coco Cream.

Crewmate : Uh huh and what happened after that?

Captain : Deep below this sea of Chocolate, lied a subtle treasure of spice.

Crewmate : Then?

Captain : And I relished as I had the last bite. (smirks)

Crewmate : That feels out of place...HEY, you weren't high. You faked it to distract me.


The service seemed to be excellent and the serving strategy well chalked out. Despite having a few servers, they were able to address every table fairly on a crowded Karaoke night.

The pricing seems to be on par with other Asian fine dines like Main land china for example. The portion sizes seem generous too (Note : My mains were half portions by my request.) Though I do feel that the appetizers can be 350s instead of 400s and 500s instead of 600s.

A great place for authentic Thai cuisine. The new menu is fun and the desserts are not to be missed. The new menu goes well beyond the Thai only theme and adds a few other Asian delicacies. It is the Chinese year of the monkey theme after all. If the reader loves singing, then I recommend a Wednesday visit for Karaoke nights.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"All right lads, now we Cha cha cha with the stars and the waves. The tail winds be on our side. Put that grub and Rum to good use. "

Map Co-Ordinates
O:h Cha
Unit 1, The New Mahalaxmi Silk Mills Premises,
Mathurdas Mills Compound,
Lower Parel, Mumbai


 -I was invited by the restaurants PR to sample the new menu. My post is neutral-

Loco Chino - Fort, Mumbai

My ship was sailing in me favorite sea lane in these parts of the ocean. In fact it was a canal where there were grub installations on both sides. Taverns, Cafes , Restaurants and water holes. Half of me crew members were on the starboard side staring at places with hungry eyes and the other half on the port side swooning about the cookhouses. And I was pretty sure that the look out was asleep, like always.

Suddenly me eyes spotted a Chinese lad in an old wild west attire shouting random Spanish phrases. "Was he crazy?", I wondered or perhaps this was part of something more subtle. I looked at a signboard above that lad and it said "Loco Chino" which finally made sense. I made up my mind, we were going to dock near the canal walls and have our grub at Loco Chino.

Loco Chino or Crazy Chinese in English is a Chinese-Mexican restaurant chain that has been around for a while. I have always associated it with the suburbs so it was pleasantly surprising to find a recently opened outlet in downtown. It is slightly away from the mainstream of the Kala Ghoda scene, located opposite the One Forbes building. But it should be easy to find as one cannot miss the huge building unless dead drunk.

The interiors of the restaurant are quite reminiscent of cafes or bistro sized pizzerias. The place seems to target a young audience with its casual and playful design. Apart from the humorous mustached mirrors and hat shaped hanging lights there was no other Chinese or Mexican feel to the ambiance.

Since the place is new, they had sent a bunch of invites to food bloggers and reviewers. One of those invites managed to land in my mailbox. Thus the staff had served a special food set to me.

The day was hot and the Mexican Twist untwisted my thirst. Made with a mixture of Cranberry juice and non alcoholic Triple sec, this was a tangy, zingy and a refreshing drink. I quite liked it. There was just one problem with it. As the drink crossed the half way mark, it started tasting watery. This was a bit of a put off to the initial experience. This bit needs to addressed.

Black Pepper Chicken was a scrumptious appetizer. The sauce supplied ample savory and spice to the dish while the greens providing a depth to the flavor. The chicken pieces were tender and juicy. The preparation had a lovely aroma too. The serving in my picture is only half of what they serve. I had requested the staff to downsize the portions so I could sample more grub.

Captain : I like anything with Black Pepper sauce. 

Crewmate : Yes, I can see that. You almost ate yer cutlery Captain.

Veg Fiesta Nachos were average. The Sour cream had a salty flavor to it making it feel a bit odd. The tortilla chips were close to genuine but I suppose that I have grown to expect a little cheese powder on my Nachos Tortilla chips.

Spicy Smoked Chicken dimsum may not have tasted authentically Chinese but it was aromatic and quite delectable. It was the tallest among the dimsums served.

Presenting the Three Dimsum Amigos. Yes I can use a Spanish term for Chinese food at Loco Chino.
Look at the basket from right to left. Though their color and texture appears to be the same, they are shaped differently.

The Crescent shaped dumpling is the Kaffir lime coriander chicken dimsum. It was quite an amazing experience since the flavor was predominantly Kaffir lime with the subtle meatiness of Chicken. It did feel though that the Lime was applied after the chicken's cooking rather than with it, but I am not complaining. This was quite an unique dimsum, one that I can have a whole platter of.

The next one is Siu mai as you can guess by its shape. I wasn't that happy with this since I believe Chicken does not work well in Siu Mai and the traditional pork Siu mai is the best.

And the last one was Chicken and Prawns Xo. Xo is a sauce that adds a bit of spice and and a whole lot of depth. This dumpling felt a bit tangy as well. The flavors of Chicken and Prawns had fused to form a single composite flavor thus the proteins had been married properly. Its taste stood out and kept me intrigued.

Captain : Three Dimsums and two of us. How do we divide the booty?

Crewmate : Well you gobbled the smoked chicken dimsum so I should get two from the platter.

Captain : Fine you can keep the Siu mai.

Crewmate : I said two Cappy.

Captain : Well, Siu Mai are two words.

Chili Con Carne Chicken Quesadilla was not the best Quesadilla that I have had but its spice and tanginess gave it a very interesting and an "active" flavor. I think the best way to describe this would be to compare it with a superstar actor who hogs most of the screen time. There wasn't a single moment when the flavor wasn't keeping my taste buds entertained. The only improvement I can suggest for this is a slight addition of cheese.

Grilled Serrano Chicken Taco was a contrast to the Quesadilla. If the above was a Rajnikanth or a Stallone then this was more of a Irrfan Khan or Michael Douglas. The flavor was passive which felt a bit strange for Serrano chicken which is supposed to be based of chili, cilantro and lemon. The greens also felt excessive for a chicken taco and perhaps they offset the flavor that the Serrano chicken may have contained.

Walk to Wok is a special make it yourself Wok option where you fill in a sheet with what you want in your noodles. Loco Chino's wok noodles stand above most Make it yourself Wok installations. I made a wokwork of Udon noodles, Prawns, Hot Garlic etc. The noodles felt quite fulfilling and rich. The serving size was proper in this case and it was more than generous. At INR 250 The seafood wok seems to be aptly priced. The flavor was strong on garlic and it seemed to sync well with prawns and udon.

Captain : This is too much.

Crewmate : I agree, we could have invited a few more mates to finish this with us. 

Churros were a downright disappointment. The flavor felt quite lacking. These were a bit crumbly inside too breaking very fast when dipped in the chocolate sauce. This made it hard to dip them in the chocolate without the need of Churro fishing in a chocolate pond.

The service at Loco Chino is ample and decent for now. They are professional, groomed and well informed on the menu. They have a large crew and constantly take care of you. Would be nice if they maintain this standard.

The pricing at Loco Chino is a bit of here and there. Some items feel like a steal, while some feel pricey. While most food is well worth the moolah given the generous portion sizes, I do feel that veggie folks may find their prices a tad bit on the higher side.

Loco Chino makes a fine choice if you have a Mexican craving or the fast food type of Chinese needs. Its also a good place to dine with friends and office mates. But being located in the Kala Ghoda area, it certainly needs to tighten all screws to stay competitive with the other grub zones in the area.
 

The Captain's Score : 7/10

"Yer bellies suggest that ye lads had yer fill. Better not be sleepy though, we have a long voyage ahead of us. Until next time. Cheers."

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.-