Go Panda - Andheri West, Mumbai

Sailing in one of me favorite regions never gets old. The crew was upbeat as they always are when we sail towards a new restaurant. The name "Go Panda" suggested that food would be Chinese but eh, the world be full of surprises. Dropping anchor at a familiar spot, the landing party set out to walk towards our destination. There were many sights to be seen and we felt a little lost. But finally after seeking help from the natives, we arrived at our destination. The little food shack called "Go Panda" stood right in front of us.

Go Panda is a new takeaway plus self service style restaurant. They deliver food from Goregaon upto Bandra. The naming sounds like a play on Chinese stereotypes. However, the food makes the establishment much different from the archetype of a Chinese takeout place. As soon as you enter the place, you are greeted by a Panda on a skateboard with a food tray and a pair of chopsticks. Such balance would probably make Po the Kung Fu Panda envious but perhaps the mascot is a symbol of the restaurants diverse offerings.

Go Panda is not just another Chinese take out place. It prides itself as a Pan Asian restaurant offering a bit from places all over South East Asia. It also throws in a healthy dose of new fusion items which are Go Panda's greatest strength. Thus the Panda balancing many things together.

Go Panda doesn't really have a true indoor dining area. There are four seats available inside but these can hardly address the crowds at peak times. The true dine in area or dine out area is a small Al-Fresco outside the restaurant. It can seat about fifteen people. I did not face an insect problem here but I did face an animal problem. A pair of innocent looking dogs seem to have marked this area as their territory. And they often conduct sorties around the tables, sometimes brushing around your feet. While I love canines and don't mind the strays, this could certainly pose hygiene problems.

Moving on to the food.

I started with a Prawn Tom Kha Soup. This soup was a semi dense mixture of coconut milk, prawns and vegetables. On a strictly visual appearance, Go Panda's version lacked the bang. The vibrant colors typical of a Tom Kha soup were missing and a general absence of lemongrass could be felt. However, the taste seemed to work well. It was tasteful with a strong coconut flavor and a bit of a cheese chowder like flavor. The prawn pieces were ample and I found myself finishing this soup to the last drop. It may not be an exact replica of the real deal but worked well enough for me.

Asian Prawns nest with Sweet Chilli Drizzle is perhaps one of the longest names for a dish that I have come across. Visibly enticing with a golden appearance, this was one of the best dishes of the evening. The preparation consisted of soft marinated prawns wrapped with an egg batter. It was then sprinkled with greens and a thin sweet chilli sauce. It tasted great right off the bat. The batter and the sauce made a good combination and the prawn inside tasted well in sync. Its currently listed in their special menu but I feel that it should be a part of their main menu. It you love seafood, this is definitely an item to order. Quite addicting.

Captain : This looks very intricate.

Crewmate : And Tasty.

Sloppy Joe Sandwich is a popular snack in the USA. It usually consists of minced or finely ground meat served loosely in a hamburger bun. But Go Panda used minced Chicken with lots of cheese and some Asian seasonings in a long bread pair. It is one of their own creations and was definitely the highlight of the day. True to its name, it tends to be sloppy or messy while eating but oh boy was it a treat. Truthfully, it felt more western than Asian but I didn't care much about it. A trip to Go Panda should exist in a typical foodie's bucket list just for this sandwich.

Captain : I wonder why this be called a Sloppy Joe?

Crewmate : Captain you have got cheese all over yer mouth.

Captain : Ah, Thats why!

Indonesian Chicken Satay is a widespread item across most Asian food installations in India and is available even in food court kiosks. Go Panda's variant felt very mediocre in both taste and presentation. Suffering from the same issue as in most Indian restaurants, the Satay had a flattish appearance instead of a lumpy one. It was lacking moisture and felt very dry.

Named Phathimlai Chicken, this one made me curious. Billed as a Hong Kong specialty, it doesn't find any mention on a Google search(other than Go Panda hits). In taste terms, it resembled a classical Honey chicken with different vegetable additions. And in visuals it seemed to resemble Kung Pao. The meat was juicy with sweet flavor oozing out with every bite, yet it was not messy. The warmth also seemed to enhance the preparation's flavor.

Captain : Phati Malai? Torn Cottage Cheese?

Crewmate : No Cappy, its Phathimlai.

Captain : Yeah, isn't that what I just said?

Go Panda's Thai Chicken Spring Rolls had a very blistered appearance and tasted very ordinary. The crust felt quite stiff and all this despite being warm. The filling was supposed to have cheese within but my taste buds combed the vast expanse of the morsel to find none. The dipping sauce didn't help much either.
Needed some greens to complement the meat and seemed to be lacking the colorful depth that Thai Spring rolls usually have.

Vietnamese Chicken Sandwich (Sometimes Bánh mì in Vietnamese Expat communities) is quite popular around the world. Go Panda's variant wasn't spicy but had loads of cheese and smoked plus pulled Barbeque Chicken.  Felt juicy, addictive and flavorsome. However, some spices could be added as an improvement.

Asian Barbeque Fish was made of extra-tender Basa wrapped with a shroud of Barbeque sauce and topped with some greens. Truth be said, I think Basa was the wrong fish to use in a Barbeque. It feels too soft and gooey to be combined with BBQ sauce. The taste was very typical of Basa and BBQ sauce. The dish seemed to lack depth.

Captain : Is there no other fish in the sea but Basa?

Crewmate : I think it relates to the ease of procurement of...

Captain : Are you a sailor or a stockman?

Crewmate : Cappy, I am the ship's Stocksman, Remember? 

Grilled Chicken ham and Cheese sandwich was a regular meat sandwich which felt very western. The spice content was almost unnoticeable and it tasted no different than the several hundred Chicken Sandwiches that I have had elsewhere. It did however have a lot of cheese, some of it oozing out when it was served hot. There didn't seem to be anything Asian about this one but still qualifies as a decent sandwich from strictly food point of view.

Khow Suey was served in an Earthern pot which was the case for all mains. It goes with their theme of "Pot Meals". Go Panda's version does present itself as a commendable replica of the East Burmese Delicacy. Had a strong Coconut flavor owing to the Coconut milk present in the mix. I did feel that some portions of it were dry. Either there was too little gravy or far too much noodles. But amongst all of the coconut themed dishes that I had at Go Panda, this one takes the pot or err cake.

Next up was Pan Fried Fish in Mustard sauce and Rice. Finally a dish in which Basa resonated with the sauce. This dish used a super strong, pungent and a sweet Mustard sauce. The soft Basa literally dissolved in the Mustardy lava. Containing spice and rice, this dish was my favorite amongst the pot meals. Additionally, the earthenware seemed to enhance the aroma of this item.

Captain : Psst...Let me have this lad. The chef put in something that you wont like.

Crewmate : Are you stirring the pot Cappy?

Captain : Why would I do that? If I stir the pot, the stuff would fall out.

Finally the last amongst the Pot meals were the Malaysian Lamb and Chicken Kormas. This is the Lamb Korma(for which I opted) in the picture. Visually both appeared the same so I was content with the picture of the lamb variant. The Lamb variant had big chunks of meat in the curry. Although the flavor hadn't quite sunk to the very core of the meat, the dish tasted fine. It was served with steamed rice which provides necessary roughage.

I have heard of Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel before but I have never tried it. Go Panda  provided me the first experience of this rare to come across dessert. Combining Salty caramel with Chocolate mousse is like eating Almas Caviar soaked in a hundred year old wine. Or its like a tag team of Chuck Norris and Rajnikanth. Combining two of my favorite things into one fun combo. The delicious taste of rich mousse combined with the pleasant taste of Salted Caramel is indeed a blissful sensation. It didn't even bother me that the mousse was eggless which usually irks me. A good end to the evening.

Captain : When the sun sets and where the winds meet, there is an island of joy... 

Crewmate : You are singing, which could only mean.

Captain : Where the dreamers meet and raise their rum...

Crewmate : You got high on dessert again.

Go Panda scored a lot of hits and misses with me but it was a fun evening with fellow epicures. Its a mix bag of Pan Asian and Western food to be precise. And their strengths lie in their own creativity. The food quality lies somewhere in between a fine dine and a regular takeaway joint. However, Go Panda's affordable pricing certainly speaks strongly in its favor. One doesn't order or eat from fine dines regularly but everyone has their local joints where they often order food from. Go Panda is certainly a strong contender for your restaurant fast dial.

The Captain's Score : 7/10

"Time to leave the man made lights behind us lads. Lets head out under the stars and onto the seas."

Map Co-Ordinates
Go Panda
Shop 7, Grenville Building,
Andheri Lokhandwala, 
Andheri West, Mumbai
Phone 022 6555 5499
 
-I was invited to a foodie meetup by the Restaurant-

4Play Bar & Lounge - Khar West, Mumbai

Sometimes, me crew just wants to take a break from adventure and have a party at a tavern. Our map had a new mark today. A tavern that was largely unknown. The map was not fully drawn on this part as well. Never to give up on the unknown is the code of this sailor and I steered my ship through uncharted waters. Finally, I arrived at me destination and a party awaited us. Music, Grog and grub - what else could a sailor ask for?

4Play is an obvious reference. When you work the whole week, it is only fair to play a bit or lets say 4Play a bit. I visited 4Play as a part of a meet up organized by Food Bloggers Association of India(FBAI). The day selected was a Friday. The time was late evening. Yep, it was prime time. Time to grog down my tiring week.

4Play is located inside New Castle Hotel which is at a walking distance from Khar Railway station. And it lies on Linking road so its easily accessible by bus or car. However, the building itself feels very residential and one cannot believe how narrow the entry to 4Play is. It feels like a hole in the wall kind of an establishment or perhaps a Narnia like world whose entrance is a small cupboard.

However once inside, a nice lounge awaits you. The atmosphere is electric and the decor is decent. There are a few anomalies with the decor, however the establishment is still new and the management assures us that they will be working on that. Its has a typical dim lit appearance and is great for dates , brodowns or just getting away from the stressful week. To be honest I prefer blue lights over green or orange for lounges. So I found the ambiance quite cool. Lest I forget, there is also a large projector screen to see your favorite sports. Great place to enjoy a Gayle storm or the English Premier League.

As fellow connoisseurs poured in one by one, the twilight sojourn began. Preferring something mild, I chose a Bacardi Breezer alcopop. The selection for drinks is quite good as expected. Those with a ravenous appetite for grog can get some of the best drinks money can buy and the teetotaler kind can sip on some mocktails.

As time progressed, we were served with an assortment of some fine finger food.

Veg Bruschetta is a classical antipasto dish that is found in most fine food installations. 4Play's version was definitely better than the standard, tomato-basil-olive oil combo. The cheese added to the preparation.The small Bruschetta toasties were definitely a good way to flag off the evening. The presentation was great and it appeared as colorful as multicolored confetti sprayed on a Holi crowd.

Captain : It looks too beautiful to be eaten.

Crewmate : But it must be eaten, You once said that food is meant to be eaten to complete...

Captain : Shush lad, don't ya remind me of my own words.

Tandoori Mushrooms - Its rare to come across this item and it was tasty fun. Tangy and savory with marinated mushrooms which appeared to be wrapped in a bit of cornflour. They were tasty although the capsicum slice in the base of each piece felt a bit of a mismatch. This item was one of the favored dishes of the meet. My friend on the other side of the table seemed to enjoy these thoroughly.

Captain : Do ya think these Mushrooms grow in the wild?

Crewmate : Mushrooms probably but Tandoors unlikely.

Fish Fingers was one of my two favorite dishes of the day. Wrapped with crumbs and coated with a savory-spicy-tangy mixture, these were an addictive part of the meal. Each bite revealed a soft gooey and white Basa filling inside. For a supposedly deep fried item, 4Play's Fish Fingers was barely oily and full of taste. I found myself eating several fingers. I felt that these were some of the best Fish Fingers I have ever had. The creamy dip went great with each bite. And as visible from the picture, the plating was beautiful.

Captain : Fish Fingers are me favorite.

Crewmate : I understand Cappy, but I would like to try some too.

Captain : Sure lad, Each finger for one day of desk sweeping duty.

Mongolian Paneer - Again a rare preparation. Was great on the plating part but a bit messy on the eating part. It was oily and lacked the zing that it was expected to have.Seemed to lack chilli sauce as the sauce present on it was quite sparse in density. Somehow the flavor didn't seemed to extend to the Paneer. Methinks this one needs some fine tuning.

Fish Pattaya was supposedly a new preparation for me. I do not recall having this anywhere before and I need to make that clear to explain my bias. This was an ultra soft melt in your mouth Basa cooked with a spinachy concoction. It suffered from the problems of being far too messy and greasy. The green concoction could not add much to the flavor and it just tasted like gooey plain Basa.

Corn Cheese Croquets were without a doubt, the best item of the evening. From the start itself, the item impressed me. The plating was excellent, it almost had an artistic feel to it. The crust was barely oily, soft, crispy and cooked to perfection. The aroma played games with my olfactory senses. And as I took a full bite, the soft river of cheese and corn overwhelmed my gustatory senses. I had a glimpse of food heaven. The savory crust and the salty insides were a great combination. The dip added to the experience. This was definitely the best Corn Cheese Croquet that I have ever had so far. And do remember, that this is coming for a vegetarian item from a carnivore.

Captain : Never have I eaten such toothsome croquets.

Crewmate : Its not even meat Cappy.

Captain : Good grub need not always be meat lad.

Chicken Peri Peri had a glitchy start for me. It felt greasy and low on taste at the beginning. However, I found that it was an issue of uneven plating. The chicken on one side had too much liquid while on the other end it was a bit dry. The chicken itself tasted great but somehow the liquid was causing an issue. I promptly stirred my serving a bit and the taste then became acceptable. It was soft chicken cooked with a garlicky sauce and a hint of Peri Peri. It was definitely not one of 4Play's best cards but was a satisfactory item.

Named Chicken Kali Miri, this preparation seemed like the classical Chicken Kaali Mirch Kebab to me. This one is an old favorite of mine and 4play's version wasn't bad either. Soft marinated chicken with the enticing flavor of pepper. It had a nice aroma and definitely had the ability to make anybody hungry. It was well cooked with no burnt edges and uniform texture.

Captain: Kali Miri? That sounds like Calamari. Its confusing.

Crewmate : These are Kali Mirch kebabs.

Captain : I agree lad so why in the seven seas would someone name it like that.

With some chitchat over food, our evening came to a close. Full of player food, I was ready to head home.

The service is decent. The staff is both professional and well experienced. The test of a good lounge service lies in the server's knowledge of serving drinks. Our server made no mistakes while serving different drinks to different members of our rather large group.

4Play has a pricing that is on par with similar Lounge and Restopub restaurants. The wine options feel cheaper than most other restaurants that I have been to.

To conclude, I would say that my evening was great. 4Play indeed makes a great addition to Mumbai's diverse foodscape.
However, the lounge still lacks a few things. First would be some brand building cum marketing. I am told that this is being taken care of. The second thing that 4play lacks is a dessert menu. Would be nice to see things such as Brownies, Cheesecakes, Mud cakes and the like. A small dessert menu would do wonders since I did feel that something was missing at the end of the day.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"Enough celebration and enough chatter lads. The winds are right and we must sail under the moonlight. Until next time."

Map Co-Ordinates
4 Play Bar and Lounge
First Floor, New Castle Hotel,  
Linking Road,
Khar West, Mumbai

-I was invited to a preview meal as part of a Food Bloggers Association of India(FBAI) meet up-

Noodle Play - Bandra West, Mumbai

There was not a single piece of land anywhere in sight. The lads looked dull and unhappy. As a Captain, I had to quickly find a way to appease them with good food. Taking out me looking glass, I spotted a peculiar ship in the distance. Alerted, I ordered the lads to be on guard. However, this peculiar ship turned out to be a restaurant on the seas. Amazed and hungry at the same time, I welcomed its appearance and prepared for a mid sea trade. Island restaurants or sailing restaurants, who cares, as long as they feed me grub.

Noodle play is a Takeout restaurant much far from my home. It was the talk of the town and obviously I was intrigued in it. Then, I was referred to Hitesh Bhatia who is the owner of this brand by fellow connoisseur Shwetaa Sharma. I was told that they do not have a dine-in facility as they specialize only in home deliveries. This disappointed me a bit initially because I am located quite far from them and it would have been very hard for them to deliver it out here.

However, Hitesh's "never say never" attitude amazed me. He said without hesitation that he will have it delivered it to my place. I was skeptical about the whole thing. But I was silenced with noodles and chicken, literally.

Pritam, who mans Noodle Play's logistics, gave me a call and a confirmation was made for next week.
 Moving on to next week, it was a Tuesday and I had completely forgotten about the whole affair. I was planning to go get my grub from the local fast food place when suddenly my phone buzzed. It was Pritam and he notified me that my order will reach me shortly. And it did. A few minutes later, Noodle Play delivered the goods on my door. It was impressive that the food was still warm, given the distance. Not luke warm, not burning hot - Goldilock's kind of warm.

Packed in a neat and compact manner, the cargo looked great at delivery. A pair of chopsticks, a fork and a spoon were among the things included. These guys really worked hard on presentation and the delivery. I started my meal with good spirits.

In a top secret food facility somewhere in Area Ikyavana(इक्यावन), An aging food scientist manages to successfully blend Indian and Chinese cuisines using the Large Foodron Collider. "Eureka", he screams before handing out his secret to select restaurants in India. He hoped that his creation will help humanity and hungry people everywhere.

It is a long known tradition in India where foreign cuisines are often adjusted for Indian tastes. They may be saltier or have Indian spices. May even have pure vegetarian variants which otherwise don't exist in the country of origin. However, the worst part about them is that they claim to be authentic Chinese and do injustice to both cuisines.

Noodle Play happily admits that it blends the two cuisines and does a great job too. It does total justice to my totally true story about Area Ikyavana.

The Black Pepper Chicken had more Chinese and less Indian influence as compared to many other items on their menu. The fresh vegetables, black pepper sauce, rich spices and the marinated chicken were a perfect team. Together they could take on any taste buds in the world. Indeed, the flavor was great with the succulent chicken able to satisfy the cravings of every carnivore. And the aroma and the presentation were great too. To be honest, for a takeout place this dish had quality on par with most fine dines. And at a fraction of the cost.

Captain : I love this chicken.

Crewmate : You look a little clumsy with the chop sticks Captain.

Captain : I know how to use them....I just am not very good at it.

Then I opened the Wok Box of the never ending Burnt Chilli Garlic Noodles. All right, the never ending part was a jest but the noodle quantity in one box easily surpasses the hunger levels of two average human beings. The content was less oily, pleasantly aromatic and with an addictive garlicky flavor. Loaded with Chilli chicken and a hint of a smoky flavor, this is the best takeout noodles that I have ever had. The vegetables were added in just the right amount with an artistic touch.  Sometimes, the treasure is box of gold coins and sometimes, the treasure is a box of golden noodles. Especially if it is a wok box.

It served as my lunch and also my dinner, such was the huge quantity. And what came as a surprise was that at dinner even in its cold state, it was still tasty. Don't know if this was by design or co-incidence but there are very few places that can cook food that tastes good in both hot and cold states.

Captain : There is enough grub in this treasure chest to feed the whole crew.

Crewmate : But you will probably have it all alone, right?

Captain : No lad, its too much even for me.

Crewmate : Thundering Typhoons, Its a miracle.

Captain : Get off your Belgian Comics lad.

The food was delivered with a lot of accompaniments like a Fortune cookie, Imli Chooran and a Mint Ball.

Also included were some puzzles, just in case you are traveling while eating and are really bored. Why look at the weird guy sitting opposite to you staring at your food when you can look at the intriguing puzzles. Let me help you out with the first answer - Lollypop is hidden at the bottom right vertical of the word puzzle.

Concluding, I would say that it would be quite cool if Noodle play gets a dine in restaurant but it really delivers on food and service (no pun intended). The prices are really low. Almost half of what I get from my local places and the quantity is almost double. That is a value factor of 4x.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"All right lads, you had your fill even in the middle of the sea. Time to get back to yer stations. We have a long voyage ahead of us."

Map Co-Ordinates
 Noodle Play
They will deliver if you lie within their area of operation.
http://www.noodleplay.in/
 
-The food was on the house-
-Thanks go to Sweta Sharma, Hitesh Bhatia and Pritam-

Zapata's - Malad West,Mumbai

The skies were dark and the seas were a little rough. Tis' be unseasonal rain, I reckoned. I went back to the helm and looked at the map. It had been sent by a friend. Our destination for the day was somewhere nearby. From the corner of me eye, I spotted a small island. I knew that this had to be the place. I turned the helm and ordered the crew to drop the anchor. Together with the boarding party, I entered our destination for a food fiesta.

Zapata, sounded a bit like a Mexican gangster to me but Google suggests that it was the name of a famous Mexican revolutionary. Famous enough to have places named after him. And more than margs and roads, mind you. Well regardless of the naming, I was quite intrigued about what was on offer.

Zapata's is a newcomer to Mumbai's colorful and vibrant food scene. Its founded by Frederic(one of the Partners owning the restaurant) who is a suave man from France. I wondered why a person from France will open a Mexican restaurant in Mumbai, when his own native cuisine is world famous. He tells me that that he loves Mexican food and talks about its likeliness to Indian food. He is true on that. The hot and spicy Mexican food does remind me of Spicy Indian food. And I must admit that I have quite a liking to certain Mexican offerings. Let the game of Salsa and Masala begin.

                                Hey You, Yes you ! You looking at me Amigo ?

The restaurant has a small Bistro like appearance. The Al Fresco faces the road and has a pollution plus insect problem. But, one has to admit that it looks like a cafe right out of Mexico. When inside, the ambiance changes radically. Its calm, cozy and creative. Though it doesn't quite feel like Mexico inside, it does have a Tex-Mex feel to it. The Gangsta Sombrero Dog Mural is the first thing that one notices in here. The Aviators feel as they reflect but they don't. I am told that this art piece is incomplete and may get real reflection soon enough. It adds to the uniqueness of the dining area. Some Amigos may find it odd but I find it quite expressive.

I met our hostesses Chandni and Purvi who were kind enough to invite me. I also met a motley group of fellow epicures from across the city.

The sojourn kicked off with a Complexion booster drink. It was made out of Celery, Orange and carrots. Definitely healthy ingredients but the celery gave it a strange anti climatic bitter flavor. Needless to say, I wasn't very fond of it.

Captain: Tell me Lad, do I look pretty to you?

Crewmate: Are you feeling all right, Cappy? That aint even Grog.

Captain: This drink is supposed to be good for me skin, not so good for me taste buds though.

My main drink was a Mojito. This was a strong cocktail with 60 ml of white rum. It was Tangy, fizzy, strong and definitely a good accompaniment to the appetizers. Zapata's has a varied range of drinks as expected of such an eatery. I also think that my drink looked rather good in the picture. I feel thirsty just by looking at it.

Captain : This contains Rum. Yes Rum !

Crewmate : Rum Rum Rum.

Captain : Good grief, I really thought that my log would go without the mention of Rum.

Crewmate : Wait, You have a log Captain? Are you recording our conversations for the world to see.

Captain : Uhh..... No.

Crewmate : Why did you wink? Hey !

Our food started with Nacho De Zapatas. There isn't much to complain or praise here.The presentation is excellent. It had been plated with dedication and Adrian Monk's precision. The nachos tasted nice with toppings of sour cream, olives, Jalapenos and guacamole. Despite being tasty, it felt a tad bit dry in some areas and I positively feel that I have had better Nachos elsewhere. In short, satisfactory but still requires some improvement.

The Vegetarian Nachos variant appeared good on visuals but lacked taste. For Mexican food it certainly was bland. Needs a complete rework since bland food wont bode well with either Mexicans or Indians.

We were then served with three different platters of Tacquitos. The first on the lineup was Braised Lamb Tacquito. I have got to say that the Chef has a eye for good plating. The Tacquitos appeared visibly enticing and this lamb variant was my favorite. These little morsels were very satisfying and it was almost a shame that they get over fast amongst a group.

The Beer battered Fish Tacquitos were up next. This was tender Basa fish cooked in a spicy beer batter. To be honest, I am a little bored with Basa being the only fish in many Mumbai eateries but Zapata's take did give it an unique flavor. Imagine the flavors to be ribbons, the Basa ribbon and the beer ribbon spiraled around each other perfectly to give these a great taste. Had a great flavor and was a close second to the Lamb Tacquito.

The Paneer Tacquito variant is not mentioned in the menu but is offered by Zapata's. This is good for the pure vegetarian types but felt a lot bland to me. It feels that they need to work on the spice content for their vegetarian variants. Was a distant third to the above two Tacquitos.

Captain : Tri-colored Tacquitos. They look like treasures of the sea.

Crewmate : Or a Flag?

Captain : I like the red Tacquitos.

Crewmate : I liked the Green.

One has heard of French Fries, Freedom Fries, Piri piri fries and what not but this was my first encounter with Mexican Fries. It was a completely new experience. These fries were made out of sweet potato and wrapped in spices. These were deliciously addictive and went great with the provided sauce and Chipotle. My thanks to the chef for introducing me to Mexican Fries. Definitely an item to be tried out by taste trailblazers. Have these and forget the hay like fries you eat at fast food joints.

The Chipotle Grilled Fish Burrito was definitely not as long as its name. The grilled fish tasted great but I felt that it could have tasted better had the chef gone a little low on the Tortilla. The doughy flavor overpowered the fish and ruined a perfectly good flavor within. The presentation was nice although the flowers in the platter felt a bit strange.

Grilled Chicken Tostada - It looked nice and had a lovely aroma. However, it had a problem with flavor. The taste had not quite sunk into the meat. While there were no issues on the surface. The sauces, greens and spices were added appropriately. The problem began in the depths. It was simply made of flavorless portions of Chicken breasts. Even with the supplied salsas, I could not seem to get any flavor onto this. Left me a little disappointed.

Captain : These look nice but taste like nothing.

Crewmate : Maybe the cook made a mistake.

Captain : Let's pass it to someone else.

Crewmate : Hey, You winked again....Wait a minute! How did these Tostadas reach my plate?

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas. The Quesadillas were served as a part of the main course. These were full of soft tender meat and loaded with spices.  The presence of melt in your mouth cheese made it flavorsome. There were no anomalies with the cooking. This was definitely the best item that I had at Zapata's. The only offset was its pricing which at INR 420 feels a little bit on the uppity side. But in merits, its definitely better than the Quesadillas that one eats at places like Taco bell or most other Mexican joints.

As the sojourn reached its conclusion, we were served with a pretty dessert platter. It consisted of Tres Leches, Churros, Chocolate Empanadas and Zapata's Flan.

The Churros were very ordinary. Too oily for my liking and lacked taste.

Tres Leches(Or Three Milk cake - Far left in the picture with the Z symbol) was an absolute delight. It was made of cream, milk and condensed milk. I didn't sense much cake but I enjoyed the dessert just the same. The flavor of the condensed milk was the dominating one. With probably some hint of Caramel.

Captain : Un, dos, Tres...

Crewmate : Leches, Leches, Leches.

However, my favorite dessert was definitely the Mexican flan. I am always confused between flan and Caramel custard. I am told that only a person of a Hispanic household can explain the exact difference. But to a lay person like myself this was a more condensed version of the caramel creme pudding. It did not have any fillings in it which a flan is traditionally supposed to have but I am glad that it did not. The flavor was rich in butterscotch and caramel and the consistency was great. I myself cook Caramel Custard at home sometimes and I can definitely attest that Zapata's Mexican Flan was far superior to that.

Crewmate : Captain, I was sure that there was flan in this platter.

Captain : Oh, Was there? You must be mistaken lad.

Crewmate : There is flan on your sleeve Captain. You had it all, didn't you?

Captain : Uh..No, this is probably some salsa.

Crewmate : What's with the winks?

The service at Zapata is top notch and the executive chef Chinmay definitely looks like an experienced traveler. He was humble when he took feedback from our group. There were a few hits and a few misses. Such is life and I am pretty sure that an experienced Chef like Chinmay will take care of the misses.

The pricing scales could be tipped on the higher side. Though some items completely deserve the pricing, some others do not.

To conclude, I will add that Zapata's has only been operating for a little under two months at the time of this post. It is a nice eatery in an area dotted with restaurants. However, it faces a tough challenge ahead with likes of many other Mexican power houses like Chili's. It needs to fix the glitches and perhaps add more to its menu to make itself unique. If you are in the Malad Linking road region, Zapata's is definitely worth a try. It is one of the better restaurants here.

The Captain's Score : 7/10

"All right ya lazy lads, yer bellies be full. We have a rough sea ahead of us. Time to get some action going. Until next time."

Map Co-Ordinates
Zapata's
Shop 13-14, Pleasant Park,
Link Road, Opposite Movie Time Theatre,
Malad West, Mumbai
 
-I was invited to a Chef's table event by the restaurant.-
-Thanks go to Chandni and Purvi for inviting me-

Silli Chilli - Andheri West,Mumbai

Sailing through familiar seas, me ship found its way into narrow unfamiliar lanes. Packed with other ships, this was a busy region. The map suggested that the destination was here but I could not spot it. Then the lookout screamed "restaurant ahoy". I took out me looking glass and finally spotted our destination, Silli Chilli.


Silli Chilli is brought to you by the same people who own Le Berian. This can easily be inferred by the naming. "Silli Chilli" rhymes, puzzles and tends to stay in your mind. Located in one of the main streets of Andheri Lokhandwala, it is a bit difficult to spot due to its small size. However, better things in life are often harder to find.

I landed here on a weekday afternoon. It is somewhat of a Micro cafe, smaller in area than its Hindi Chini bhai bhai outlet Le Berian. Despite its principal mode of business being take outs and home deliveries, the small cafe does cater well for those who desire to eat here. The ambiance feels ordinary during day hours but looks riveting after dark. So whether you are a human or a Vampire, this place is as an excellent answer to your Chinese food cravings.

While the decor is relatively simple, I did enjoy the small mural depicting the journey from China to India.  Hozaifa gave me the run down of the best offerings. On his recommendations, I went for a three course meal. Starting with Thai Dumplings, Kung Pao Chicken as the entree. Teriyaki Rice Wok forming the main course. Salty Toffee Caramel forming the dessert.

Captain : That is a lot of food lad.

Crewmate : I am always here to share, Cappy.

Captain : I never said that I wont be able to finish it.

Originating from South Western Sichuan province of China, Kung Pao Chicken has undergone a lot of transformations ending up to be a fusion of Western and Chinese tastes. In this case, some Indian influences as well. It was quite tasty, juicy and lip smacking. The ingredient balance was flawless. The greens did not over ride the flavor of the meat. I cannot comment on its originality. This item is different everywhere with chefs applying personal variations. Silli Chilli's adaptation is quite flavorsome and is easily something I can have to answer my craving for Oriental food.

Crewmate : Captain, You must really love the Kung Pao.

Captain : What made you assume that lad?

Crewmate :  You are not even aware that the rest of our food is here.

Captain :  Wait What? The other stuff is here already? 

Thai Chicken Dim Sum is one of the many variations done to the classical Chinese dish. Instead of being served in a traditional wooden basket, it was served in a nifty box. The silver lining inside the box reflected the food inside and made it appear as if the Dim sums were more than they actually were. These were served with a dipping sauce made out of vinegar. I am usually used to having opaque dim sums. So translucent meat pockets in which I can see the filling inside is a new concept to me.

Silli Chilli claims that it does not use Maida or refined flour. That's a good thing but Maida still adds taste to fast food. I wondered if the taste was compromised due to the healthy variation but my doubts were exorcised when I found no problems with the taste. Loaded with generous portions of minced meat, these were some of the best dim sums that I have had in India. These were not exactly Chinese but they were quite Asian and quite addicting. I could have forgotten the rest of my course easily and had more dimsums. One plate is simply not enough.

Captain : One simply does not have just one plate of Dim sums.

Crewmate : Brace yourselves, Captain Foodzilla is coming.

Can you Wok the talk? Moving to the main course, I went for the item that sells the most here. The Wok. Now Wok is usually the round vessel(Or Chinese Kadai) in which noodle or rice is cooked but somehow in India, it has applied to a new brand of food. As with most Wok joints in Mumbai, Silli Chilli allows you to construct your own master piece. However, often an untrained customer may make a grand mess out of mismatching ingredients. Silli Chilli addresses this by strategically dividing and simplifying the choices. They also do not add more than one sauce to avoid the item from becoming a Titanical mess. However, there are 240 different Wok combinations possible using the three tiers of choices. Several thousands if I add in the fourth tier of extras.

After much thought and consideration, I made a combination using Chicken, Fried rice and Teriyaki sauce. Once again it was served to me in a "wok" box if you may. I was surprised that the durability of this box prevented it from getting soggy or leaking. It also preserved the warmth of the food. The portion size was more than generous. After eating my first course, this felt a little heavy for one person alone. The Teriyaki and chicken worked like a blockbuster opening batting pair. The well cooked juicy chicken enhanced by the wonderful taste of Teriyaki can mellow down even the most critical foodie. The rice felt a wee bit out of sync but no biggies. Since no one has claimed a name to this combination yet, I shalt name it Rishabh's Teriyaki Wok. Two hundred and thirty nine more combinations are up for grabs.

Captain : We can stock up the ship with these wok boxes.

Crewmate : Excellent idea Captain! That could serve the entire crew for quite a while.

Captain : Eh, I meant my personal stock room lad.

For Dessert, I went for Salty Toffee Caramel which was a mousse like sweet dessert. Its color was a little pale. But it tasted great with the caramel satisfying my ever demanding taste buds. It is also eggless so vegetarians can enjoy it after their meal.

Fortune Cookies have slowly been appearing in certain Chinese restaurants in Mumbai. But despite that, I have never had one in my life till now. Thus when I saw that they were on the offering at Silli Chilli, I could not let the chance pass. Inside the tasty vanilla cookie was a vague but yet thought provoking message. Although more than a fortune, it was somewhat of a philosophical assumption. Mine read "You will be chosen for the hungry games" .... just kidding. Look at the picture.

The pricing at Silli Chilli is mediocre. Its pricing is similar to many Chinese food court joints over Mumbai. However, its food is much better that food court grub. The difference is in the order of magnitudes. Silli Chilli has a large delivery area and you can get delivery almost anywhere in Andheri. Your money is better spent at Silli Chilli rather than at some Faux Chinese food court stall.

Hozaifa himself manages the store so the service is excellent. I believe that any place which is personally manned by the owner always has better service.

To sum it up, Silli Chilli was a nice experience. Of course it doesn't quite match up to five star fine dines but it is quite a treat when you want to pick up your phone and order some Chinese. Add to that the fact that they offer healthy options like Olive oil for wok and good flour for dim sums. Its far better than any greasy-cheap oil Chinese food that you order from your nearest Udupi joint.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"Time to move out lads, our adventures are just beginning. Until next time."

Map Co-Ordinates

Silli Chilli,

Shop 4, Sunswept CHS, Opposite Hazel Salon,
Lokhandwala Complex,
Andheri West, Mumbai
Phone  022 2633 6666

-I was invited by Silli Chilli's Public Representative to sample the food.-

Copper Chimney - Goregaon East, Mumbai

This Captain felt like having Indian food for lunch. And then there was this place that I had me eyes on. The place be called Copper Chimney and would be my next port of call. I head for Oberoi mall, a brightly lit food island in the middle of nowhere. The lads were famished, as were I.


The name Copper Chimney is associated with one of the most iconic restaurants in Mumbai. In recent times, every successful restaurant tries to expand its profits by franchising out. Copper Chimney is no exception. This outlet is one of the many Copper Chimney branches in the city. It may not be as good as the parent restaurant but it still manages to somewhat come off as a chip of the old block. And in defiance of its many siblings it surprisingly remains open past the traditional lunch hours. Although, this could have been a week end thing only.

One thing that copper chimney is well known for, is its decor and ambiance. It truly comes off as a Coppery- Golden place. The chandeliers mimic cooking handis hung upside down. So one thing is for certain, the restaurant always tastefully decorates itself. The lighting makes one feel as if they are sitting in a Mughal Emperor's court and dining with the viziers and nobles. Maybe Emperor's food court sounds more close.
Classy experience for the suburbs. The only downer was the choice of furniture which appeared as a bit of a mismatch.

Crewmate : Do you think we can pillage the Emperor's booty?

Captain : Help yourself lad. Get me the curries, the kebabs and the naans.

Crewmate : Aye Aye Captain.


My order comprised of Murg Makhani, Paneer Palak , Butter Naan, Roomali roti and Missi Roti to go along with that.

The Murg Makhani was certainly different from the classical Butter chicken that I am used to having. But this taste was not an unfamiliar one. The flavor of tomatoes dominated the dish. This was very much a Punjabi or to be specific a North west Punjabi variant. The gravy was rich. The chicken soft and well marinated. And it smelled quite good. The only glitch was that there was a single bone lingering in this supposedly boneless dish.

It looks good, it smells good but it does not taste good. Surprisingly sweet with some weird foreign flavor, the Palak Paneer was a turn off. It appeared as if the chef tried some "innovative" experiment which backfired at the expense of the patron. I have had better Palak Paneer than this at Udupi joints. For a place of Copper Chimney's caliber and pricing, a much better dish was expected.

Captain : This ridiculous gloop is no Palak Paneer.  Did the cook lose his marbles?

Crewmate : Captain, I think we should pack it away.

Captain : Hardly mate, I don't think,that I shall have it later either.

The Roti naan basket. The breads were pretty ordinary. The naan was a tad bit crunchy and the missi roti lacked bang. Eatable but nothing special. The roomali roti was perhaps the best amongst rotis and tasted great. I wondered if I should have skipped the naans and went for more roomali roti.

The servers individually are polite but the service should be a bit more organized. They messed up the arrangement of my order by bringing the drinks with the meal after we had specifically told them to bring the drinks first.

Finally the pricing, Copper Chimney is your higher than run of the mill Mughlai restaurants but lesser than fine dines like Zaffaran. The food is acceptable but it certainly appears to be "not that good" for the prices. That is true at least for this branch.

And they have an extra addition of 10% service charge on their bills. I am usually a good tipper but the amount of the tip is my choice. I dislike restaurants that force autograt on the bill. Going by the glitches in my experience, my tip would have been much lesser then the restaurant's number. The tip is always the customer's prerogative.

Concluding, I'd say that Copper Chimney is a mediocre experience. The ambiance is classy but the food lacks sufficient power. Then the upper side prices and service charges.

The Captain's Score : 6/10


"There are many fish out in the sea lads. Time to unfurl the sails, raise the anchor and move at the mercy of the winds ." 

Map Co-Ordinates

Copper Chimney,

3rd Floor, Oberoi Mall, 

Film City Road, 

Goregaon East, Mumbai