Yauatcha - Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai

Yauatcha derived from the Chinese words Yum Cha(meaning tea and Dim sum house) is a classy fine dine that is popular for its dim sums(or the most famous of Chinese dumplings). Though it does have other things on its menu, the place is best visited for dim sums.

This isn't my first post on Yauatcha as I had been here for a festival last year. I thus won't be covering ambiance or service in this post as those have remained exactly the same as the previous time.
You can read my older post over here :
http://www.grubzon.com/2016/06/yauatcha-bandra-kurla-complex-mumbai.html

So let me pull a Dan Brown here and jump straight to the action, The Food.

I was here for a Blogger's meet to sample some of the newest additions to their menu. A communal table blogger's meet often ends up with things being disproportionately divided between bloggers. So I will write about things I was able to sample properly.

Fried Turnip Cakes were dry in texture and quite savory. The flavor felt very similar to savory cakes that I have had in India. The appearance was an accurate rendition of Turnip cakes eaten in East Asia and abroad. This was my first experience with these and all I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed these. There was somehow a familiar feel to the flavor. Vegetarians would love these savoury cakes.

Crispy Asparagus rolls had a subtle savoury flavor of corn and a pleasant asparagus undertone. There were hints of spices but otherwise this was a very gentle on the tongue dish. This would complement well with various Chinese teas like Jasmine tea. In essence, these rolls with piping hot tea capture the true spirit of a yum cha.

Spicy Hargau dim sums were pretty little things that were gently spicy and had an earthy feel to them. Another treat for the vegetarians though I felt that more effort was put behind the optics than required. Nonetheless, this was a unique experience. There are a few places in Mumbai that serve Hargau and I would definitely vouch for Yauatcha’s experience.

Crunchy Iceberg dumplings topped in terms of optics but the flavor felt a bit on the flatter side. The dim sum was not crunchy enough for its name. The thing that worked for this dumpling however was its rural flavor. One could feel as if this was food from the refreshing countryside.

Spicy Pork Sichuan Wontons - These were very delicious and one of the highlights of the menu. This item is popular in the Yauatchas abroad and I am glad that this finally made it into India. Served in a traditional bowl, the wontons were submerged in a savory soup. This is the correct way of having wontons though we were used to having dry fried wontons in India.

The flavor was a mix of savory, sour and salty. There was an undertone of peanut and these dumplings were easy on the palate. Contrary to its naming, I felt no spiciness in this.

Crispy Prawn Dumplings were my favorite of the night. These rather simple looking rolls were packed with an amazing flavor. The rolls were made out of bean curd sheets which gave them the smooth velvety appearance. The flavor was savory with minced prawn filling most of the roll. It was slightly crunchy as one chewed past the bean curd. There was a creamy flavor to it as well. I think these rolls really pampered my taste buds.

Yauatcha is well known for its artistic desserts made in the patisserie below the restaurant. Though I was not able to sample all of these as tossing unguarded desserts in the midst of certain food bloggers is often akin to tossing a piece of meat in between a bunch of hungry wolves ha.

Pear and Almond Tart was a fruity end to the meal. This colorful dessert had pear and kiwi in the top layer while almond meal dominated the lower layer inside the crust. I do feel like coming to Yauatcha separately for the desserts someday.

The pricing at Yauatcha is definitely on the higher side though it does do good business which speaks in favor of the food and quality served here.

The new menu seemed to have more hits than misses for me. What impressed me the most was the fact that the chefs were rigorously trained to produce near exact versions of those produced by Traditional chefs in China. Do note that I am not using the terms "emulation" or "replica" here. Yauatcha is a little bit of China in India.

In a posh office district dominated by high quality niche eateries, Yauatcha does stand out high and ranks among the best, I would definitely visit the place again though not part of any group ha.


The Captain's Score : 7/10


Map Co-Ordinates
Yauatcha,
Raheja Towers,
Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai


-I was invited to a bloggers event by the Restaurant's PR. My review however remains objective.-

Thalassa Greek Taverna - Khar, Mumbai.

'Thalassa' meaning "The Sea" in Greek is well known to travel enthusiasts as one of the iconic eateries in Northern Goa. Thus ask any one of those well-travelled fellows and they will always draw a comparison between Mumbai's and Goa's Thalassa. As a person who is less into partying and more into adventure and relaxing, I have always favored the quieter Southern Goa more. As result, I have never been to Goa's Thalassa so far. Hence for me the Thalassa experience was a completely fresh one.

The Goan Thalassa is more of a sea/beach themed place while Mumbai's Thalassa is a more of purist Greek Tavern. Understanding this distinction actually helps one appreciate the work put behind Mumbai's Thalassa.

Thalassa has four different seating areas - a front road facing Al fresco which is more suited for parties and big functions, A classy indoor, a Basement lounge and a backyard Al Fresco which is probably the most Greek themed space of the four. The indoor area is a mix of modern and a bit of Baroque. Snapshots from Greece adorn a wall as well. The backyard tavern has a bit of Santorini's white theme and a bit of a party vibe. In the day time, it wears its clothes of serene white beauty but at night its totally different and quite amazing.

Thankfully, the restaurant sticks to its theme and plays Greek music and not Kenny G, Bollywood or EDM as in cases of most other restaurants.

Chicken Souvlaki Skewers were juicy meat chunks wrapped in spices and served with Pita, salad, sundried tomato paste and Tzatziki. Souvlaki has been eaten in Greece for thousands of years with excavation records putting it as early as 17th century BC. These are uniquely Mediterranean in flavor and very different from Shish Kebabs, Yakitori or Satay. A few Turkic influences can be felt though since the meat tastes close to a Doner Kebab. One could eat the meat right off the skewer or place it in a pocket styled out of the Pita.

Thalassa Special Salad looked a bit dull when compared to the Souvlaki. The visuals could clearly use improvement as Salads are always supposed to be visibly enticing. The sensations that stood out were the subtly savory baby potatoes, a crunchy element from the pomegranate, sweetness from the caramelized onions and the salty Feta. It was a decent salad but would perhaps work better for a vegetarian.

Chicken Gyros is perhaps the only Greek dish that an average Indian epicure would know of. This however makes it more important as one finally has a dish which one has sampled before.  The presentation initially confused me as Gyros is traditionally a Pita based sandwich or a variation of Pitawich. Thalassa however lets you create the sandwich yourself. This allows one to style the sandwich themselves . Though it does run the risk of an inexperienced customer ruining the set up and then blaming the restaurant. We do live in an era where a scapegoat solves all problems. 

I ended my meal with this Amore Chocolate Gelato. Though Thalassa did have Baklava, it did not visibly stand out to me and I chose to play it safe with a frozen dessert.

The service is one of the high points of the restaurant as the crew is well trained, well kept, knowledgeable and professional. They can efficiently cater both local and expatriate patrons.

The pricing however feels on the higher side. A meal for two with drinks could easily top Rs 2500. I think that the prices could be a little lower than what those are now.

Thalassa offers the complete Greek package - The food, feel and the ambiance. I'd greatly recommend a dinner trip so that one could savor both the food and the feel of the place.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

Map Co-Ordinates
Thalassa
21st Street, Off Carter Road,
Khar (West),
Mumbai


-I was invited to sample the grub by the restaurant but my review is objective and free from bias.-

Christmas menu at Gaylord's - Churchgate, Mumbai.

Mumbai's vibrant and diverse social environment often reflects well in the city's food culture too. Like all major festivals, Christmas also brings its own unique festive cheer and food. This is also a time for many a restaurants to feature limited time Christmas menus.

Gaylord which happens to be one of my regular places also had a limited time Christmas menu which featured a mix of North Indian winter favorites and Western dishes. In an era of foodporn and Instagram - It is easy to miss out on a lot of delicious food just because Instagram did not deem it pretty enough to discuss.

The offerings on Gaylord's Christmas menu were among some of the best food that I have had, but it wasn't very camera friendly. So I took it upon myself as a mission. Words shall achieve what the camera couldn't. I shall chronicle my delicious voyage at Gaylord and my encounter with their Christmas menu.

(This menu stays till the 4th of January, 2017 so do make sure not to miss it.)

In Gaylord's own words Eat, Drink and be Merry. The menu may not completely follow the Christmas theme but be rest assured that the food is enough to bring the festive cheer.

Choco Flakes Colada was a bitter sweet drink inspired from the Pinacolada. It had a lot of tangy flavor from the Malibu and Pineapple. The drink felt like I was on the beach at sunset with partly clouded skies and a party vibe. It had a tropical feel to it and reminded me of my time at the pristine Sri Lankan beaches. The chocolate flakes did not feel necessary but complement well with the Kahlua.

The Xmas Fig and fruit Salad was a lighter option to the appetizers. This one in particular felt clean and healthy. There were sweet, salty and mildly spicy flavors in there.

Boti Parathe Pe. It would not be Gaylord without their trademark North Indian dishes. This was a special edition dish with paneer stuffed parathas topped with lamb nuggets. The parathas were soft and the paneer stuffing was spicy and aromatic. The meat topping was tender, savory, succulent and just the right rare. It exuded a pleasantly smokey flavor owing to it being coal grilled. This is definitely something that I would recommend.

Roast Turkey reminded me of Thanksgiving but there is Christmas Turkey as well. This was a slice of stuffed turkey with sausages styled like flowers. It also had a pleasantly sweet undertone thanks to the usage of cranberry sauce. Served with Broccoli, carrots and potato mashing - this was a complete meal in itself.

The pricing is on par with Gaylord's general pricing structure. I would say that its a good buy for the money. Gaylord does not believe in presentation theatrics and serves only good food.

I have skipped ambiance, general information and service from this review but if you have been following me - I have covered these in an earlier post about Gaylord. You can read it here.
Gaylord's earlier Review

Do note that you too can savour this menu. It stays on till 4th of January, 2017. 

The Captain's Score : 8/10
 

Map Co-Ordinates
Gaylord,
Mayfair Building,
VN Road,
Churchgate, Mumbai


-I was invited to sample the Christmas menu but I have been here enough on my own. My post is objective and free from any biases.-

The Irish House - Lower Parel, Mumbai.

Anyone who has been to an actual Irish pub in Ireland can tell you that The Irish House is a good emulation of the real thing. The dim lit ambiance, the wood and brick themes, wooden bar in the middle, wooden furniture, the posters and plaques all make the ambiance very typical of a Western Irish Pub. The place makes a good watering hole whenever one feels like taking a few pegs down. So I was at The Irish House for lunch. Lunch? Yes you read that right.

The Irish House, Lower Parel is a neat Irish Pub. It emulates the real thing in every way imaginable, even has the famous smoking ban that hit Irish pubs in Ireland a decade ago. The place can get quite crowded at dinner times. The dim lit ambiance is the perfect place to be part of the crowd yet be seen by no one. In the afternoon however, it feels like a dusty western Tavern but that also is a fun feel in its own way.

For INR 325+Taxes, a three course meal is quite a good offer. This makes the food cheaper than fast food chains. The quality also being far more superior than fast food places. Though, I was peeved with the lack of a dessert option and very limited drinking options. Being The Irish House, I was sure they could have designed in a larger choice for drinks.

I tried the Beer add on option. I am not really a beer guy (Don't hurt me Beer lovers pweese) but a light beverage does feel refreshing in the noon. I would have definitely preferred a Mojito or something virgin over this.

Chicken Involtini can best be explained as the Italian version of the French Roulade or vice versa. Thin slices of meat were wrapped around a vegetable stuffing. This was struck with the same problem as most Roulades in Mumbai. The meat was slightly overdone and a bit chewy. This main was drizzled with flavorful Pomodoro sauce and served with some herbed rice.

I also chose Garlic bread as my side and Chicken Popcorn as my appetizer. Strangely, all three were served together. It is understandable as they want the lunch done quickly but still I am not fond of eating two courses together. The main and the side together were normal but the appetizer should have been served earlier. This bit needs to be worked out. The chicken popcorn or softcore chicken nuggets were delicious. The Garlic bread tasted as it does anywhere else.

These messy Smokey BBQ chicken sliders were included amongst the appetizers but they seemed to me as the best item on the lunch menu. The Irish House is well known for its Burgers and these little burgers were as messy as big whoppers, delicious and had juicy patties.

Since I dropped by at late afternoon on a weekday, the restaurant was almost empty and I had the entire service to myself. So it would be difficult for me to comment on the service. As far as their serving etiquette goes, I do think they were professional.

The pricing seems all right to me. Though autograt could be avoided. Seems like a good option for a quick lunch with good quality food.

To wrap this up, a lunch option by a pub seems like a move to diversify and target non popular time zones as most pubs are empty during daytime. The limited options may feel troublesome but they ensure effective logistics and quick meals especially when lunch time is limited on an office day.

The execution could have been slightly better but overall it is a better choice and money well spent. The food is far better as opposed to eating a McD or a burger King meal.


The Captain's Score : 7/10

Map Co-Ordinates
The Irish House,
High Street Phoenix,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai


-I was invited to sample the grub by the restaurant but my review is objective and free from bias.-

China bistro - Shivaji Park, Mumbai.

China Bistro is part of a chain of Pan Asian themed restaurants located across Mumbai. There are actually two of these restaurants which are quite close to where I presently stay. I chose the one near the iconic Shivaji Park area as I have passed it many times but never quite visited it. And it does look pretty from outside.

(Picture for this shot by Zomato)

The place has a wonderful ambiance with a simple but classy dine-in and an Asian themed Al Fresco. There are even terracotta army replicas welcoming you to the great gates of China bistro. The place really shines during night time but I usually pick day times to get a better picture of the grub. However if you truly desire to cherish your experience at this outlet, I suggest that you get a 8 PM reservation. Do note that its location in a popular populated area makes it quite crowded at meal hours.

The Eight treasure soup - Legend has it that in the ancient Chinese court, the Chinese Emperor alone had the right to have this soup. It was made using the rarest eight ingredients which were difficult to source in those times. Jump to modern era, we are all Emperors on the dining table.

Different restaurants tend to use a different mix of eight. I'd say China Bistro's variant was a subtle tasting soup with a very clean feel to it. The salt was low and I was quite pleased with this part. I am tired of many Indian restaurants ruining everything by putting in a boatload of salt.

I actually had two beverages - One was this scintillating Peach Ice Tea and the other was a more humble Jasmine tea which I had post meal.

Buddha Almond sizzler was a classical sizzler with the sizzle filling up the room but thankfully gone are the days when restaurants put enough fuel in the grub to smoke up the whole restaurant. This platter felt clean and green. The name Buddha's sizzler felt apt as the feeling after eating this one was that of peace.

Lamb Teppanyaki. This dish pays homage to the real origin of sizzlers. Sizzlers were derived from the American-Japanese Teppanyaki in the late 50s. The meat here had mild flavors with a sweetish tinge. There was also an undertone of tomato in it. Being a carnivore, I positively enjoyed this one more. The meat was well prepared, the right rare and very satiating.

Chocolate Tsunami was both a visual treat and a delight for the tongue. It was a simple construction of hot chocolate syrup poured over a Chocolate Mousse. There were a few cake crumbs thrown in for good measure too. One would think that two main dishes would have filled one up quite nicely, but this dessert completely changes that. What the eye sees, the mouth craves and immediately the stomach had some space. This was sweet, rich and I would definitely recommend it.

The service was decent for most part but it needs to be mentioned that I went in late afternoon and I was invited to sample the grub.

The pricing was typical of that expected from a quality casual dine. Slightly lesser than fine dines and higher than median quality Asian restaurants.

China Bistro is the "easy to go to" neighborhood Asian restaurant. The ambiance is a plus and the pan Asian diversity always keeps you in the hunt for new things. Being close to my residence, its also likely that I will go again anonymously. There are obviously things that can be improved but for now I have no major complaints.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

Map Co-Ordinates
China Bistro,
Vidya Bhavan,
Near Sena Bhavan, Dadar Shivaji Park,
Mumbai


-I was invited to sample the grub by the restaurant but my review is objective and free from bias.-