The New Menu at Loco Chino - Fort, Mumbai

Me ship was sailing through a canal that I was familiar with. In fact, I remember seeing a crazy Chinese guy dressed up as a Mexican carnival singer and yelling random Spanish phrases the last time I was here. I spotted the place where he stood at but it was conspicuous by his absence. 

My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to dock here once again for another meal at Loco Chino. When I entered this little restaurant, I saw the guy with an even more flamboyant Mexican attire. And he was eating Sushi. I think the sea has some strange sights.

For my older post regarding this place(For Ambiance, Service, Pricing), Please read :
Loco Chino First Run

Loco Chino has added a few new items to their existing menu. This included more signature dimsums, Tostadas and even some Sushi options. I was sent a request by their PR to come sample their new grub. Since I had intended to travel to Fort for the colorful Kala Ghoda arts festival, I thought that I would combine the two trips. Lunch at Locos and then a long walk at the festival.

Sea food dimsum tasted like a mixture of minced crab and shrimp meat packed in a soft cover. It was styled like a chilli on the plate though the spice content was not high.

Clockwise from Top right, this dim sum platter had Burnt Garlic Basil Chicken, Roasted chicken, Lemon Grass Chicken and Spicy black pepper chicken dim sums. The colored dim sums tasted really great.

The red colored roasted Chicken dim sum had a soft filling inside. The chicken was mildly spiced and sprinkled with herbs.

The green colored black pepper chicken was a great package. The soft green wrapper and the melt in mouth pepper chicken were quite divine.

Captain : Red Mine. Green Mine.

Crewmate : Yay, I get the other two right?

Captain : Nina, look I saved you two white dim sums.

Cat : Nya~ :3

Crewmate : T_T

Vegetarian Taco is not a part of their new menu but its something that experiences a different variation every day. So it would be fair to say that this item is reborn every day. This soft Taco had a rich filling of greens, beans and spicy sauces inside. It was quite appealing even to a carnivore like the Captain. It is easily superior to the likes that are served at food court installations.

California Rolls were a surprise addition to the menu. One doesn't expect Japanese in a Chinese-Spanish place but Sushi is really catching on to the general restaurant eating populace these days. And while I am not particularly fond of Makizushi(I prefer my sea weed outside), Loco Chino's creation was a decent work. The obvious improvements would be a better sushi rice, better aesthetics and perhaps more meat in the sushi to impart that typical umame. More wasabi would be welcome too.

Black pepper Chicken was actually a part of their old menu. However, I was told that they added some new variations to it thus making it part of their new menu. I am no culinary expert so I could not track the said variations. But I still enjoyed Black pepper chicken just the same, it is after all one of me favorite dishes.

Chicken Serrano Tostada was a perfect emulation of the Spanish snack. Well cooked juicy serrano chicken was topped with pico de gallo and sour cream. The only glitch in this item was the lower spice content. If one is using serrano peppers, the spice content has to be sporting.

Not much has changed as far as service or ambiance is concerned. One can find elaborate discussions on these topics in my previous post on this place. The pricing is again easy on the pocket. Of the things that I tried, I found the dim sums and dumplings quite good. The Sushi could use a bit of work and Tostadas more spice.

Meal done, time to head out to the arts festival.


The Captain's Score : 7/10

"I am so glad that I found the strange multicultural bloke. It would be a shame to pass this canal without seeing his colorful antics. Now lads, full speed ahead - We have a busy day in the oceans ahead. "

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.-

Back to Havana - Colaba, Mumbai

The Captain's exploits were well remembered at this Cuban Tavern. So when the Tavern folks created a new grub menu, they wired the ol' Captain an invitation. And as I really loved Havana's Rum, I didn't say no. Oh, what a lovely day.

For my Earlier post on Havana Please Read :
Havana

Havana recently introduced a new food menu. Though I would still say Havana is better for drinks, the new menu does add a bit of color to the experience. As many times before, I was part of an epicurean bunch who acted as a vanguard unit experiencing the rush of the new flavors at Havana.

Beer battered Fried onion Rings are not your usual family restaurant onion rings. With Beer, cheese and spices being a part of the cooking process - these were tasty mutants that easily surpassed their classical counterparts.

Captain : These make lovely edible finger rings.

Crewmate : Imagine if the Captains of the olden days saw ya doing this Cappy.

Captain : Playing with yer food is fun lad. I could care less about what dinosaurs thought.

Grilled Chicken Breast was fashioned out of succulent proteins and soaked in a sauce made out of whiskey. It was served with some vegetable tossed barley which remarkably tasted similar to Risotto.

No, this isn't cooked starfish or Patrick Star or some Japanese Kanji character. This is Garlic and white wine tossed mushrooms layered on garlic bread. The dish is a simple construction but the mushrooms and white wine created a medley of delectable savory and tangy flavors. It was among the favorites on the table.

These Cottage cheese skewers were marinated in a sauce made out Gin, orange and Juniper berry.  Usually a sauce of this nature is used with Venison but it worked well with paneer as well. This dish pairs well with many drinks like White Wine, Beer and Rum cocktails.

Grilled Cottage Cheese Mojo was made out of whole Paneer cubes drizzled with Mojo sauce. It was served with steamed rice, beans and plantain chips. There were some obvious issues with this one. The paneer felt too pedestrian. The sides overwhelmed the paneer greatly. While plantain chips make a great part of any Cuban meal, they contributed nothing to this Indianiazed variant. On a more positive note, cottage cheese pairs well with wines and rum.

Non veg Platter for folks who cannot decide what to eat. Chicken Skewers, Fish Skewers, Chicken wings, Potato bravas and dry Nachos adorn a wooden dish.

Another relatively simple construction presented well. Prawns marinated with screwdriver(vodka and Orange juice) and served in a cocktail glass. The prawns tasted sweet, juicy and tangy. Though obviously the cocktail's flavor doesn't penetrate the crustacean depths, the superficial flavor fusion still works well for the palate.

Captain : Screw the Prawns.

Crewmate : Are we trash talking pirates today Cappy? 

Captain : We be trash talking pirates everyday lad but these prawns are really screwed and drivered. 

Seared Fish was a passable affair. It was marinated with Rosemary sauce and sprinkled with wilted spinach. The fish failed to take in any flavor. This dish felt like a loose marriage of the fish and the rest of the stuff. I feel that this dish would have worked well with a different fish.

Rokeby Sticky Toffee Pudding - The Toffee sauce was good, the cake wasn't. Nuff said.

The pricing is at par with the older things on the menu. Some items however feel a bit pricey for the quality served.

The new menu is a welcome addition but it does come with its up and downs. Nonetheless, the new stuff makes Havana a good option for a meal as well.

The Captain's Score : 7/10

"We had a generous fill of Rum lads. We were here before and we will be here again. But for now, we got oceans to sail."

Map Co-Ordinates
Havana Cafe & Bar
Gordon House Hotel,
5 Battery Street, Apollo Bunder,
Colaba, Mumbai.

Phone 022 22894488

 -I was invited by the restaurant and Food Bloggers Association of India to sample the new menu.-

Food by Chef Sisters - Borivali West, Mumbai

We sail to the farthest ends of the ocean for good grub so when I saw a mark at the very edge of this ocean's map, I took it as a challenge. Rough waves, sea monsters, Ship Jams(Those dense sailors congest narrow lanes) and bad directions did not deter me from reaching me destination. This was almost a new frontier for us. The islands over here were much different from those in the southern seas, but eh true adventure lies in the unknown.

Borivali West is not your typical food district. The food is very local, the crowds are harsh and its out of reach for most people living south of Andheri. However, there have still been a few legends in this area on the food scene. City of Joy/Zip Zap Zoom for example was an iconic place. All residents of this side probably know about this. However, old legends die and new players take their place. The newest player in this part of town is "Chef Sisters - The freshtraunt."

The place may look like any local Borivali eatery from a distance but upon closer inspection one can find an attractive patisserie and a cafe within. I had walked in not expecting much, but came out as happy as I was after visiting places like Skyview Cafe, Firki or Spices & Flavors.

The place is helmed by two cousins who are both Chefs, Hasti and Hiloni. Hasti takes care of the patisserie while Hiloni takes care of the grub. Both cousins have worked hard to adapt Mexican, Chinese and Italian cuisines to the typical vegetarian eating populace of Borivali west. But this place is far more than the local Shiv Sagars and sandwich shops. The food is good, like really good.

As the meals were being prepared, I was treated to this shot platter by Chef Hiloni Goradia who is one of the Chef Sisters. The platter known as Volcano shots uses dry ice to create the namesake effect. The other five tubes have different flavored virgin shots. Orange, Raw Mango, Strawberry, Pineapple and blue Curacao. They all taste like liquid candy. For INR 120 this is quite a treat.

Tibetan Thukpa Soup is a vegetarian rework of a popular soup found in North east India. As per visuals, the soup is a good emulation of the original. Just that it is a little greener. That largely owes to the fact that its a pure vegetarian version without meat and more greens. The soup has an earthy flavor and savory spicy undertones. It has noodles and garden vegetables inside it. I think its quite a good soup for cold climates. Makes one feel warm inside. Its served with a side of fried noodles which in my personal opinion does not pair well.

Masala Cheese garlic bread contained more than just cheese and garlic. It contained spiced and finely chopped vegetables which added a Mumbai street food like touch to it. It tasted like a fusion of Cheese-Garlic and Bhel Puri.(Or a fusion with Pico de gallo - take your pick.) This was much more satisfying than the run of the mill Garlic breads.

Bianca Pizza is a snow white pizza which naturally is vegetarian even in good ol' Italy. The version here appeared slightly greener and had large chunks of Pineapple in it. The fusion of white sauce, pineapples, herbs and Jalapenos was quite a unique mix of salty, savory and sweet. Chef Hiloni combined Western with Indian quite well. The end result was amazing. Its difficult to describe the flavor here and one must visit the place to sample it for themselves.

Moroccan spiced vegetables with garlic rice. This was a mix of a Moroccan base recipe with a lot of Indian(prominently Gujarati techniques). The end result was an addictive curry and rice. While the rice on its own tasted a little better than boiled rice, the magic lied in the curry. It was smooth, savory and full of flavor. It was great on its own but pairs well with the rice too. It is quite a designer option against the same old home made Dal Chawal. This was me favorite among the mains.

Captain : I decree that we will use this Moroccan curry. No more lentil that makes us mental.

Crewmate : Quite a rhyme, its cheesiness makes it a crime.

Captain : Watch yer tongue mate, now yer gonna wash the toilet.
.

Pasta with smoky mushroom sauce was quite a delight. It was as good as the Moroccan dish. This was smooth Pasta with a cheesy sauce mixed with mushroom bits. The smoky flavor was not perceived instantly. It was an undertone sensed at the end of the bite. The pasta offerings at Chef sisters are quite diverse. They have ten different variants and offer Jain customizations as well.

Its easy to overlook the desserts inside the restaurant due to the attractive pastry case at the patisserie outside. But great are the rewards for those with patience. Sample this Rabdi Cake for instance. Its a visual treat. This large chunk of cake sits in a Rabdi pool. Pastry Chef Hasti has perfectly fused Indian and Western together.

The sweet Rabdi, the delectable milk soaked cake, the cream above and the terrace made out of white chocolate ganache completes this saccharine structure. Its sweet, aromatic and possibly one of the best sweet dishes I have ever had.

The Rabdi Cake is unique to this place so Chef Sisters is your destination, if you are cravin' . Before I forget to mention, this thing costs only INR 180(210 in the indoor A/C area). Desserts of similar size and caliber usually cost over 250 INR in other places.

Captain : Did I mention about my duel with Captain Bellamy?

Crewmate : That isn't possible unless you are over three hundred years old...wait.

Captain : The bastard wanted me pearly Rabdi cake. I fought hard for it but he ran away with it anyway. Now I finally see it again. And its beautiful.

Crewmate : Cool story Bruh.

The service is decent and my server was genuinely concerned that I might let my food get cold getting caught up in photography.

The pricing is very easy on the pockets. It is quality food at suburban prices. It seems to be targeted towards the student crowds. For working white collared folks, these prices are almost nothing.

Since I did mention the patisserie outside, I managed to steal a few shots. Trust me it looks better in real.

Captain : O_O :)

Crewmate : O_O

Captain : O_O :Dp

Crewmate : We should totally plunder that case.

Chef Sisters has the potential to be a local legend. It is a gem in a coal mine. This side of town was in need of a famous landmark other than Sanjay Gandhi National Park. This little cafe can be the answer. The owners are doing well and can do better. Meanwhile, Captain says give Chef Sisters a try. Ya won't be disappointed unless yer heart is two sizes too small.

The journey to the other side of town was well worth it. 

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"Aye Lads, we should have raided that patisserie. But lets leave that for next time."


Map Co-Ordinates
Chef Sisters
7 & 8, Hari Om Apartments,
S. V Road,
Borivali West, Mumbai.


-I was invited by the Restaurant's PR to meet the owners and sample the grub. However, my review is neutral and free of any biases. I genuinely enjoyed the food-




 

Beers and grub by Brewbot - Andheri Lokhandwala, Mumbai

I grumbled as I had no internet in the middle of the sea. To steal wifi, we needed to be near the coastline. In the old days, pirates stole booty and booze. Now here I am, tryin' to grab some wifi. Suddenly I spotted a small ship moving in the same direction as us, huzzah haha.

Captain of the Small ship : Gosh honey, why do you think that big ship is following us?

Small Ship's Captain's Wife : No idea honey... Love, my internet suddenly became slow.

With the internet back up, I found a map in me inbox. Sure beats maps inside beat up empty bottles. The mark on the map read "Brewbot". It was time to chart a new course. 

"Whats up Doc?"
Nay,
"Where's the Grog Bot?"

Something is brewing in Brewbot and it better be beer.
Brewbot is one of Mumbai's few Microbreweries. They have their own unique brews which makes it a fun place to travel to. Especially for a beer lover.

Each of those 70's Box Robots represent one of the four unique beers made here. The Skywalker(Bot looks like Lego Darth Vader gone android), Floating head, Mojo Rising and Black Mamba(Vodoo bot). The place feels much like a tavern but the grub was good and perhaps far better than most main stream restaurants.

The reader is warned, I am not much of a beer lover being more of a Rummy pirate or a Vodka guzzler.

From Left to Right, The Black mamba is a bitter sweet brew whose additives make it feel less stronger than it actually is. Then comes the mid western pale ale(Mojo Rising) with its strong flavor. Then the Kolsch Skywalker which felt closest to traditional German beer.

And finally my drink, the Hefeweizen Floating head. This wheat beer had a banana like tang to it. I sampled each brew and finally settled for the Floating head. It was potent and I felt that Brewbot's personal touches were most perceptible on this one.

But a beer lover can order a quad shot platter of all four. After all, you can't choose yer grog without tasting everything first.

Captain : These look so colorful. Like half a rainbow.

Crewmate : So which one do you want, Cappy?

Captain :  Just one shot for ol' me? Hahahahaha,(serious face) Surely you must be jesting lad.

I sampled a lot of Brewbot's grub and I am of the view that it beats most pubs on the wining and dining part.

Eggplant Involtini - These rolled up parcels of Aubergine and Zucchini were quite sumptuous. It was an excellent vegetarian take on the classic Italian meat delicacy. The aubergine was probably used sparingly since I did not get my dreaded anti aubergine sensations upon eating this one. The marinara in the bottom added flavor depth, though it could have been spread more uniformly across the dish.

Bacon wrapped prawns are a fusion of two things that I absolutely adore. This dish does full justice to both meats without killing the flavor of any. Soft and juicy bacon strips are wrapped around prawns like a Knight wearing his armor. The bacon tasted perfect with its flavor palate of saltiness, savory and a tad bit of sweetness all of which harmonized well with the Prawn's umame like flavor. This dish had a lot of culinary depth and I'd say that it was the entree of the day.

Captain : This is so good, its like having Vodka while having Rum.

Crewmate : Won't that become a cocktail then?

Captain : Aye, this be like a cocktail of food. Tasty Tasty cocktail.

House Special BBQ Pulled Pork sliders were a delectable trio of three buns. The meat dominated the flavor thankfully. I cannot tell how many times I have found the bread dominating the flavor in measly packed sliders.
Strangely, the flavor somehow resembled North Indian home cooked meats with a high level of saltiness. I had expected the pork to have a bit of BBQ sauce or be caramelized.

Lamb sliders were a bit of a disappointment. The burger felt dry and the cooking felt uninspired. Perhaps getting rid of the Arugula and substituting caponata with either stock or BBQ sauce would greatly improve the flavor.

House Special Calamari wasn't the best squid that I have had. But it was quite a unique twist to the original. I am used to having my calamari coated with batter and deep fried. Brewbot's version had calamari rings floating in a soup made out of white wine, lemon juice, garlic, shallots and tomato. The soft chewy rings went great with the earthy soup.

Goat Cheese Lollibots err lollipops were simple goat cheese balls sprayed with corn flakes and herbs. This felt more like a side. Other than being a visual novelty, I did not particularly find this as an interesting appetizer.

Time to move on to the mains.

Poutine - For an item so easy to make and so common in North America, it comes off as a major surprise why poutine is still a rare to come across treat in India. Brewbot's variant was amazingly good. The flavor of the chicken had completely rubbed onto the soft fries. The cheese curds completed the alchemy. The dish felt greasy yet so tasty. It makes an ideal choice for the main slot in a multiple course meal.

Captain : I am putting this poutine in me ship's menu.

Crewmate : That's a cheesy wordplay.

Captain : Cheesy curdy wordplay.

Farmhouse Pizza was the better of the two pies served to me. That is saying a lot since the other one contained meat. This had a pesto base with pumpkin, bell peppers, mushrooms, Ricotta and pine nuts. The pie was both visibly alluring and pleasant tasting. Pesto dominated the aroma and flavor of the pizza. It also felt light due to the thin base and healthy ingredients. Rejoice vegetarians.

Quad Cheese and Bacon pizza. Bacon was a add on, so this was mostly a cheese pizza. It was said to contain Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, cheddar and probably ricotta. The flavor however felt a bit off. Though I was told that it may be due to the Gorgonzola, I am positive that it wasn't that since I have had the cheese before without problems. I think this could be blamed on the cheesy overdose. Something clashed somewhere. Bacon hardly felt as a participant despite its generous presence. Its flavor completely drowned in the sea of cheese.

Chicken Roulade was like a star batsman who went out for a duck. The chicken felt too tough and insipid. The flavor had not sunk well into it. The house stuffing tilted the flavor favor towards the greens. This probably contributed to the chicken tasting bland. The stuffed greens should have been at most a third of what was present.

Brewbot had a nice selection of desserts.

I am going to use the ascending order in case of desserts. Best dessert comes last.
Chocolate Fondant looked perfect on visuals but felt very average. It seemed to mimic choco lava cakes more than fondants.

Apple Strudel was a good emulation of the popular Viennese pastry. The filling was soft, tangy and had an aroma of the freshest apples. Dusted with sweet spices and a drizzle of caramel, this can easily be a table favorite.

House Special Cheese Cake. The House Special names were getting old at this point but that still does not stop this cheesecake from being awesome. Creamy, soft and tangy (due to lemon essence)- this reminded me of Starbucks discontinued Lemon jazz cheesecakes. Well its Starbuck's loss, I enjoyed Brewbot's variant a lot.

Chocolate and Peanut butter parfait was the best of the sweet lot. It looked brilliant, had an amazing flavor and it left me wanting for more. Too bad, the local patisserie doesn't sell these. The top jacket was made of rich chocolate while the parfait was made of peanut butter and had crunchy elements and crisps embedded into it. Sweet and salty(due to peanut butter) would be the best way to describe it. If one is grubbing out at Brewbot then this is not to be missed.

Captain : Food the tasty frontier,

Crewmate : Looks like the Captain tripped on the fishing lines again.

Captain : These are the voyages of the Seaship Grubzone. Its eternal mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new food and new cuisines. To boldly eat where no human has ever eaten before.

Crewmate : That was a peg legged line.

The service mimicked that at any decent pub. Though this particular event was part of a blogger/influencer thing and one of the owners himself was assisting the servers so it would be difficult for me to comment thoroughly on the service.

The pricing leans towards the upper side. Its higher than pubs like BBC etc but lesser than fine dines. The food mostly is worth it but it could do a lot better with a little lesser.

Brewbot is definitely a celebrity among the likes of other famous bots like C3PO and R2D2. (BB 8 was a piece of junk though) This pub certainly outclasses a lot of establishments in the popular Lokhandwala food district. Floating Head Beer, Bacon wrapped Prawns, Poutine and the Parfait should make the perfect course meal for anyone.

The Captain's Score : 8/10

"Grog Check. Grub Check. Wifi...uhh skip that. All right lads, we have a long day on the sea. Until next time."


Map Co-Ordinates
Brewbot
G01 & 101, Morya Landmark 1,
Off New Link Road,
Andheri Lokhandwala,Mumbai



-I was invited by the Restaurant's PR as part of a blogger's meet. However, my review is neutral and free of any biases.-

Chef Shaun's IIHM Masterclass - Press Club, Mumbai

I was bored while messing around on my day on the land. I decided to sneak into an event where a master chef was giving a live demonstration. However me cover was blown away when I was welcomed by people in the event. "What was so sneaky about that anymore?" I grumbled. I quietly sat down as the chef put together a fine dessert.

IIHM(International Institute of Hotel management) has officially launched the second International young chef Olympiad. This contest will see sixty seven of the best student chefs from sixty seven different countries cook it off against each other. And may the tastiest grub maker win. Think of this as a master chef contest but less smoke and mirrors and more cooking.

There is a prize of ten grand waiting for the winner and probably an aromatic future ahead. Great chefs will be born in this contest and us folks in India get to see it happen. The contest will run between Jan 26 to Feb 2. And it will come to my city Mumbai on the 29th.

To celebrate this event, IIHM decided to host a small master class with renowned dessert chef Shaun Kenworthy who has been cooking for more than three decades. Chef Shaun also happens to be the chief mentor of IIHM and its likely that one shall see his protege compete in this contest too. The master showed me a culinary miracle on this windy evening under tree shades. Lets say that it was a taste of things to come.

Whipping up an "Indian Trifle", Chef Shaun ditched the traditional custard and used Mishti Doi as the base ingredient for this unique Trifle. Indeed, he completely transformed a very British delight into a very Indian one.

See the pictures from top to bottom for the evolution of this dish as it happened. What was magical about this experience was that Chef Shaun used common ingredients. Nothing fancy at all. One need not go to the gourmet mart or a fancy deli to get exotic ingredients. One can buy these from the local grocers and fruit shops.

Even the caramel string ball was made from common sugar right in front of me. Shaun made it look so easy. I know that I cannot replicate that shining caramel structure. Using common over the counter ingredients to make a colorful fine dine masterpiece, that is something only a master can do. And he did it in just twenty minutes.

Mishti Doi, Tropical fruits, strawberries, Aam Papad, Whip cream quenelle, regular sugar, some colorful candy and voila Indian Trifle.

And if that wasn't enough, he simultaneously made this one on the side. That is some sweetly colorful multi tasking. One can say that Chef Shaun's students are in good hands with him as their master. Now I look forward to the IIHM Olympiad that comes to Mumbai on the 29th. I would obviously cheer for my country's team but may the best cook win.

The Mumbai leg of the Young Chef Olympiad will take place in between 9:30 am to 2 PM at
MCA recreation centre,
Bandra Kurla Complex
Mumbai.
on the 29th of January, 2016.

Support your favorite contestants.
www.ycolympiad.com


"A Cooking contest eh. Great place to recruit a cook for me ship."