The Bigger The Better: The XXXL Festival @Light House Cafe, Khar

Celebrations and outings with your Gang is incomplete without a delectable variety of food – from Appetizers to desserts spread across the table with big fat portions  as well as some interesting drinks to sip.

         

The new menu at XXXL Festival at Light House Café is planned to challenge your appetite as food & desserts are served in three different sizes – XL, XXL, XXXL. So fret not, eat as much as you can with great variety of food and mind blowing drinks.

Beer Sangria

The menu is comprises of Fusion & comfort food, where they serve mouth-watering siders and Pizza’s in XL, XXL, XXXL sizes.

I was excited to mention that we truly loved the cocktails, Beer Sangria being my favourite. 

XXXL Pizza - 21 inch Pizza

Chef has specially prepared Pao-Siders and pizza with Entire range of toppings so that we can taste every topping from paneer to samosa and from Chicken to seafood.

Pao Siders

Our Favorite toppings  for pizza being ‘lets have salami,Paneer Bhurji Wala,I Roasted a chicken’; whereas in Pao Sidders, we loved ‘Chicken Ham & Mushroom, Attanki ( An amazing combination of Shami Kebab, Fried Eggs, mayo & Onion Slaw) & If PBM (paneer butter Masala) was English’.

Rolled up for Tripping

While Ordering desserts we could hide our love for Chocolate and ordered “Rolled up For Tripping”  - A Chocolate Hazelnut Swiss Roll with sinful mousse, coated with dark chocolate and topped with hazelnuts for crunch. It was a 2 minute job for us to lick it off completely.

PS – Just last few Days are left for Light House Café’s ‘XXXL’ festival to end. So rush to LHC to experience XXXL sensations with Lip Smacking Food & some Innovative drinks with your gang.

A taste of modern indian cuisine @ Anncensored - Lower Parel.

Most of the new restaurant that are opening nowadays, are focusing themselves to be different and on creating a unique space in crowd.

             

What set AnnCensored apart is the mindful concentration on 'Food and It's flavors'  with a motto of 'innovation with exploration'. And just like Farzi Cafe and The Bombay Canteen( from the same Vicinity),  it takes on serving Indian Food with a contemporary twist.

AnnCensored with this two different menu - Censored and AnnCensored gives good options to its guest in all parts of meal. The censored menu is full of original Continental Fine-Dine favorites whereas the Uncensored menu, recreated those dishes with an Indian twist. Another fact is that the dishes from censored menu is served on white plate whereas black ones are used for AnnCensored part.

What all we have tried ?? We only tried AnnCensored menu as the menu is so spread out. A single trip will not do a justice to this place and a second visit is on our list.

We started off with Butter Chicken Croquettes, Beetroot Tikki chat and Malai Mushrooms. All these starters were uniformly stellar. Bonus points to 'butter chicken Croquettes' for its interesting plating on a miniature black cart and we took no time to lick off the tangy 'beet root tikki chat'.

For mains we opted for ' Double Cooked Old Delhi style chicken leg' and   to my surprise, for the first time I Order baingan ki sabzi at a restaurant I.e Ratatouille stuffed baby brinjals in lababdar gravy. 'Double cooked old Delhi style leg' should not to be missed -  perfectly cooked leg pieces in flavourful tomato based sauce that went perfectly with Parathas.

The Creamy orange Cheesecake is another highlight of our dinner. It has a glistering topping of orange puree with a hint of raspberry sauce & crushed biscuits crust. The consistency is lovely and it is a complete surprise to your taste buds.

The bar had some amazing stuff to satiate your fantasies. They are having a wide array of cocktails for you – they mainly had drinks mixed in a fascinating molecular gastronomy way which is a treat to drink as well as to watch.  They have a small  section of ‘Tiki Cocktails – that mix flavored syrup & fresh juices with Rum

Overall a nice concept that provides a blend of Casual and lounge dining experience with its elegant ambiance and playful decor that gives a whole new energy to this place.

Pa Pa Ya, Lower Parel : Whether it is introducing your taste buds to Japanese cuisine or getting to know it better, Pa Pa Ya is among Top city food critics suggestions for Japanese Fare.

While Indian & Italian cuisine may have been Mumbai diner's favorite for years,  Japanese and oriental cuisine is proving to be a hit amongst culinary enthusiasts in Mumbai, especially the young and the health conscious. Although, many of the ingredients have to be imported, making it an expensive proposition.

          

Pa Pa Ya is one such restaurant where you can not only introduce your tastebuds to Japanese & Asian cuisine but also get to know it better ensuring its tastiness.

Pa Pa Ya is a classy affair. Stood at palladium mall, Lower Parel.The restaurant is always full and there is a long waiting generally. The whole service scape is well layered out with good hexagon dim lights(That keep changing because of projection mapping) and vibrant coloured seating which go well with the music and whole concept of the resto-bar.

Coming to food, the menu is well curated and one will have good options in all parts of the meal - (even a specially curated menu for Jains). You can choose from a wide spread of flavors from Thailand, Myanmar, Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.

You may know less about sushi and its variations and that is where the service comes handy. The waiters and managers help in suggesting exotic sushi dishes according to your tastebuds. With sushi burger, sushi pizza, this is a place where you can introduce your taste buds or even get to know sushi better.

Even the drinks will leave you wanting more. Molecular Gastronomy adds on flavors, feel, textures and visuals that enhances the drink and make the drinker’s experience more intresting.

In all the experience at Pa Pa Ya was great, something pleasantly different and I would recommend everyone to go there with friends or family and enjoy the twist and turns of sushi.

Ps- Before the meal, the server will provide you a small glass filled with watermelon and basil juice which apparently helps in cleansing ones tastebuds and prepare you for experiencing the different taste of sushi dishes.

We all love fried chicken and fret not, if you don't love fried chicken or if you are vegetarian, there are plenty of options for you to choose from.

          

We have tried all the three versions of Fried chicken and they are definitely worth the hype.  If you love your fried chicken Little spicy then, you can choose from the other 2 Indian versions – ‘Hot masala’ or ‘Happy Fried chicken’. Another highlight was their  ‘Curry Jalapenos Mango’ dip.

Broasters is all geared up to tingle your taste buds and provide you with some delicious and interesting quick bites / appetizers. Gorge on Thai chicken sticks, Anna's Chicken Idly, melting barrels, cheese chicken pillows and you are sure to come back for more.

Chef Harpal sokhi has definitely added magic to the menu and the food. And the truth being said, we liked the dishes curated by him (not to be mixed) more than the one from broasters Original menu. 

Looking at the rest of the menu, burger are sometime worth trying.  The burgers have got some quirky name and so have interesting concoctions. We loved our ‘Great Khali Burger, ‘fried jack’ and ‘Lamb Rogan Josh Burger’.

They also got a wonderful spread of some popular Indian Delicacies like ‘Bidu's chicken curry’, ‘galouti chicken Rogan josh’, ‘ghotala khichadi’ & ‘paneer maskedaar’ that can be complemented with Rice, butter Pao or butter Paratha.

Pasta's and Wok  menu are yet to be tried and we surely going to come back for the same.

The have some brilliant desserts too. What's sound interesting were the ‘chocolate samosa with Mango Icecream’ and the ‘Gulukand Muffin’ or ‘Caramel Lava Cake’.

Speaking about the place, it has got raw and rustic look with quirky Décor like the roof is done up beautifully with gunny bags. They have utilised the space very well. Another highlight is they gonna come out with liquor license soon !!

PS - This place has a very interesting menu with quite innovative dishes and some of Special Harpal sokhi's special ones that are surely not to be missed. And its definitely gonna take 3-4 visits  to savour the namak chamak Branding. And believe us, all the dishes are with trying once.

Go kill your egg cravings now - Andamental, Andheri

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Andamental is the newest addition in #andheri and definitely a place to look out for all the eggitarians because of its tempting egg preparations and late night deliveries.

            

It is a small joint as it is primarily a delivery only concept, but nevertheless the little seating space they have is enough to give you a whole better experience. They have an open kitchen which ensures quality food is being served with tickling aroma of eggs that will tempt you more.

Mumbai Vada Pav omelette

Street Style Anda Bhurji

We were there at Andamental last week and tried a no. of dishes. Dishes we Tried : Andamental Maggi, Desi omelette pav, street style anda Bhurji, Mumbai Vadapav omelette, Turkish omelettes, the andamental ghotala(Star), Tawa Bhurji Roll, The andamental Biryani(a little dry but flavourful) & Veg. Makhani biryani

 

Andamental Ghotala

Every dish we tried was commendable and there were few dishes that are making us crave till this time.

Andamental Biryani

Veg makhani biryani

Recommendations: Don’t miss out on the stomach stirring Anda Ghotala & Andamental Maggi. Vegetarians can go for samosa curry. And what makes their curries better is the humble butter pav. If you love combination of egg & cheese, do try the Australian Omlette.

Andamental Maggi

Go kill your egg cravings now and a go to place if you experience midnight hunger pangs just like us!!!

PS - Egg is the cheapest and the bestest source of protein and loved by many. Commonly found in Mumbai nookads, stalls and street corners and a healthy & a quick food option for people binge on. Andamental takes it to next level with its mindful egg preparations.

A bigger and better outlet of Belstone is another new addition in

Raghuvanshi Mill compound that also houses multiple other eateries.

           

From being a small outlet, they have recently transformed in a lavishly spaced restaurant serving a variety of scrumptious cuisines coupled with an elegant ambience and multiple seating spaces. They have mindfully designed the place which can accommodate different group sizes from a table for 2 to a gathering for 100 people. This new outlet has three dining areas, private dining areas to a banquet for a big gathering.

Banta Masala Soa

We were invited to try this new outlet. Being a vegetarian restaurant, the menu is pocket-friendly and incorporates dishes with a twist that has a distinct and a modern touch which suits the present day lifestyle. Food  & drinks are perfectly complemented with interesting presentations. 

Recommended for all age and all types of get together, this place has a bright & vibrant settings with some great music in backdrop, that makes this place more lively.

Belstone has mocktails and shakes with some interesting and engaging presentation – like 'Khulja Sim Sim' which is a set of 4 mocktail that comes to you in a mysterious red box, 'Saza Ya Maza' which is served in shot glasses around a miniaturised roulette. Overall drinks were at par, nothing great than the presentations.

Must try : Mango Pulse – it is like sipping down the Mango Bite Candy.

Mango Pulse

Speaking about the food, there are a lot of options to choose from and so we ordered as per Servers recommendations. We have tried 'Andar kuch Bahar kuch',  ‘Belstone Sandwich’, Tawa Pav Bhaji & Paneer shashlik sizzler.

Belstone Sandwich

The food to the most part is great. But they have added few dishes in their new menu, which needs a little overhaul. We loved everything that was served and quite surprised after looking at the amazing presentation of 'tawa pav Bhaji'( a must try).

Paneer Shashlik Sizzler

Vanilla with chunks of brownie

PS – Definitely a hot-spot for all vegetarians and Jains, and place to be experienced once !!

Place to jump, dance, scream & do cheap thrills - Seven Hills, Juhu !!

A popular saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’that is perfectly applicable for seven hills. The place is highly recommended for college going crowd who are low on cash because of its luring happy hour schemes that makes daaru really cheap.

                      

The place offers good decent Chinese and north Indian tandoori mainly appetizers that go well with alcohol.

An attraction in Juhu (just like Gokul and Janta - Sasta, sundar & Tikau) for the young people. The crowd is decent and the place is not shady at all.

The best part is you can play your own music. They have a branch in seven bunglows as well but not as intresting as Juhu branch.

 

Ps-  Go here for insane fun – Cheap Thrills !!!

Place to have hardcore Non-veg punjabi food - Jai Jawan !!!

Jai Jawan-the perfect place to be when one craves for Punjabi dhaba type food with mouth-watering North Indian delicacies.

                                  

Located at busy areas of Mumbai like Lokhandwala, Bandra and Khar, Jai Jawan is all about the buzz of people who are hardcore Punjabi food lovers.

Foods to look out for include a variety of tikkas (malai,Banjara,pahadi), the legendary chicken tandoori ,Amritsari Fish Fry,butter chicken, tandoori fish, prawns fry and prawns biryani with the Tawa laccha paratha and lastly nimbu pudina chutney.

 

Ps-gluttony is not a sin when you are at Jai Jawan.

From the launch event of Upsatirs - The Asian Bistro, Tardeo !!

SoBo people, “Upstairs” is another place to add to your Go-To List. Located in the midst of Tardeo, Upstairs set to differentiate itself from surrounding lounges with its amazingly soothing ambience, feel good music, great pan-asian cuisine & offers a drinks experience like never before.

We were there at the launch party and it was full of epicness; everyone was geared up to experience the new talk of the town. And fret now, for all the Good Reasons, it stood upto the expectations.

                                            

“They more you drink the less you pay” – first of its kind concept in Mumbai. As you keep on ordering, subsequent drink get cheaper and Not only this, the 4^th drink will be free so that there is no stepping down !! This place boasts of some mind blowing drinks and one drinks that tooks us from ‘upstairs to infinity’ is the ‘Upstairs Infinity Shot’ where one has to sniff the burning alcohol, take the burning shot and following which the bartender give you a circular ride amidst the last cheering from the crowd !!

 Speaking about the food, Upstairs has curated a menu which put together dishes from 15 different Asian destinations. The culinary experience includes dishes originating from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Other popular Asian dishes from around the world.

So we have tried a number of dishes and believe me it was a gastronomical culinary experience. One advice is to go here with a open mind while ordering food as the menu is curated by some well-travelled Gourmand and they are successful in bring the best of the flavours of the oriental/ pan-asian cuisine.

 

Grilled Basa lemon butter

Malaysian Curry with Jasmine rice

We have tried a number of dishes , but here are few we are totally in love with – Katsu Chicken (for the love of Friedchicken), Grilled Basa Lemon Butter, stir fried chicken in chilli basil, Vegetable and Chicken Murtabak, Crunchy Lotus Roots

Jade Dimsum

Mushroom Yakitori

Chicken Corriander Momo

For the Main Course – Malaysian Curry with Jasmine rice, chicken teppanyaki

Chicken Teppanyaki

Desserts were the star, though they didn’t have many options but the one they had were definitely worth relishing. Do look out for Honey Noodles with the coconut icecream and the yummy cheesecakes.

 

Cripsy Honey noodles with coconut icecream

As they are in conception stage, Service was a bit slow and they need to work on the food a bit before they settle down!! The prices will add to another advantage.

                                   

PS – As this review accounts for the launch party, you can except the service at these parties is not the normal service experience. It might be that Chefs are putting extra care perhaps in the kitchen. So its really tricky to judge a restaurant from its launch party !!!