“Unity in Diversity - 29 states- all united in 1 thick gravy” - Ala

29, Malad West       2/5

https://goo.gl/maps/zUmwSdr8RP32

Address: 11, Padma Nagar, Link Rd, Evershine Nagar, Malad West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400064

Specialty:  Vegetarian Food from 29 states of India

Type of Restaurant: All day restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 1000/- for two with one non-alcoholic beverage each. Exclusive of applicable taxes and charges. They levy a discretionary 8% service charge. We chose to exercise our discretion. Read on to know why.

There was much ado about nothing. We were really excited to try this one. The bubble that was our excitement burst with a single pin prick called “thick gravy”

Ambience

The moment you enter, you realize the necessity of the “Swacch Bharat” campaign. There are flies just about everywhere. Run of the mill wood and steel furniture. Open kitchen, overcrowded, nothing to write home about. The only aesthetically pleasing thing was the carved wooden swing in the waiting area.

Life’s Good, but it’s not perfect

Starters: Paanki Chutney: Paanki is a Gujrati snack, which is essentially a rice flour pancake cooked between banana leaves. Visually appealing, the dish lacked flavour and texture. There was no seasoning whatsoever. A bland start to the meal, it wasn’t as light as it should have been. That’s the reason the green chutney overpowered the dish.

Maroi Nakuppi Bora: Maroi Nakuppi is Manipuri for garlic chive and Bora is pakoda. The menu says it comes with a tomato mint dip. We didn’t get it. The batter was heavy and doughy; the only flavour that came across was gram flour. The dish was difficult to finish. Your neighborhood pakoda-wala would probably do a better job.

Mains: Dhanbadi Do Saalan - Twin gravies served with a butter kulcha . The saalan is the result of the Mughal influence on Dhanbadi cuisine. The gravies were tasty, the kulcha or flatbread was ok. What was missing was Dhanbad. The abundant use of red and green capsicum is reflective neither of Dhanbad nor of Mughlai cuisine.

Bhuna Kofta Curry with Kerala Paratha This chef’s special was just one more thick gravy, garnished with cream and coriander. This had no trace of Kerala. Coconut in some form: oil, roasted and ground or milk is an essential part of Keralite cuisine, along with the curry leaves and spices. It appeared all of these were vacationing on the backwaters. Had this not been served with a Kerala paratha, it could have very well been a Punjabi dish. The vegetable koftas were soft and the paratha was ok. It was served scrunched up, so we couldn’t tell if they got the distinctive layers right.

Dessert: We had Carrot or Gajar Halwa, Doodhi or Bottlegourd Halwa served with Rabdi in an earthen pot. Served with love, this was utterly disappointing. Despite 2 sets of sweet teeth at the table, we couldn’t get through a single serve. The dish had been plated what seemed like ages ago, soaking up all the moisture, leaving behind dry overly sweet, bordering on inedible carrot halwa, passable Bottlegourd Halwa and an okayish rabdi.

Drinks: They don’t serve alcohol. They don’t have a great selection of non-alcoholic beverages. We ordered a Kala Khatta Sherbat which was below average. No childhood memories were brought back, as promised on the menu.

Service wise, the servers are courteous. The chef was too shy to make an appearance. He let his food do the talking, unfortunately it didn’t say much.

Insider tips

The concept may be food from 29 states, expect the same old thick gravies base, with random vegetables tossed in, served in ”multi-cuisine” or “Indian “ restaurants for years.

Our advice to the restaurant is vegetarianism is a choice and not an obligation. Don’t make your customers exercise that choice elsewhere.  The concept looks great on paper, the execution needs serious work.

What to wear Anything Casual and carry a fly swatter if possible.

“This House runs on Love, Laughter and the Happiest of people” – The blackboard

The Benedict Bistro & Bar    3.5/5

https://goo.gl/maps/hA3xyrcCCBr

Address: Building No. B647, Opposite Star Bucks, Bandra West, Chapel Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

Specialty:  New York inspired menu with locally sourced ingredients

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 2500/- for two Exclusive of Drinks and applicable taxes and charges. They levy a 10% service charge

If you want the feel of a New York style bistro without getting on a plane, this is the place for you

Ambience

The restaurant is divided into 2 levels, a more informal café like seating on the ground and a more formal sit down style on the first floor. The ground floor is brightly lit and more suited to brunch or a day-time snack or high tea. Upstairs is better for dinner.

Life’s Good, but its not perfect

Starters

We were welcomed with mini rainbow bagels and cream cheese. It was a cute amuse bouche and a good way to set the mood for a New York inspired dinner.

To start we ordered the Pork Belly with chimmichurri. This was an absolute delight. The spices were mild, not to overpower the pork.

Then we had the Peri-peri spiced Prawn . The prawns were cooked well, with the

potent hit of peri peri toned down for a global palate. The balance of flavors was perfect. The menu said it comes served with crushed peanuts. We didn’t find any.

Chicken wings were next on a fairly long list. The sauce was homage to the indelible impression Chinese food has on New York. Tangy and hot would be the perfect description.

The Nachos with Chicken were average and nothing much to write home about.

The Popcorn chicken were bite sized chicken tenders coated in panko crumbs served with a kimchi mayo. It was a good bar snack, perfect with a glass of beer. No stars and spangles on this one.

Mains: The mains are described as large plates; they are smaller than the industry average and are just enough for one.

We tried the slow cooked pork belly is supposed to be served with a sweet potato mash.

What we got was sweetened regular potatoes. Served with a berry jus, this felt like dessert served a course early. The pork was cooked well, though.

The Jerk chicken was a leg and thigh served with mashed potato and assorted veggies. The chicken was flavored just right and cooked well. The jerk flavours didn’t come on too strongly and with the sides, this made for a decent sized main.

The Tenderloin steak was marinated in garlic and rosemary, served with mash and mushrooms. They do the steak to order, so let them know how you like it.

Dessert:. With no space left, we had to give

dessert a miss, but we should be back soon.

Drinks: We tried the Upper East side wine Cup which was a concoction of red wine, cranberry juice, bitters and a slice of orange served on crushed ice. They have a reasonably good selection of cocktails. If you are with a group, they have pitchers of sangria, buckets of beer and bottle service on hard liquor.

Service wise, the servers are attentive and courteous. The menu is fairly descriptive, so its unlikely that you’ll need help to order.

Insider tips . If you are with a group, they have pitchers of sangria, buckets of beer and bottle service on hard liquor. They have pizzas to share as well.

Value for money The starters are reasonably well priced. The mains, taking into consideration portion size, are on the higher side.

What to wear It’s a very casual place, so whatever pleases you, really.

“We do fusion in Indian food” – Ashish Gautam

Tanatan    4.5/5

https://goo.gl/maps/sRhtcbDWTry

Address: 462, Ground Floor AB Nair Road, Juhu, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400049

Specialty:  Progressive Pan Indian food

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 2300/- for two Exclusive of Drinks and applicable taxes and charges. They levy a 10% service charge

You’d be better off booking a table before you go, ‘cos the bells of success are ringing ‘tanatan’. This place is running to packed houses even on weekdays. That is how good they are, and we truly hope things stay that way. This restaurant is located on the ground floor of Hotel Ramee Guestline, also home to “It’s Mirchi”

Ambience

The copper-coloured panels with laser etching and embellishments created a very regal elegant setting, interspersed with some fun quotes. Influences from cultures across the country is evident. The kitchen is open. The copper vessels, cauldrons, tandoor and the efficiency and speed at which the kebabs and flatbreads are being turned out onto the pass is quite a treat to the eyes. There is a stage where there are live performances, and a bar to get you into the mood. They can cater to bigger groups or private dining as well.

Life’s Good, but its not perfect

Starters

To start we ordered the Crispy Jheenga tempura in a Curry leaf Lemongrass broth. The presentation was impressive. A perfectly cooked prawn in a tempura batter served alongside a teapot full of the most flavoursome soup. The combination worked a charm. The soup was a rather generous portion.

From the “Choti Bhook” section we ordered the Bhuna Chaap which is mutton chops slow roasted in a traditional pot and finished on an iron griddle. The chops were cooked to perfection, succulent, falling off the bone. We could have polished off a dozen easily. This comes with a piped chilly potato and onion rings. Despite the name, the portion size was reasonably large.

Mains are divided into “Chef ki Marzi” or Chef’s choice and “Aap ki marzi” or your choice.

We ordered the Lamb shank pulao with raita which is a Tanatan special. Delicately flavoured rice with a whole lamb shank. The meat was falling off the bone. If you are a fan of marrow, you would probably have to ask for assistance. The raita is served in a miniature milk can. Cute, and the raita was thick, with the tomato and cucumber fresh. A good portion and an absolute delight.

Dessert:. We had the Raspberry sorbet Falooda which took a while to get to the table, but when it did, it was well worth the wait. This is a dessert that comes from the bar, made to order, using liquid nitrogen.

 From the looks of it, it’s a regular falooda with the vermicelli and chia seeds. Instead of the kulfi, you have a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a scoop of raspberry sorbet. The raspberry was tangy, the sweetness of the entire dessert was just right. We could see the fusion they speak of here. This was a good example of progressive Indian Cuisine.

We also had a chocolate lava cake with a scoop of vanilla icecream. The latter was procured from “Its Mirchi” The chocolate lava cake, true to its name, had a liquid centre with a caramel hazelnut ”lava” . We couldn’t have had a more perfect end to the meal.

Drinks: They have some very interesting fusion cocktails and shots along with the regular fare. We had the Anar ka Pyar which has pomegranate seeds, orange rind and clove reduction, mint and a splash of cranberry.

Service wise, the servers are attentive and courteous. They offer suggestions willingly.

Insider tips If you are there for a celebration, you don’t have to be bothered with bringing a cake. One can be arranged for you from “It’s Mirchi” within a moment’s notice.

Value for money Given the portion sizes and quality of food and service, it is good bang for your buck

What to wear It is a fine dining restaurant, so you can put your evening wear to good use.

“We are positioning our restaurant as Italian….Pizza…Continental “- Chef Arvind

Pi Bar and Kitchen, Andheri West     2.5/5

https://goo.gl/maps/YeTbcjsAHkx

Address:   B-12, Off New Link Road, Ghanshyam Nagar, Veera Desai Industrial Estate, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400102

Specialty:  Confused Italian

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant. At the time we visited, the restaurant didn’t have a liquor license.

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 2600/- for two with one non-alcoholic beverage each. They levy a 10% service charge. Exclusive of applicable taxes and charges.

Ambience

They have a smaller older outlet in Khar with seating for 20. This place seats around 70.

The interior is elegant, with wood panels in muted blues and browns. The criss-cross niches for wine bottles translate across the walls right from the entrance to the bar. They have an open kitchen and small bar area.

Life’s Good, but it’s not perfect

Starters: We started with the Dough Balls which as the name implies, were little dough balls, oven baked and served with a garlic butter. 10 pieces in a serve, it was a fairly good start to the meal, with freshly baked bread. The downside was the generous bits of raw garlic mixed through the butter. Avoid this one if you’re on a date. You get the drift.

Mains: The pizzas are available in 10” and 14”. We had the Stagioni which was a thin crust pizza with pepperoni, ham, olives in a tomato sauce base. This was the best part of the meal. Fairly generous with the toppings, the base was just right. They don’t specify if the olives you get would be green or kalamata.

Gamberi a la Limoncello comes with penne, which we got replaced by fettucine. The pasta was al dente. The sauce was creamy. That’s where the fun ended. We had precisely 4 Gamberi or prawns and no Limoncello in the sauce. Despite checking with the server, prior to placing the order, we were served a sauce minus Limoncello. The chef later clarified that this was since they have no bar license. There was an obvious lack of communication between the kitchen and the servers. It was news to our server that Limoncello is a liqueur. We had an unfortunate cherry on the cake or pasta in this case, in the form of a single strand of pickled onion. The chef said this was for garnish, to add colour to the dish. Pickled onion on a cream sauce! Taste was clearly sacrificed for what they thought was aesthetic. 

Dessert: We had a Crème brûlée, clearly a French intruder into Italian territory. We ordered this since the other desserts were either unavailable or would take an undue amount of time. This arrived rather swiftly, probably since it made its way directly from the refrigerator to our table, making no stops. Granulated sugar was used, so the crackle on the top was uneven. Excessively sweet and grainy on the palate, we couldn’t get past more than a spoon each. The chef was at a loss as to the texture and what could have gone wrong.

Drinks: They don’t have a liquor license.

Service wise, the servers are attentive but could do with a lot more food knowledge. The chef was confused. More than 90% of the menu is Italian, though they are missing classics like lasagna, ravioli and gnocchi. With the exception of the cannelloni and the tortellini, all the pasta is store bought. The menu is riddled with typos. We couldn’t help but point this out, and hope they have made corrections. Sticking out like sore thumbs were the chicken sliders with barbeque sauce, Moroccan harissa and Chimichurri. Italian cuisine has such a rich variety, what is the need to look elsewhere? The chef said that was “to be different”.   If they intend the Life of this Pi to be a long one, they desperately need a more competent staff or at the very least a consultant to educate and inform them.

Insider tips

The restaurant is inside a building, it could get a bit difficult to locate.

What to wear Anything Casual.

“To eat or to drink, that is the question” - Sumo

Lord of the Drinks, Andheri     4/5

https://goo.gl/maps/XuQoMCQzPNz

Address: B26/1, Aver Road, Veera Desai Industrial Road, Opposite VIP Plaza, Near Infintiy Mall, Off New Link Road, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053

Specialty:  This is the place you go to party. Food from around the world, designed to complement drinks.

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 2500/- for two with one non-alcoholic beverage each. Exclusive of applicable taxes and charges. They levy a 10% service charge

Ambience

Lord of the Drinks is spread across 10,000 sq ft , 2 floors with a bar on each floor. They also have an al fresco seating on the ground level.

Spacious is a term seldom used to describe restaurants in Mumbai. Low lighting and music that gets louder as the evening progresses, makes this the perfect place for a date or an evening out with friends.

Life’s Good, but it’s not perfect

We had a LOT to eat here, which only goes to show how good everything was

Starters:

Corn & Mushroom Tart shell was as the name suggests, Corn and mushroom, in a black pepper béchamel, topped with Goat cheese and caramelized onion. Perfectly crisp short crust shells with a tasty filling.

Yellow corn & Roasted garlic Dimsum was a unique combination as far as dimsums go. This intrigued us on the menu, which is why we ordered it. Perfectly cooked dimsums, with two sauces which added flavour and zing to the dish.

Stir Fried Mixed veg was a combination of Asian veg, mildly spiced in an oriental sauce. An interesting bar snack for a vegetarian.

We found the vegetarian snacks on offer tasty despite our predisposition to non-veg. We moved onto home ground with…

Dilli Chili which is none other than the all time favorite chilli chicken done in the Delhi Chindo style. The chicken was perfectly cooked and came with a side of fried noodles for crunch.

We then had the Non-veg Tandoori Platter with a trio of Chicken Tikka, Gilafi seekh and Fish Tikka with a Kasundi Glaze. Served on skewers, the meat was cooked to perfection. Great portion size.

Mains:

Three cheese baked mushroom was Mushroom in a Mornay sauce (a Béchamel sauce with grated cheese) with Cheddar and Parmesan, baked in a mashed potato ring. If you are drinking, this carb-heavy dish is something you would enjoy. Not a classic Mornay, this was enjoyable, nonetheless.

The Makhani Paneer Casserole was served with pickled onions and Laccha Paratha. A simple but rich dish, we were delighted to find a makhani sauce that was not as sweet as it tends to be.

Mutton Biryani was a recommendation we couldn’t refuse. And we were glad we didn’t. A fragrant biryani with a generous serving of mutton, falling apart and perfectly spiced.

Dessert: Paan Icecream Martini was Paan spiked Icecream with rose dust, khopra (dry dessicated coconut) , betel nut slivers, betel leaf and a thandai shot. As someone who cringes at the very thought of paan, this is the dish we’d go back for. A perfect end to the meal.

Drinks: It IS the Lord of the drinks, after all. Great selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Good variety of both domestic and imported. They have a quarter and bottle service on a fair number of brands.

Service wise, the servers are courteous and friendly.

Insider tips

For a watering hole, the food is phenomenal. Eat well.

What to wear: Club wear, especially if it’s a weekend or for dinner.

“Idhar macchi ekdum fresh milta hain (The fish here is extremely fresh) “- Purandar Shetty, Manager

Harish Lunch Home, Irla     4/5

https://goo.gl/maps/Psf5b2xSMXt

Address:  115, S. V. Road, Irla, Vile Parle West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400056

Specialty:  Manglorean Sea food

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 2200/- for two with one non-alcoholic beverage each. Exclusive of applicable taxes and charges. They don’t levy a service charge

The concept of a Lunch home is popular on the Mumbai food scene. Harish is, in our opinion, one of the best. They pride themselves on the freshness of their produce, particularly seafood. Other than their own cuisine, Manglorean, they serve food from the rest of the South, Punjabi and Chinese.

Ambience

No frills, comfortable. There are two family dining rooms on the 1^st floor of the restaurant.

Life’s Good, but it’s not perfect

Starters: We started with the crab butter garlic. They serve it de-shelled, on request, and we prefer not to have to wrestle with our food, unless absolutely necessary. This is an Oriental preparation in a butter garlic sauce with spring onion and fresh red chilies. On the face of it, it looks like a simple dish, but it brings out the delicate crab flavour perfectly. This is the dish that takes us back .

From the tandoor, we had the fish Noorani Tikka. This dish has boneless pieces of Rawas or Indian salmon marinated in a brown spice mix, unlike the typical fiery red tandoori masala we are accustomed to. A good sized portion, you get six perfectly cooked pieces, served with a coriander and mint chutney, shallots, lemon wedges and pickle on the side. A dollop of the chutney and a squeeze of lime…pure bliss.

Next came the Prawn Malabari Fry, a delicacy from Gods own country, Kerala. Batter fried, akin to a Prawn Koliwada. The spice mix with the curry leaf garnish is a perfect snack if you’re having a drink. 14-15 medium sized prawns, deep fried to a golden brown. So perfectly done, no condiment is required.

They do a mean prawn tandoori and a pomfret stuffed with

prawn. The latter, being a tedious dish, does takes a while to

prepare.

Mains: We had the Prawn Mallipuram with Neer dosa and Appam. Delicately flavoured yellow gravy, with a coconut milk base, this dish busts the myth that all keralite food packs a punch. We paired this with Neer Dosa and Appam, both rice pancakes, one from Mangalore and the other from Kerala. Both worked a charm. You could have this with rice as well.

You could also try the Gassi, which is a Manglorean coconut based red gravy with seafood of your choice. They also serve it with chicken and mutton. Equally interesting is the seafood Pulimunchi .

Drinks: They have a vast choice of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The cocktail selection is limited. If alcohol is not your thing, ask for a glass of chilled sol kadi-a concoction of coconut /coconut milk and kokum with a dash of chilly, garnished with green coriander. This is just so refreshing, particularly in summer!

Service wise, the servers are attentive and friendly. Do ask them for recommendations.

Insider tips

Don’t judge a book by its cover. The humble exterior is deceptive. Take your taste buds up a flight of stairs, they’ll thank you later.  

What to wear Anything Casual.

“I can travel miles for the love of food “-Chef Milan Gupta

Taftoon, BKC     3.5/5

https://goo.gl/maps/MPCQBK7KVL42

Address:Ground Floor, Naman Centre, Unit No.2, KBC, Opposite Dena Bank, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400051

Specialty:  Food from places on the Grand Trunk route all the way from Afghanistan, through Pakistan, North India, Ladakh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, finally crossing over and halting at Bangladesh.

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 2600/- for two with one non-alcoholic beverage each. Exclusive of applicable taxes and charges.

The restaurant endeavors to take you on a journey from Kabul to Kolkata on the Grand Trunk route, out of the history books, and onto our plates.  One of the things that connected these places was the taftan. The oldest name for this bread was taftoon, hence the name of the restaurant.

Taftoon turned out to be a lesson in ancient Indian culinary history and all the various the ways in which ingredients and cooking techniques have traversed geographical boundaries.

Ambience

Taftoon is a spacious place, all pale yellow lighting, wooden flooring and hexagonal lamps.

An open kitchen gives a view into the making of the dishes, especially the breads. There are no overt references to the cultural histories that cumulatively make up the Grand Trunk Road. Disparate design elements are strewn across Taftoon—and noticeable only if you are really paying attention, peeking at you from the alcoves and walls. 

Life’s Good, but it’s not perfect

They use a Robata grill and traditional degchis and Lucknowi lagans to send out delicate kebabs and grilled dishes.

Starters: Chicken Pakodey is a Ladakhi preparation of boneless chicken wings tossed in ginger, turmeric and honey, as the menu suggests. We guess there was a lot more by way of a marinade, but obviously, they are holding their cards close to their chest. The chicken was succulent, cooked just right and not very greasy. There were complex flavors in an apparently simple dish. A show stealer and an apt homage to a route used to transport spice.

The Galauti Kebab was originally made for a toothless Nawab in Lucknow. There are three in a serve, so order accordingly. Sharing this could get a bit inconvenient as they are served on bite sized breads. It was tasty, but a little too much chilly overpowered the rest of the spices.

Mains: Gushtaba are Kashmiri meatballs served in a yoghurt based Yakhni sauce tempered with mustard oil. The sauce is flavoursome, sadly though, the meatballs were rubbery and tasteless.  

Matke Me Rum Shaljam is served in an earthen pot. Well cooked mutton, the turnip adds flavour and complements the meat. The rum flambé is done tableside. This is a delightful, Moorish homestyle dish.

They have a good variety when it comes to bread. The Lal naan is flavoured with rogan or chili oil and sesame seeds. This one is not to be missed. The restaurant gets their name from the Taftoon. Oven baked, flavored with saffron and black cardamom, this pairs well with both the mains.

Dessert: we had the Chenna Platter which is an assortment of chenna-based sweets- sandesh (which was a mini-golf ball which had to be chased around the plate in an attempt to cut it), malai chop, kheer kodombo, gulab jamun, chomchom and malai sandwich. Other than the sandesh, the others were just right.

Drinks: We didn’t partake of the drinks, but they have a vast choice of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Their signature mock tails and cocktails looked interesting.

Service wise, the servers are attentive but could do with a little more food knowledge.

Insider tips

There is enough on the menu for a second trip.  We had the opportunity to speak to Chef Milan. His passion for food is admirable. He has invested a lot of time and effort in studying cooking methods, and tries to keep processes as authentic as possible.

What to wear Anything Casual.

“Wait, Let me check if we have Americano”-Disinterested Waitress

The Boston Butt    1/5

https://goo.gl/maps/Lj8nTKBCHzD2

Address: 1st floor Rampart Row 30 K Dubash Marg Opp. Max Mueller Bhavan, Near Rhythm House and Jehangir Art Gallery, Kalaghoda, Fort, Maharashtra 400023

Specialty:  Smokery, Charcuterie, Bar and Cafe

Type of Restaurant: All day bar and restaurant

The details above are from the restaurant/their website and are subject to change at their discretion

Price Range: 3000/- for two Exclusive of Drinks and applicable taxes and charges. They levy a 10% service charge

They call themselves Indias first Smokery. What it really is is a mockery of a smoke house. The Boston Butt is the American name for a cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder and is usually used for pulled pork. With a name like that, we can only  assume the meat would be fabulous. This experience is like that of a blockbuster Bollywood film with a top of the line cast that goes on to bomb at the box office. Our first look at the menu told us we’d have to return to do justice to the vast variety. By the end of the meal, it was clear we’d return for one reason only, to get our money back.

Ambience

With the exposed pipes and leather upholstery, they are clearly trying to re-create  the vibe of a pre-Prohibition era restaurant in the US. Also creeping in there is the hint of the New Orleans French Quarter. The restaurant is spread over 2 floors, the upper one has a better feel and yes, the bar.

Life’s Good, but its not perfect

They make us think of teenagers on their first trip to Amsterdam. They’ve tried to smoke everything. Sadly there is an inconsistence in cooking and more often than not, you feel the only smoke, is in the pipes overhead.

Starters. from the “raw bar”

To start we ordered what they call the house-cured cold-smoked sushi grade blue thread fin Indian Salmon, cream cheese, shallot oil and mini bagel. Quite a mouthful, right? And a mouthful that we couldn’t swallow. To make it simpler for everyone, they should re-name the dish “Salt”, because, quite frankly, that’s all we could taste. Once we got over the pale grey slices of fish (with the skin on) that looked like it was undergoing a second rigor mortis and developed the courage to pop it in our mouths, we instantly wish we hadn’t. The salinity had our blood pressure surging. Needless to say, we had it sent away.

Good Old Smokies:. We ordered the smoked barbeque

platter with pulled smoked pork, the st. Louis style smoked peppery rib, smoked buffalo brisket, and the bourbon & smoked chilli smoked chicken. The pork had clearly been pulled a while ago and forgotten about. It was dry and had lost all of the succulence you would associate with pulled pork. The brisket was rather odd, fatty in parts, dry in others. The rib was ok. There could have been more of it. The chicken was overcooked, slightly redeemed by the hot sauce it came with. The platter is not even slightly worth the price.

Mains or Full plates : We were recommended the seafood gumbo. We expected a medley of seafood; all we got were some very overcooked morsels of fish and prawn. Gumbo is one of dishes that helped make the Creole-Cajun cuisine of Louisiana so famous. This dish inspires competitions and festivals. Gumbo is usually identified by its dark roux, cooked until it is a color "a few shades from burning". The one we got was more like a tomato sauce, devoid of flavour. This was served with butter parsley rice. We have to take their word of it. We couldn’t taste the butter. Having eaten and made a few in our time, this was grossly disappointing.

Dessert: We were informed that dessert would take 20-25 minutes. By now, we had no inclination to spend any more time.

Drinks: The menu looked interesting, save for the Curry scented bitch, which seemed more like a racial slur, than a cocktail. All we had the patience for was an Americano, which took 20 minutes to arrive. And when it did, tasted like the slurry that Starbucks discards after making their coffees.

Service wise, they are couldn’t care less and spent long periods of time lost in conversation amongst them selves. There were long spells wherein there was no staff at all.   

Insider tips You are best off on your own. If you are in the area and have nothing else to do and loads of time to kill, drop in and order a coffee. They’ll take 10 minutes to confirm they even have it. 

Value for money Our wallet refuses to accompany us , in the event we return

What to wear Anything with large pockets, to stash away something to nibble on while you wait for your food.