Be Spooned!

A recent change in job got me posted at Nariman Point – Mumbai’s prime commercial area. After sorting the issues with commuting to and fro, (there are very scarce direct transport options. Yes, it is still Mumbai’s prime commercial area) I was faced with another dilemma: Where do I eat? Well, I have never been the kinds to carry lunch from home, (a habit I’m in process of kicking off) and Nariman Point has very few restaurants so to speak of. And then, on one sunny afternoon, whilst I got into the 'Christopher Columbus' mode and went around scouting for food joints, I came across – Spoon!

Spoon is the name of the food court at CR2 (famous for the Inox Multiplex). I have been to other food courts in the past and they are anything but entreating, but that’s not the case with Spoon. The ambience is warm and colourful. The seating is interesting with options of benches, high-back cubicles and round chairs. And most importantly, the length (and breadth) of the food court is just right – not too expansive and not too cramped.

Another interesting fact about Spoon is that you pay for your meal using their Food Debit Cards, which are nothing but advanced coupons. So you pay for your meal in advance using – Cash, Card or Meal Coupons – and they add that to the Food Card. The card is reusable (and transferable) till you exhaust the complete billed amount. Interesting na? :)

Spoon’s Italian counter is my favourite and a must try. The Pasta, Pizzas, Nachos, Salads, and Rosemary Potatoes are delectable. Their combo meals – a main course (Pepper Chicken and Cheese Macaroni is yummm) with soup and garlic bread is complete Value for Money.

Apart from the Italian counter at Spoon, there is the falafel counter, South Indian fare, Chinese counter and Swati’s (which is a pure-vegetarian snack bar). The North Indian counter too has some lip smacking dishes like the Biryani, Achari Paneer and Black Dal. Again here the combo meal is a No-Miss. Meals are complete with the HAS juice bar and Gelato.

The pricing is very reasonable, and an average meal for 2 should cost you something between Rs 300 – 400. The portions are sufficient and good enough for a single adult.

This place is complete self-service but the counter attendants are polite and the housekeeping staff is very prompt in clearing tables of used plates.

Overall: Nice Place, Good Food, Great Price!

PS: I guess I do have something of Columbus in me, I came across a great find too :P

Spoon

Cr2 Mall (Food Court), 1st Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai

Phone: 67477666

Steak for a break!

Last night I managed to take out time from my not so busy schedule and accompany my friends to a joint in the busy Pahar Ganj area of New Delhi. This was my second visit to the place after almost 2 years! The occasion – nothing out of the ordinary; just that all of us had had enough of our usual hang out places and with the winters setting in, really wanted to have some nice Steaks. And, this is one place which serves one of the best Steaks I have had in ages.

Now, one thing that people visiting this area have to be careful about is that if you are commuting in your own vehicle (size is of no consequence) and do not have a chauffeur, parking is an issue. The best option would be to park in Connaught Circus, popularly known as CP and either hire a rickshaw or an auto to bring you up to the market. Else, it’s going to be a bitch driving into this area and finding parking space.

This joint is located in the inner lanes of the busy Pahar Ganj area, which is frequented by a lot of international budget travelers, majorly of Israel & Russian origin. It is located on the roof-top of a presumably shady hotel in the area – Hotel Shelton. Now once there, one might wonder what is so great about this place; well to be frank, nothing really. Although have to give it to these guys that the place is quite well kept and very neat as compared to the rest of the places in the area.

The roof-top menu has a multitude of cuisines on offer – Continental, Israeli, Chinese and ofcourse Indian. But the best on the menu is a part of the Israeli cuisine – The Steaks and Sizzlers. Now the gang that I went with frequents this place more often than me and ends up having the same thing each time and leave stomach happy and much more to fit in it! And if one happens to start a conversation which has a mention of Steak in it, well, be rest assured you will get to hear of this place more often than you would like.

Now, the roof-top can easily accommodate about 30 – 40 people, in spaced out comfortable seating, is not really much affected by the ‘no-smoking ban in public places’ put into effect by the Government and is heaven for people who would like to check out the real feel of Delhi and chill out for a while. The food smells divine (atleast the Steaks do!) and the service is pretty much ok, if you are not in a hurry. The pricing, although increased from our last visit, are still very much affordable and lite on the pocket. Beef Steak @ Rs. 130 is killer, especially given the fact that it tastes heavenly. Although, they could look at serving some breads along with it; but then I’m not complaining.

We had ordered for some Pepper Steaks and the Cheese Rum Steak (all Buff, mind you. Although for the non-beef eaters there is always the option of chicken) and were in a bit of a hurry to have it. There were 2 reasons behind this, one, all of us were really hungry and the thought of the Steak was just too appetizing and second, one of us had a deadline to meet (to reach home!). And, as it always happens, when you are in a hurry, you never manage to finish what you intend to on time. Even though we were told that since there was not too much pressure on the Chef with other orders, we should get ours in no time, it did take about an hour for it to be served. But, it was Worth the wait!

It just took us 10 mins flat to polish off our respective delicacies and we left the place with plans of returning soon. It is a must visit for people who love Steaks and their food equally.

Hotel Shelton,

5043, Main Bazaar

Pahar Ganj, Opposite New Delhi Railway Station

New Delhi (ofcourse!)

Ph # - +91 – 11 – 23580575 / +91 – 9818492479

Cafe Mangii, Mumbai: Lets have some more space pls

Cafe Mangii was our choice for a "Girls-Evening-Out" (for those of you who don't know what that is, it basically means a couple of hours to detail in person the snippets of bitching and gossiping exchanged via insufficient means like - phone calls, chats and text messages)

Now I have always been a a strong admirere of subtlety, but having to play treasure-find with a restaurant is not too exciting. It's not that Cafe Mangii is not locatable, infact it's quite the contrary (it is just off the main road). The actual problem is that the signage does nothing to let you know that you have arrived, once you have arrived.

Well, so after confirming with the attendant, you enter into a warm and cosy... eh ... room, and while you scout for the remaining of the cafe, you realise that there isnt any remaining.. This is it! (Sorry MJ) Now don't get me wrong, it is a nice and cosy setting, with warm lighting, wooden furniture, and white tablecloths, but it does tether towards being a lil cramped.

So we sit ourselves down to order some food for our tummies, we already had our chatter matter (rhyme non-intentional) to refresh our senses.

And while we were seriously lip reading to understand what the other was speaking (thanks to the constantly increasing crowd and the TV overhead), in came the food : the herbed chicken (served on sticks) is amazing, it actually gets your expectations up for the main course, which falls flat on its face, atleast so did the Mangi Chicken. The dish came with a ridiculous sauce that it could seriously do without. The drinks menu is disappointingly limited and the drinks are due a miss...(suggest u stick to ur diet coke and ice here). However, the Banana Caramel Tart is ........ heavenly... the goey caramel and fresh banana taste lingers and keeps you asking for more...and more... and more........mmmmmmmmm

With regards to the service, the attendants are very polite and hospitable, but it would be ideal if the space permitted the staff to stop looking like a crowd...

We left Cafe Mangii with a moderately affected wallet and a mental note to visit it again on an occasion-less and wasted night!

Cafe Mangii

Junction of Khar Pali and 14th Road, Off Linking Road, Khar (W), Mumbai

• Landmark: Between Nike & Citiwalk Showroom
• Phone: 26498100