The South African Sojourn - Day 3: A bit of everyday Johannesburg!

Day 3 was a relatively free day for us and we had decided to spend the day taking in the sights and sounds of World Cup fever. The hub of the action in Jo'Burg was Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton City and we immediately proceeded to immerse ourselves into the melee. Sandton City was expectedly buzzing. The blue and white had however given way to Oranje. Holland were playing Denmark the following day and the Dutch fans were making themselves heard. Seas of Orange and Red were all we could see, though the banter was largely good natured.
Nelson Mandela Square is flanked by cafe's and restaurants on all sides and is pretty much the place where all the tourists of JoBurg eat, drink and make merry. The decor was not wholly because of the Fifa World Cup as we noted a distinct sub continental flavor in the decor with the Indian Tricolour and Sri Lankan Lion displayed proudly alongside the Spanish flag in one of the Italian restaurants flanking the square. Chances are that the IPL had a whole host of Indians in the vicinity a few months earlier.
It was in one such restaurant at Nelson Mandela Square - Butcher Shop and Grill that we had our lunch and the meal ranks as one of the best steak meals that I have ever had in my life.
South Africans take their steaks very seriously and the Butcher Shop and Grill is no different. There were atleast three clear differences between my steak eating experiences in India and that I encountered in South Africa. Firstly, the source of the meat is well advertised. The Butcher Shop and Grill sources all its meat from Karan's Beef - which is the South African benchmark as far as quality beef is concerned. Secondly - There is a choice of portion unlike what you get in India. One can choose from Sirloin, T-Bone, and Rump i.e. the cut of the meat. Thirdly - You can actually choose the exact chunk of meat and the weight as I am trying to do in the pic.
The taste was expectedly fantastic, I ordered my steak well done and with Mushroom sauce.

The mushroom sauce was served separate, similar to how mustard is served in India. The other thing I will never forget about Butcher Shop and Grill were the complimentary starters that we were offered while waiting for the steak. We were served some cocktail beef sausages which went very well with the beer that we were having. Quite honestly, The Butcher Shop and Grill is a must do for all the Beef Eaters out there - its pretty much Beef Nirvana. However the non Beef eaters best stay away - the chicken which my wife sampled was slightly tough, not very good and does not augur so well for my non beef eating friends.

After a very large and filling lunch we proceeded to roam around the Sandton City mall and went in to the Checkers super market. I strongly believe that the markets should be a must do in any tour itinerary to get a feel of everyday people doing their everyday shopping and Checkers supermarket gave a pretty good feel of the average South African going about their daily shopping.

I was expectedly blown away by the meat section at the market. The meat market almost resembled a meat library with pretty much as many types and cuts of beef, pork, mutton and chicken one can imagine - It was far superior in variety and quantity than anything I had previously seen.

The day was not all gastronomy however, as we took in the Ghana Serbia match at the Innesfree Park Fan Zone. Fan Zones are really integral to the World Cup experience and South Africa was no different. The fan zone was sposored by Coca Cola and the place was buzzing with South Africans and tourists of all shapes and sizes. There were two giant Screens and plenty of entertainment and food options. The fan zone really gave a sense of the party that the soccer world cup is. Impromptu football games, visible African pride cheering the Ghanaians on, families out in full force enjoying the World Cup experience. The best part - The fan zone was free for all!
We retired early for the night after the Asamoah Gyan penalty sealed Africas first win of the world cup.

We took in the Germany - Australia game from the hotel room as we sampled a chicken Schnitzel from City Lodge Morningsides in house restaurant - McGintys Irish pub. The schnitzel is a preparation of Austrian descent, fried chicken beaten flat out with a coat of bread crumbs - not very different from the ubiquitous cutlet in India but with a lot more chicken. Decent - but nothing close to the experience at the Butcher Shop and Grill.

Red Box Cafe, Bandra

The best thing about Red Box Cafe is the atmosphere that the restaurant exudes and inculcates. The lights are bright, the overwhelming colour of the decor is bright red interspersed with clear white patches. The music in largely rock and roll from the halycon days on the late eighties and the early nineties, and the moods of ninety percent of the patrons you see seated in tables around you in unmistakably happy. Red Box Cafe is easily one of the "happiest" restaurants I have visited, and is definitely in contention if you are wanting to spend an enjoyable evening with friends and family in Mumbai and are deciding where to go.

Red Box offers continental cuisine and the menu card contains the usual offering of steaks, sizzlers and other English favourites. They have also added the usual Italian and Mexican specialities which is increasingly becoming must haves in most restaurants in Mumbai today. The food though passable is however not the main draw and it would be best to tone down the expectations of the palate at least in terms of authenticity.

The last time we were at Red Box I had the opportunity to sample the Chicken - Lemon Thyme, The Penne Machelleria and one of my Old Favourites - The Lobster Thermedor. The chicken - lemon thyme was expectedly very good, lemon and thyme go very well together and served as excellent flavour on the mildly grilled chicken. The Penne Machelleria (Machelleria is Italian for Butcher Shop) - essentially Penne tossed with chicken sausages in a meat sauce was Ok, while the sausages were good on their own, I guess the meat sauce suffered and largely tasted of tomato without the juices of minced meat. The lobster thermedor was excellently presented with the flesh kept inside the beasts outer shell.

The taste was however slightly overwhelmed by the excessively cheesy white sauce served with the dish. Disappointing after the really great presentation. The other slight downer was the service which was really slow. The saving grace remains the great ambiance and atmosphere, we did not really mind spending a little extra time in the restaurant - even though it meant waiting for the food. Go to Red Box Cafe to have a nice time and decent food with friends and family.

A meal for two at Red Box Cafe without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 1000/-

How to get there: Red Box Cafe is on Waterfield Road in Bandra at the corner of the junction which also houses China Gate and Caravan Serai.

Out of the Blue, Pali Hill, Mumbai

Out of the Blue is arguably one of Suburban Mumbai’s best places to eat, but is definitely one of the best places to hang out. This is a restaurant that appeals to your senses because of the ambiance and the décor. The food is quite good but is not the highlight. The atmosphere at the restaurant is what keeps me going back to Out of the Blue and will doubtless make you want more of the same. Out of the Blue offers its visitors four different options in terms of seating. There is a brightly lit café like option as soon as you enter the restaurant to your left. There is an indoor section on your right. The main seating area is further up which appears like an outdoors option but you realize that is a really high asbestos roof. The outdoor eating area offers two types of seating. The main area is regular tables and chairs, slightly erring on the side of being over crowded. The other option is the table on the sides which are slightly elevated having floor cushions where you will see a whole horde of people whiling away time, drinking and nibbling at very well cooked food – essentially capturing the value proposition of the restaurant. Out of the Blue did have a 5^th option which was actually outdoors on the terrace which was my favorite but they seem to have done away with the same a couple of years back.

The staff is friendly and smart if slightly slow. The lighting is dim, apart from the café seating on the left and they believe in candle light which are covered in some very nice wooden lanterns placed at your tables. The music is not too loud and during times I have visited have been selections from Dire Straits, Clapton and other artists of the 1980’s. The combination of the décor, the lights, the music and the non-interfering casual service make the restaurant a great place to visit someone you love as well as the perfect setting to catch up with a bunch of old friends. The food? It is good without being spectacular. The last time I was there, we ordered the leafy spinach and mushroom soup, the ham and chicken fondue and the Spaghetti Bolognese. The leafy spinach and mushroom soup is a definite re-order in my book. The soup is based in cream and there is a very obvious stock of mushroom used. The leafy spinach add a great texture to the soup and went excellently well with the mushrooms which were cooked just right. The fondue was a disappointment. The chicken and the ham which are pieces served on the side as an alternative to the bread were the savior as the cheese sauce was just not up to the mark and was quite flavorless and tasted of flour more than anything else. We ended up wasting half the bread that was served although the diced meat was juicy and tender. I would recommend that you order the fondue only if you are in a group of 8 or more which would leave two to three pieces of bread for everybody to dip their skewers into the cheese sauce which would be the maximum that one can take before starting to hate the taste. The Spaghetti Bolognese was ok. The sauce was tasty but had a bit too much of an overdose of basil for my liking, there was also too much meat sauce for the amount of spaghetti in the preparation. We rounded off the dinner with some chocolate mud pie which was a highlight but then dessert is one of the specialties of Out of the Blue and you must save space for it if you visit.

Overall a definite recommended for the overall experience. Go there and have a really great evening.

A meal for two at Out of the Blue without drinks would cost you approximately Rs 1600/-. I would usually crib slightly at the expense given the food quality but the ambiance makes it worthwhile.

How to get there: Out of the Blue is at Union Park, Pali Hill. It is located right next to Olive Bar & Kitchen. If you are unfamiliar with Bandra, the easiest way to reach is to take the right at the Café Coffee Day on Carter Road and keep going up the road. The restaurant will fall on your left.

Mocambo, Park Street, Kolkata

Mocambo is easily one of Kolkata’s most famous restaurants serving old style, typically Kolkata, continental cuisine. It is the most popular place to go and enjoy a quasi British experience in the city that Job Charnok founded. Not that Mocambo does not have competition, Sky Room had a better brand, and was renowned for top quality food but the owners decided to not continue with the restaurant business almost two to three decades back and exists only in the memory of the Kolkatan. Peter Cat probably has better food but is done in by their world famous Chello Kebab, which effectively defines the restaurant. Mocambo has therefore emerged as the place to sample food from the mother country in the one time capital of British India.
The décor at Mocambo is typically British, grand turbaned doorman, waiters in white or black, rich carpeted floors and comfortable sofas which tend to envelope you while you sit. The service is not the fastest but is always polite. The food is good but the restaurant does have its share of disaster dishes as I found out. The last time I was there at Mocambo, I sampled the necessary Prawn Cocktail and Angels on Horseback. The Prawn Cocktail – Prawns in a mayo, tomato ketch up cocktail was good. The prawns were of the highest quality but the cocktail was blander and less spruced up than the version that Peter Cat offers. Very good but the prawn cocktail at Peter Cat is a personal favourite. The Angels on Horseback which sounded great, chicken wrapped in bacon and served on a bed of tomato and sausage rice was a disaster as it was too sweet for my palate which is actually saying a lot. I was reduced to really forcing myself to finish the dish. Because of my multiple previous visits however, I will still vouch for the food. Do go there for the Old Kolkata dining experience as well as the food! Order either the Chicken Cordon Bleu or the Chicken Tetrazzini as your main course.
A meal for two at Mocambo without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 600/-
How to get there: Mocambo is on Park Street, on one of the lefts just after the Park Hotel. Most people in the area should be able to help you with the location.

Peter Cat, Park Street, Kolkata

Having a dish that is world famous is usually good news for a restaurant. I am sure that is the case also for Peter Cat and the world famous Chello Kebab, but I feel it over powers the restaurant as I have never and I am being honest here, I have never tasted a dish in Peter Cat apart from the Chello Kebab. You might, if you go there often enough, but I have always entered the restaurant with my mind made up. I will be ordering the Chello Kebab as the main course.

Peter Cat is an old style Kolkata restaurant and the décor is typical. The influence of England is obvious. A grand turbaned waiter at the entrance, rich carpets on the floors, comfortable large sofas as seats and a purposefully dim lighting arrangement – just the kind of place you want to take your lady love or your colleagues out for a grand dinner. Another obvious attempt by the English to create a corner in Kolkata reminding them of their home and carried on by the present management, I actually love it and Kolkata would not be Kolkata without these colonial influences.

The last time I was there I sampled the Chello Kebab obviously and the Prawn Cocktail. The Prawn Cocktail is one of Kolkatas favorite starters and is essentially Prawns served in a cocktail made with mayonnaise, tomato ketchup and a mix of herbs and spices. A superb concoction and a definite order if you want to sample Kolkata Continental cuisine, the version at Peter Cat slightly overdoes the lime and the sweet but I tend to like it more than the slightly blander versions going around at most restaurants. The quality of the prawns – another key feature of the serving was of the highest quality. The cocktail was followed by the Chello Kebab. The dish is incredibly simple and maybe that is why it is so famous. Two Sheekh Kebabs and a skewer of Chicken Tikka with Capsicum and Tomato pieces line the two sides of a bed of rice. There is a fried omelet on the bed of rice and 4 to 5 cubes of butter. The rice is flavoured with herbs and is supposed to be Persian rice. That is pretty much it! Many disparate pieces put together and served in a British setting. What is even more amazing is that the combination really appeals to 90% of the people who have tasted it. World Famous and I am not joking in the least. So much so that the menu card has been advertising the preparation as a “World Heritage Preparation”. Do go to Peter Cat the next time you are in Kolkata, for the Chello Kebab and for the Old Kolkata restaurant experience!

A meal for two at Peter Cat without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 550/-

How to get there: Peter Cat is on Park Street. It is very near to the Park Hotel.

Flurys, Park Street, Kolkata

Kolkata was a city founded by an Englishman and served at the capital of British India for a significant period of time and it is only apt therefore that one of the finest English Coffee houses outside of the British Isles be based there. If the Cricket fields of India served to be "a corner of a foreign field that would be forever England", then it is not reasonably daft to suppose that Flurys, founded by Mr and Mrs J. Flurys in 1928 was envisaged to be "a cafe in a foreign city that would be forever England".
Flurys in the middle of Kolkata's business district is easily one of the most popular all day cafes and break fast joints in Kolkata. In my childhood days, the get up, and the service was very grand and
fashionable slow. The prevailing colour was white and the waiters well decked up in bleached white clothes and head gear. The highlight used to be the trolley full of pastries they used to take from table to table asking guests to choose very similar to crabs and lobsters are paraded in todays sea food restaurants.
Flurys a few years ago has decided to go Pink. Fortunately however the quality of the food remains impeccably brilliant. The service has become more modern, the service levels are better although the bleached white has been replaced with contemporary black. The one miss is that the trolley laden with pastries has been replaced by a bar where one can go and choose, but if the owners are reading this, do please revert to the trolley. It was a one of a kind experience and you will definitely sell more of those beautiful pastries.
The last time I was at Flurys, I ordered the Chicken Mustard Sandwiches and Beans on Toast, both are truly must haves. The Beans on Toast is a Flurys speciality and is served with finely chopped onions and chilli. One has to sprinkle the onion and chilli on the serving of beans on toast as per ones taste, and eat away to glory. I particularly love the Chicken Mustard Sandwich and would recommend you order the Non Grilled version. The diced chicken, mustard and soft white bread are an unbeatable combination. Of course the meal was washed down with a glass of cold coffee. Other delights of Flurys are the Club Sandwich and Mushroom, the Chicken Ommelette and Chicken on Toast, all three are highly recommended from past experiences. Alas one is limited in appetite and cannot keep on eating. Sigh!
A meal for two at Flurys without drinks, will cost you approximately Rs 400/-
How to get there: Flurys is on Park Street right next to the Music World.

Tomatos, CG Road, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad

This blog is about one of my favourite restaurants in India. This blog is going to be a biased one. Tomatos was the scene of many a joyous celebration during my time at IIM Ahmedabad from 2001 to 2003, it was pretty much the non vegetarian oasis in a largely vegetarian city that Ahmedabad was then. Tomatos served great food in a posh, upmarket ambience. The vegetarian food was also decent which made the restaurant a default option for dorm lunches and dinners. The dessert was exceptional - it still is!. They also gave us a 10% special discussion if we produced the IIMA ID Card. If you ask people who have passed out of IIMA, my batch and, 2 to 3 years either way as to which restaurant was the most frequented for celebrations, during their time in B - School, 90% of the answers would be Tomatos. Great food, great place and great memories of two of the best years of my life.

Tomatos is an American style restaurant and has typical decor. Pictures of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson adorn the walls making the walls very busy and cluttered. A bar-type set up serving mocktails in the dry state of Gujarat. Good background music and comfortable seating. The menu is varied and has the standard Indian and Continental dishes, alongwith the Tex Mex servings from Enchiladas to Nachos. Decent grub and quite tasty. The vegetarians used to particularly freak out on the Cheese Nachos. The service however is definitely on the slower side. The last time we were there, we had to wait almost half an hour for the food to arrive and we did not order anything that typically should take a lot of time.

Last time I was at Tomatos (and to be honest every time I go to Tomatos), I ordered the Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff. The Stroganoff is a simple dish of buttered rice and chicken and mushrooms in a light sauce. The Stroganoff at Tomatos has a spicier brown sauce instead of the lighter one I have seen more often at restaurants and tastes absolutely amazing. They are also very generous with the mushroom and chicken and the dish is just right for a hearty and delicious lunch.

I followed up the Stroganoff with the highlight of the restaurant, and no trip to Tomatos will be complete without tasting this, the Chocolate Delight. The chocolate delight is basically pieces of Black Forest cake, interspersed with scoops of Vanilla. There is then a very, very generous helping of slightly warmed up Chocolate sauce and peanuts that is layered on top to make the dish, pure gluttonous heaven and a must have for all black forest cake, ice cream and chocolate sauce fans (basically the whole human world). My mouth waters even when I think of it. Only warning, it is a lot of dessert, so make sure you save space or have someone to share it with. Tomatos is a great place to go for a meal and is a must stop in any visit of mine to Ahmedabad.

A meal for two at Tomatos without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 600/-

How to get there: Tomatos is on CG Road, Navrangpura. It is near Mudra House. It should be identifiable by a large Tomato sign on the main road. You have to walk 10 m from the main CG Road to get to the restaurant.

Yoko's, Galleria, Powai

Yoko's along with Kobe's are the two 4 letter - well 5 letter word's which define Sizzler eating in Mumbai. I have gone from hating the Mumbai steak to accepting and even liking the preparations. I have a simple policy of always checking with the waiter if they serve rice or noodles with the steak and insisting that my sizzler is well clear of either - both of which in my mind renders the sizzler as a complete hotch potch mess without any semblance of harmony.

Yoko's in Galleria, Powai however was a throwback to the sizzlers I used to hate when I had initially moved to Mumbai. The restaurant has recently moved from one part of Galleria to another and seems to have left its decor and the quality of its food. The nice decor has been discarded and the new place is quite plain, which is disappointing but not necessarily bad. The food however has really dropped in quality and the well done Garlic steak that I had ordered was devoid of the essential juices that really are a must to a good sizzler. The quality of the meat was good enough but the serving was so dry that the last quarter of the meal was a bit of an effort. I may be comparing the experience to Kobe's and the earlier meals at Yoko's that I have had but, Why Not? Same price, Worse Decor and Worse food. Definitely a come down and not at all recommended. Powai is in need of a good Sizzler joint!

A meal for two at Yoko's without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 900/-

How to get there: Yokos is next to the food court in Galleria, Hiranandani, Powai.

TGI Friday's, Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel

TGI Fridays is one of the worlds most famous and iconic restaurant chains. Brand America is what it promises to deliver and it succeeds in every aspect. Good music, great music and decently good if slightly expensive food. The decor is unmistakable American, open bar, seating all the way around the bar and in small 4 seater tables, the look and feel exactly the same regardless of which branch of the chain you enter. Sometimes I wonder how they manage to achieve the level of consistency at all American restaurants.
TGI Fridays offers great starters and we were not disappointed with the order of Jalapeno poppers and Nachos with Spicy Chicken that we order. I am particularly a fan of Nachos and this preparation with a cover of minced chicken covered in cheese were very nice and were served in pretty decent quantity as well. The Jalapeno poppers were also very tasty though not nearly enough from the quantity perspective.
For main course we ordered Mexican food, the restaurant has apparently won the Times food guide award for the best Tex Mex restaurant and we decided to sample the fare. I ordered the Chicken Chimichangas. The first thing I noticed about the dish was the size of the preparation - It was enough to feed two people. The dish was really served on a very hot plate - so hot that the waiter could barely hold the dish for a long enough time to place it on the table. The chicken was wrapped in tortilla and soaked in cooked cheese, it tasted quite awesome with the tomato flavored sauce the chicken was cooked in combining delightfully with the melted cheese. There was also a bed of rice covered in some Guacamole sauce, sour cream and diced tomato. Very tasty but far too large for one person to finish. I drowned the meal in an interesting offer of unlimited regular Cold drinks for Rs 130/- which is a standard offer at the restaurant. Slightly expensive when you consider the offer standalone but decent comparing the prices at the restaurant.
Overall great food but at expensive prices. Once more typically American!
A meal for two at TGI Fridays without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 1300/-
How to get there: TGI Fridays is on the 2nd floor at Palladium Mall, Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel

Caravela, Taj Holiday Village, Candolim, Goa

Caravela is the 24 hour dining option at the Taj Holiday village situated at Candolim, Goa. We went there to get the 5 - star dining experience in Goa and were not disappointed. The best thing about the restaurant is the location within the property. The restaurant is situated right on the edge of the beach almost giving you the feeling of being on the sea. The decor is chic and comfortable, nice comfortable chairs and well spaced out table giving customers a sense of privacy. The Caravela is a great place to have a nice, long leisurely meal which is exactly what we had.

We started off with the Maharani Kebab Platter, interestingly the Kebab platters are named Maharaja and Maharani for non Vegetarian and Vegetarian. As we were with Vegetarian friends we decided to be nice and ordered the Maharani platter. The food was excellent and I loved the Corn, Aloo and Paneer Tandoor kebabs. For main course we each ordered a dish. I ordered the steamed fish with ginger and cilantro. There were three options for the fish - Snapper, Salmon or Pomfret and I went for the snapper. The fish was served on a bed of mashed potatoes and was nice but I realised that you had to let the taste of steamed fish grow on you. The later bites tasted far better once the palate had grown accustomed to the taste and the fine flavour of the ginger and cilantro working their magic on the fish. Overall a fantastic preparation. The dish was my first experience with steamed fish and will certainly not be my last.

I also had the opportunity to sample some of the Spaghetti Carbonara which was served with bacon. It was slightly on the drier side but quite clearly there was no compromise on quality with the burnt bacon and the cheese combining to create a rich and extremely delicious flavour.

My vegetarian friends were also raving about the Vegetable Biriyani which I steered clear from.

A meal for two at Caravela at the Taj Holiday Village in Candolim Goa without drink will cost you approximately Rs 1700/-

How to get there: The Taj Holiday Village is in Candolim and is in between the Fort Aguada and the Kingfisher Villa. The Caravela restaurant is quite a walk after you enter the hotel and is almost on the Arabian Sea.

Chalston, Calangute, Goa

The last time I was in Goa, we had an opportunity of sampling the food at the shack of Chalston Hotel. The decor is very basic but what really works is the view of the sea which is totally uninterrupted.

The food itself was decent without being spectacular. The menu contained a fair variety of Continental and Goan preparations. I tried out the Goan Pork Sausages which were ok but not a patch on what you get at Brittos. I also tasted a bit of Basil Prawns on a bed of butter rice which was quite nice. We had also gone with some Vegetarian friends who vouched for the quality of the Vegetable Stroganoff. Overall I would not recommend the food given the choice that Infantaria, Brittos and Souza Lobo offers - all 3 are in close proximity. If however you feel that you have enough of the spice and vinegar that Goan food offers, you can definitely go ahead and sample its more than decent and very reasonable Continental cuisine.
A meal for two at Chalston without drinks would cost you approximately Rs 500/-

How to get there: Slightly difficult to get there. The hotel is very near Cafe Infantaria at Calaungute. The locals would know the place as it has been there for a decently long time.

Cafe Infantaria, Calangute, Goa

If there is any place in Goa that really encapsulates all that makes Goa the place that you yearn to return year on year, it is Cafe Infantaria. I make that really controversial statement for the following three reasons:

1. Cafe Infantaria is renowned for its breakfast. Breakfast in usually the first meal that one has in Goa if one is travelling by rail, bus or air. Land in Goa, hit Cafe Infantaria and let Goa hit you with all of what it has to offer.

2. Cafe Infantaria is located in North Goa. There are takers of the 5 - stars of the South, there are lovers of the romance of Panjim, there are those who swear by the quaint Goan houses by the river in the interiors. I am sure all are very nice, but to me, because of the crowd, the drink and the food, North Goa is THE place to be and drink and eat.

3. 6 Pints of Beer for Rs 100 (the condition is that the food bill must be Rs 300/-). Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to Goa! Welcome to Cafe Infantaria!

Cafe Infantaria serves as an all day dining option and specialises in Breakfast. The breakfast options are a-la-carte and set meals. Among the set meal options they serve a Cafe Infantaria special and a Mini Breakfast. The menu described the Cafe Infantaria special to be a magnified version of the Mini Breakfast which options on what kind of egg preparations and some other options on meat. As I wanted to sample some of the a-la-carte options also I decided to go for the Mini Breakfast, the 'Mini' Breakfast serves buttered toast, two fried eggs sunny side up, some baked beans, around two decent sized bacon strips, one quite large fried sausage, tea/ coffee as per taste and orange juice. I managed to get through the 'Mini' breakfast and also found the energy to taste some Mushroom on Toast. It might have been the ambience and the fact that I was already a couple of beers down but I really though that the Mushroom on toast was the best that I have tasted in my life. Cooked with Garlic and a decent helping of oil, the Mushroom on toast was the highlight of the meal and given the competition it had to beat in the Mini Breakfast, that is quite an achievement. Welcome to Goa! Welcome to Cafe Infantaria!!

Of course our meal was washed down by the offer of 6 Pints or 3 Draft Cans for Rs 100/-. Apparently the offer is standard which makes Cafe Infantaria rise even higher in my eyes.

A meal for two at Cafe Infantaria without drinks should cost you approximately Rs 500/-

How to get there: Cafe Infantaria is on the main Calangute - Baga Beach Road. It is an institution in Goa and is impossible to miss.

Fusion 9, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

As against the Nawabi expectation from Hyderabad cuisine Fusion 9 clearly caters to a more cosmopolitan 21st century India. The restaurant is a pointer to Cyberabad, the IT city thriving with development and increasingly growing as a corporate hotbed of Modern India. The place is nice and chic with a nice ambiance, good music and comfortable seating.
We had gone there to catch up with some old friends and the setting was perfect for the occasion. The music was audible without being loud and the layout ensured that we did not feel that we were being overheard. After drinks we moved over to the main course of Steaks and Sizzlers. The preparations were tasty and the servings were adequate. The slightly funny event was at the time of placing the order when a friend of mine almost changed the order when the waiter asked thrice to confirm if the order was indeed that of lamb chops.
A meal for two at Fusion 9 without drinks will cost you Rs 500/-
How to get there: The restaurant is right next to the Apollo Hospital at Banjara Hill.

Pop Tates - The Unrestaurant, Ghatkopar

I have been a long serving loyalist of Pop Tates Mumbai and have visited 3 outlets of the joint, at Versova, Saki Naka and the latest one at Ghatkopar.
Pop Tates as the name suggests is modeled as an American style cafe. Lots of posters of Hollywood movies with the usual favorites Clint Eastwood and Marilyn Monroe adorning the walls. A large dummy beer pint bottle hanging from the ceilings. Muhammad Ali peering at you saying that he moves like a butterfly and stings like a bee. Good, typically American decor giving a warm and welcoming ambience.
The food - Pop Tates serves good continental and American food. Great steaks and sizzlers and decently good Lamb and Chicken Stroganoff. We ordered Chicken Stroganoff the last time we went and it was good as usual. My love for the Stroganoff stems from the great days spent at Tomatoes in Ahmedabad where the Stroganoff is made in brown sauce and is slightly spicier. The Stroganoff at Pop Tates is made in a lighter sauce and while I tend to prefer the browner version in my memories, the Pop Tates version is pretty good. The warning though is that Pop Tates has some disaster dishes notably the Biriyani which we once ordered. You may argue that the fault lay with us for ordering the same at an American cafe but they still have not knocked that off the menu! Same with the starters. The nachos are pretty decent at Pop Tates but our latest experiment with Batter Fry Butterfly Prawns back fired with the highlight of the dish being the sauce which accompanied the prawns. The dish was very unspectacular, seemed that the prawns were just fried in batter - no evident flavor at all.
We tried some interesting mocktails at Pop Tates. The combinations were pretty interesting with fruit juices, pulps, black salt and chillies available. My advice would be to try the same but avoid pulp mixes as it makes the drink too thick to really act as a compliment to the meal.
The only sour point at Pop Tates was the service. There is actually too much noise with the place being packed most of the time for the communication from the table to be always seen but that is a problem that needs working on. Overall however Pop Tates is a great place to visit and enjoy great food at a decent price.
How to get there: Pop Tates, Ghatkopar is on the private road connecting Powai to LBS Marg Ghatkopar. If you are coming from Powai. You need to take the road going uphill opposite to Galleria Mall and the KFC on the opposite side. You will come to a T crossing and take right. The right will force you to take the car through some iron gates leading to the private road. The road will take you through some swerves but there are no terms. After some inclines and swerves you will come out on a relatively straighter stretch leading up to LBS. Pop Tates is on the right before you reach LBS Marg. You will not need to take a turn after you hit the private road. If you come upon a T with a large Cafe Coffee Day in front you will know that you have missed it. Just take a U Turn and keep looking left.

Cafe Indigo, Andheri West

We went to Indigo Cafe on a lazy Saturday afternoon and it seemed just the right place. Although slightly difficult to locate the place is nice and welcoming. There are two different seating areas - firstly semis outdoors with the sides and top covered by opaque glass. The area was nice and sunny and we sat there. There was also an indoors option which we could peer through at through the glass partition. The feel is very casual and is typically suburban Mumbai. People seem to be casually chatting all around and everyone seems very comfortable. As is the case with most cafe's the menu is not really a large one but what they make, they seem to make decently well. I had the fillet beef steak which was recommended as being one of the best in Mumbai and the same did not disappoint. Great sauce and great mash potatoes. The quality of meat was inferior to what I had in South Africa but that is a wholly unfair comparison! The others at the table ordered Pasta - ok and Pork ribs which was served in humungous quantity. We also sampled some of their blackberry cheese cake for dessert which was quite nice. I would rate the food to be better that Salt Water Cafe but not as good as a mainstream restaurant. A great place to go during the day but I personally would prefer Salt Water Cafe by night.
One sour point - They forgot that we ordered a starter, having mixed the order up with one at another table and that is really bad.

A meal for two, without drinks at Cafe Indigo would cost you approximatley Rs 1400/-
How to get there: Cafe Indigo is on Vastu Heights lane in Lokhandwala. You need to drive towards Lokhandwala from Cinemax Andheri West. Go straight ahead past the Lohkandwala market. Do not enter the Lokhandwala Market. At the circle turn left. Do not take the first left - which is the Oh Calcutta left. Take the lane after the Oh Calcutta left, also on your left. You will see a signboard pointing towards the Vaastu Heights building and indicating the Vaastu Heights lane. Just drive along the road. Cafe Indigo will fall towards your left.

Salt Water Cafe, Bandra

Salt Water Cafe Bandra is well...very very Bandra...atleast for the common suburban Mumbai resident. Chic interiors, casual decor, uncovered wooden benches and tables which I have seen to be a common feature in most Bandra restaurants and of course the upmarket, trendy crowd creating a rather casual, typically Bandra ambience.
The food is good without being really memorable which is fine really as the food is not the prime reason for going to Salt Water Cafe. Salt Water Cafe lives up to the promise of giving you the right ambience for an evening out with friends. We were a largish group of eleven people and were able to sample a decent variety of the fare. The Cafe has a set menu with not too many food options. The wine list easily outdoes the food menu. There was a decent vegetarian population among us and we had a lot of veg food on the table, both starters and main course. The highlight of the starters was the Feta Cheese with Olives and the Sea Food Crab Cakes. The cheese is served in a smallish jar and is really nice - it serves as a great accompaniment to your drink. The crab cakes were pretty tasty even though the quantity served was pretty small. For mains we had ordered among us Risottos, Pasta and servings of Salmon. I ordered a serving of salmon which was good but the quantity was too small to act as a main course. Luckily for me the risottos were actually too much for a single person and I could have my fill. The risottos were a little bit too creamy and cheesy for my liking. I also sampled some traditional pasta with tomatoes and olives, which my vegetarian friend claimed to be the best amongst Italian joints in Mumbai but I cannot corroborate that as I did not want to have seconds. While the vegetarians are a rather under privileged lot - I am sure they can do better.:)
I just realised that the blog has been rather harsh but seriously the food is fine. It is just not a patch on the Italian cuisine you get in other places in Mumbai. So do go to Salt Water Cafe. Go there to have reasonable food in a great ambience. Go there with lots of good company. Go there to get some typically Bandra eye - candy. The only sour point in terms of ambience was that our table was close to the door and due to the crowd, it was getting slightly hot, but I guess were just slightly unlucky.
A meal for two at Salt Water Cafe without drinks will cost you Rs 2000/-
How to get there: If you are coming from the eastern suburbs, take the Western Express highway and use the Lilavati Hospital exit. Go right around the hospital and keep following the road. You will see a natural right which the cars going towards Bandra take. The Salt Water Cafe will fall on your left soon enough.

Kobe Sizzlers

When I think of sizzlers, it invariably brings back memories of Calcutta's Peter Cat. When the dish was served it invariably meant that your table was the cynosure of all eyes in the restaurant. The hissing noise ensuring that all small talk at tables were temporarily suspended as the dish descended on your table. With the steak houses in Mumbai however, that bit of having a sizzler is extinct as everyone around you is having the same dish. The taste is however as good as it tasted in Peter Cat and the variety is a lot more, although you have to order the right one. Kobe's incidentally is in my opinion one of the best the city has to offer.

For the uninitiated, having a sizzler in Mumbai might be a harrowing experience. A fancy sounding order might have you floundering in the smoke to find your plate overloaded with rice, sauce and cheese. Yes... You do get these disasters and some people actually like them. Be sure to follow these Golden rules

1. Always ask what will be served along with the meat

2. In case they venture rice or noodles, always insist on replacing the same with french fries or mashed potatoes (they usually comply, if they refuse please ask them to leave out the rice in any case)

If you do the above, you will be served a pretty well made sizzler. The preparation is usually well done by default (i think they allow you to ask for rare/ medium rare but I have not really asked). I usually choose the satellite without cheese and sour cream as I am very fond of mushrooms. The shashlik, garlic and pepper sauce versions however are all very good. Last time we went we also sampled a steak bun. The steak bun is actually a mini burger (non sizzler) and is pretty tasty, I would recommend it if you fancy something light or want to share the same as a starter. I would also ask you to order the Ice Tea at Kobe's which goes very well with the sizzler.

Overall a good meal, with large quantities of meat. You will need effort to get back to work after this!

A meal for two at Kobe's without drinks, will cost you approximately Rs 650/-

How to get there: Kobe's is on Andheri Kurla Road, near the Saki Naka signal. It is on the right if you are travelling from the Western Express to Saki Naka.