China Gate, Global Fusion, Bandra, Mumbai

Global Fusion is a place I have been to a number of times and is a place that I always love going back to. The place provides a combination of Japanese fare with some other South East Asian influences that cater to most palates and covers most bases on mine. The place also offers one of the more unique culinary experiences in the city with multiple counters providing all - you - can - eat food options. The options are so plentiful and the array of delicacies so overwhelming that one would need at least two visits to sample all the food properly. But then, if you make one visit to China Gate, Global Fusion, you will keep coming back.

The decor at China Gate is very nice, the seating area is large and comfortable, you see a number of waiters milling about but the service is not very good at all. They have yet to work out the operations and in my experience the food is inconsistent apart from the self serve options.

There are four buffet areas at China Gate Global Fusion, the first and my favourite area is the sashimi and sushi area. The range is mind blowing and the options range from lobster to eel to smoked salmon. They also have a vegetarian option. Dips of wasabi, ginger and soy are available and best of all is the fact that one can go on eating unless ones appetite is satiated or one is tempted to try out the other options.

The second area is one of the features of the restaurant and resembles an open kitchen which is surrounded by one dish each placed with an open bowl. The concept is to place pegs with your table number (found at your table - ref pic) in the open bowl in front of the dishes to indicate your interest at sampling. The offering range from a whole host of dim sums to fried food and teppanyaki preparations. Here is where the service at Global Fusion becomes wonky with large variations in quantity and arrival time with what you order and what you get. Often what you order does not arrive at your table at all. The saving grace is that whatever you receive at your table is truly delectable and great to eat!

The third section is a regular buffet with counters which serves the staple fried rice, chow mien and regular Chinese fare of fish, chicken and prawns in black bean, oyster and XO sauces - good to eat but in my mind a distant second fiddle to the first two sections. I guess the restaurant needs the section for the less adventurous foodie but if you listen to my advice, you will steer clear and save your appetite.

The 4th section is the dessert counter with a few sweet cake options repleted with a Baskin Robbins ice cream counter, the same is a big hit with the kids but disappoints me slightly as i have never found good chocolate ice cream variations which I am completely partial to as far as ice cream is concerned. The flavour I choose is usually coffee but there are usually 5 to 6 options for the ice cream connoisseur.

If that was not all the offer comes with unlimited soft drinks though alcohol has to be ordered and paid for separately. Needless to say China Gate Global Fusion is highly recommended for South East Asian food with a largely Japanese influence. The only blemish from a food perspective would have to be the absence of pork from a single dish which is not served for religious reasons.

A meal for two at Global Fusion without hard drinks would cost you approximately Rs 1700/- on weekdays and Saturdays and Rs 2200/- on Sundays. I have lately visited on Sundays but am given to understand that the spread remains the same.

How to get there: China Gate Global Fusion is just off Linking Road, Bandra West. Its on the lane right beside KFC. Its on the 4th floor above Mumbai Times Cafe.

Shiro, Worli, Mumbai

Shiro is one of the few restaurants in Mumbai offering a Teppanyaki experience and that fact by itself makes it a definite "do" in a Mumbai foodies list. For the uninitiated teppanyaki is effectively translated from Japanese to iron plate "teppan" cooking "yaki". That effectively means searing, grilling, frying meat and yes, the occasional vegetables on a hot iron plate and if that was not enough, teppanyaki is also about performance. The chef in Teppanyaki is supposed to keep the diner entertained as food is savoured and that could include knives being whirled, spice holders being juggled and food being moved from one end of the hot pan to the other as it is being perfectly cooked. Shiros offers you all this and most importantly superb quality food.

Shiros is a top end fine dining restaurant and the decor and the service exude that feeling. I felt like I was entering a pyramid as I walked into Shiros, a huge imposing statue greeted us around two stories high as we were led to one of the chic seating areas. A very very nice ambiance. We were later led up to the 2nd floor which hosts the Teppanyaki table.

The service was prompt and attentive as expected. The only issue was that we had not mentioned that we wanted the Teppanyaki table so make sure you mention that while making the booking. There is only one Teppanyaki table at Shiros which can seat around 15 people and we had to wait around till a birthday party of 15 got over. The upside was that we got to view the chefs performance twice over!

We waited for our turn at the Teppanyaki table while sampling fantastic Miso soup and a salad of zucchini, bell peppers and mushrooms. The servings were part of the Teppanyaki meal where you have to select a main course of your choice which comes with the soup, salad and dessert thrown in. There was some smart service offered as we were ordering the pork, the waiter said that he would check if the highest quality pork was the one that was received and came back with the assurance. He returned saying that it was available which gave us the feeling that the best quality protien was being cooked with. Shiro also has a set menu of dumplings and sushi which we have decided to definitely sample at a future date.

The Miso soup was fantastic, miso is a traditional Japanese stock which consists of a stock, mixed with miso paste which is a traditional seasoning. The miso we were served had fresh ingredients like mushroom, tofu and combu leaves served with it. The taste was delightful with a strong essence of sea food from the stock. Some people at our table thought the smell of the sea was a bit too strong but I personally loved it. The salad was also fantastic and the mushrooms specially were beautifully spiced with a strong soya sauce essence that I absolutely loved.

As we were eating we also took in the acrobatics of the chef, the highlight apart from the swish and sharpening of the knives, were twirling the meat cutter and breaking the egg in mid air with the aid of a knife. I have seen more Teppanyaki stunts on TV but what I saw pretty much took my breath away. The added fun parts were throwing some dummy eggs at the audience for fun and some pretty neat card tricks on the side to keep the audience entertained. The chef was friendly as well and told us he was Fillipino as what life is like for him in Mumbai.
Finally it was our turn at the Teppanyaki and we were first served some egg fried rice cooked right in front of us. The broken egg fits in as the chef is cooking this part of the meal. Then the mains were cooked as per order which in my case was tenderloin and shrimps. Fantastic quality meat and excellently cooked, apparently the usual spice used in Teppanyaki is peanut butter but the chef at Shiro has sufficiently altered the same to suit the Indian spicy palate. The flavours were strong and the food very tasty, what made it better was undoubtedly the fact that it was cooked in front of us with a flourish and was obviously hot and spicy.

After our meal we were also served chocolate mud pie for dessert as we were regaled with the chef's magic tricks. Apparently he stays up at night and learns the tricks from the Internet!

A truly fantastic experience for both the foodie and the theatre lover - from an experience perspective alone, Shiro is a must do for people wanting to experience a slice of Japanese food in Mumbai. Highly recommended!

A meal for two at Shiro without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 3000/-

How to get there: Shiro is at the Bombay Dyeing Mills compound in Worli which also houses Hardrock cafe. If you are travelling from the Eastern Express Highway from Kurla, you have to take a right under the ITC flyover towards Lower Parel. After you drive towards the west you should be able to find enough people to guide you towards Bombay Dyeing.