26 August,2011 07:55 AM IST | | Aditi Sharma
Teething troubles aside, Powai's Out Of The Blue could be your best bet to end a work-crazed day with a connoisseur's margarita while humming to Rock and country music
Whoever proclaimed, "familiarity breeds contempt," was not living in these unpredictable times. Surely, s/he did not witness the skies schizophrenically turn grumbling gray, minutes after the sun was shining. Neither did s/he have to stare glumly at the license plate of the same vehicle while being stuck in a traffic jam for hours.
u00a0
OTB Crack Pepper Fondue Pics/Sameer Markande
Certainly, s/he did not suffer guilt pangs from not knowing whether to support a social movement of national importance because getting all the facts right can be a cumbersome job. There are many other reasons (including one which makes us feel rather old) that familiarity does not feel all that bad, a reflection that is perhaps why we were a happy bunch when we exited Out Of The Blue's (OTB) new set up
at Powai.
Beginning from the beginning, however, would be the right thing to do. So, the first thing that cheered us was meeting the owner of Deliciae Patisserie (yes, it's the same pastry shop that makes the splendid Banofee for OTB's Bandra sibling). They opened shop last Sunday and promise to start serving coffee until
1 am soon. Yay!
We carried the good cheeru00a0 into the dimly-lit restaurant and chose to plonk ourselves in the low seating area.
We were glad (initially) because we got the best view of the tiny performance space. The artists for the evening were singers-cum-musicians, Nigel and Shalmali. Drench-ed in groovy light, the two youngsters covered all-time favourite sing-alongs by Pink Floyd and John Denver. We did what was expected of us -- sang along, cheered and hooted -- to encourage the two while waiting for our drinks and fondue to arrive.
OTB has an appealing appetiser menu. Dishes like Barbeque Calamari and Chilli Lime Prawnsu00a0 piqued our interest but the temptation of a cheesy pot of fondue was hard to resist. As a result, the OTB Crack Pepper Fondue (Rs 535) was called for, along with the White Wine Sangria (Rs 350), a Melon Mojito (Rs 375) and a Don Julio Margarita (Rs 495). The Sangria, with tiny bits of juicy pineapple complimented the gooey, creamy and super cheesy fondue. They didn't have the Melon Liqueur, so we settled for a regular (read: not-so-potent) Mojito. The waiter also jumbled our request for a Don Julio Anejo Margarita, which is supposed to be 'liquid gold', with the Don Julio Margarita, which simply offered a world-class margarita experience. The drink was heady as a margarita should be, so we didn't complain.
To counter the cheese, we called for the Grecque Salad (Rs 265). The crunchy salad, with lots of leafy greens, fewer tomatoes and olives, and barely any raisins was topped with the healthier feta cheese. But it was hardly filling so we called for the Chicken in Lemon Sauce (Rs 385) and Grilled Breast of Chicken in Cream Cheese Sauce (Rs 375). Barbequed to perfection the Grilled Breast of Chicken, with a filling of spinach, paired well with the cheese sauce. Perhaps, the chicken in the other dish should have been left out to thaw a bit longer. Apart from this, the dish was good. We liked that the waiter offered to get us a fresh dish, if we weren't satisfied.
Towards the end, we were bursting at the seams and getting rather uncomfortable on the cramped diwan-style couches but the dessert had to be tried. They were out of the Banofee but the Belgian Chocolate Cake (Rs 230) was rich and gooey though a tad expensive. Next time we head here, we'll ensure that the Banofee is kept aside beforehand, and we'll insist on a table in the courtyard. We will return, for sure.
At First floor, next to Westside, Haiko Mall, Central Avenue, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai. CALL 25717344
Out of the Blue didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
