Much-needed Mee time

Rendang tenderloin

Food: Flavourful
Ambience: festive
Service: Prompt
Cost: Reasonable
Verdict: 1.5/4

Buried under the explosion of Asian eateries that opened in Mumbai throughout last year and this year so far, we were keen to return to some of the standout spaces, like Nasi and Mee, since we had warm memories of the first outing.

Malak chicken

So, when we step in on a Monday evening, we are surprised to find it almost empty. That is, till we see the table of 12 celebrating a 60th birthday, and a flurry of take-aways. We begin with a prawn har gow (Rs 280 for four) - a traditional Cantonese dumpling served in a steamer basket, salmon cream cheese roll (Rs 390 for four) and California roll (Rs 635 for eight). As we soak in the classic rock playlist, interjected by a round of Happy Birthday, possibly at the behest of the seniors who are swaying to the music, the har gow is served. We dig in, trying combinations with the three variants of sauces - a hot chilli one, milder schezwan and peanut. The delicate shell of the har gow contains juicy bits of succulent prawn, and as we devour the portion quickly, we realise they have tackled the tricky part about seafood dumplings and its variants pretty well. The shell needs to be done completely right so that the prawn bits don't spill out or puncture it, while also making sure there's enough filling.

Salmon cream cheese roll

The sushi is served almost instantly, and we begin with the salmon cream cheese variant, which is exactly how we remember it - creamy bites with huge chunks of Norwegian salmon and a smattering of capers, with a hint of avocado that does more for the texture than flavour. The California roll retains its crunch and rather big bites of succulent crab and cucumber. Unfortunately, even their in-house soy sauce has retained its high salt levels, which we are reminded of after our first bite.

Prawn har gow

For mains, we skip the noodles, and order the malak chicken (Rs 390) and rendang tenderloin (Rs 635). The former is their in-house version of schezwan sauce chicken that packs a punch with every bite, and we can eat it with the jasmine rice that the rendang is served with. The Indonesian spicy red meat is heavier on the coconut flavours than we remember; still, it's not a complaint despite not being fans of the ingredient standing out in a dish.

California roll

But here, it cuts the heat in a subtle manner and makes the dish creamier, ideal to be eaten with the fragrant rice. The fact that it's not a fried dish but slow-cooked is apparent when we realise that the entire portion is polished off in quick time, though the chicken doesn't quite make the cut. But this isn't due to the lack of flavours. This dish is better suited as a bar snack, with bits of greens peeking out, making sure you have something to follow up the meaty bites with. The rendang brings with it the familiar flavour of the Kerala beef fry that we haven't been able to find in the city.

The Guide first reviewed Nasi and Mee in October 2019. We conduct select, anonymous follow-ups to assess maintenance of standards

Too stuffed to order desert, we pack up the remaining sushi - and yes, it stays just fine in the fridge overnight and we devour it for brekkie the next morning. They even pack their soy sauce in a small box. The birthday party on the only occupied table also comes to an end, probably because it's nearing closing time. We'll be back to explore their menu more, though we already have our favourites.

Time 12 pm to 11 pm
At Nasi and Mee, Unit F 6, first floor, The Orb, Marol, Andheri East.
Call 50646292

Food review rating: 4/4 EXCEPTIONAL, 3/4 EXCELLENT, 2/4 VERY GOOD, 1/4 GOOD, 0.5/4 AVERAGE

Nasi and Mee didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates