28 July,2013 05:38 AM IST | | Dhiman Chattopadhyay
When a pub is nearly full on a Tuesday evening, you know that the owners are on to a good thing. Three Wise Men (TWM), which opened late last year has just come up with a fun new menu full of exciting Mexican items and believe-it-or-not "healthyu00a0cocktails."
Located at the junction of Juhu and Santacruz, just off Linking Road, the very British pub is fairly packed with men and women of all ages -- some a part of noisy groups, others quietly enjoying a romantic date -- when we land up a little after 9 pm.
The Fettuccine with Fresh Jalapeno and Herbed Chicken was superb
We've been here before and love the wooden finish of the pub, the large clock, the old London telephone booths and the typical Brit pub look. Tonight it even sports a few fluttering British flags -- after all a heir to the throne has arrived.u00a0But we are here to taste the new menu the food and the cocktails and also try out some of the completely insane games they host on Tuesdays.
We start with a Mexican bowl with braised chicken, (Rs 270), pairing it with a Mandarin Melody. The brightly coloured cocktail has a liberal dose of vodka, fresh Malta orange, lemongrass, fresh mint and sweet & sour mix (Rs 595). The Mexican bowl comes with kidney beans, bell peppers, long-grained rice and a dollop of sour cream. It is light, tasty and can easily be sharedby two people, especially if you plan on having a full dinner here.
Mandarin Melody at Three Wise Men
We try the Basil and Thyme Martini next (vodka, fresh basil & thyme, sweet and sour mix all packed in for Rs 375). Now what is this a healthy drink in particular, we wonder? "Because it has basil and thyme. It's good for health," the smiling bar manager tells us. We nod sagely. It does taste extra special on a rainy evening. We pair this with a plate of the TWM wild wings (Rs 375), a slightly extra-spicy take of the popular bar snack.
We are told that the pastas and pizzas are a big hit at TWM, so we try the Fettuccine with Fresh Jalapeno and Herbed Chicken, (Rs 390), their version of the popular Aglio Olio. Tossed in olive oil and fragrant with herbs, we strongly recommend this pasta. It's cooked just right, firm to the bite yet not too hard.
The chicken pieces are also cooked well, and there is enough numbers to satisfy even a fussy client. We end with the spicy Piccante pizza, (Rs 625), the classic pepperoni thin crust. If you opt for the pizza towards the end of your meal, like we do, you can also order pizza by the slice. This helps, because you can then choose different flavours, if pepperoni is too heavy for you.
Unfortunately, there are no dessert items in the menu yet. Perhaps with the array of alcohol available, this is a wise decision taken by the three wise men who own the... wellâ¦Three Wise Men!
But hang on, there's more. Every Tuesday TWM host Beer Pong and board game nights, where clients happily knock down a dozen plastic cups on a ping-pong table to win beers. Dart, Taboo and other games are on the house too. "Tuesdays are beer-pong and board games nights, and the crowd picks up post-11 pm, when we start off with the games.
Wednesdays are expat nights and Mondays are karaoke nights," explains Pratik Parekh, one of the three wise men. It is evident that TWM is more geared to tackle late evening patrons, but the place is also open for lunch, just in case you want to grab a sandwich or a burger (all priced under Rs 300) or maybe, sneak in a beer.
One word of caution: If you are drinking beyond the permissible limit for driving, there are enough public transport options right outside the venue. Not deterred? The Santa Cruz police station is right opposite TWM. Be warned.
The experience cannot be rated as it was a preview.
