This new Bandra eatery blends old school nostalgia with new-age fare for a perfect vibe

Ras el hanout kunafa prawns

A new resto-bar called Short Stories will open tomorrow on Linking Road in Khar, in the space where Once Upon a Dine once stood. F&B entrepreneurs Suraj and Anisha Bajaj have partnered with industry veterans Gaurav Dabrai (remember Copa?) and Rihad Mistry - who gave the city nightclubs like Athena and Tryst - to give the suburbs a bit of a kitsch-meets-retro vibe, as we were to find out.

From the get-go, the walls are a psychedelic canvas [read: Ghetto, Toto's Garage] - beginning with a colourful spray-painted wall and light installations along the vertical stretch of al fresco. Inside, a row of bar seatings has a subdued mood, if not for a mural of Jim Morrison reimagined as Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man on the ceiling.

The space is a colourful spectacle of oddball wall art. Frida Kahlo dons headphones, the late Queen Elizabeth II dons a Freddie Mercury jacket, while God and Adam from Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel share a doobie. Tabletops have board game prompts like ludo and sequence. A corner will stack a few popular board and card games too.

Beet carpaccio

"In the lockdown, we began to help F&B entrepreneurs make relevant changes, to upscale their businesses. Tweaking a few basic practices elevates the experience of a menu and space," says Dabrai. The décor is in-your-face and can be all-consuming, but we got used to it after a while.

The menu is a mix of old and new, offering nostalgia and modern comfort. We begin with a permit room favourite, kung pao chicken with crushed cashews (Rs 400), and a Gymkhana-style paneer chilli (Rs 320) has a crisp outer coating and a tender bite inside. It reminded us of our childhood when it was a staple after swimming sessions at Juhu Club.

On the other hand, a plate of beet carpaccio comes with avocado, a ball of burrata with a tart reduction and candied nuts (Rs 420), which caters to the demands of the modern palate. Some seasoning, and the reduction would have packed in a stronger punch. The standout dishes include khow suey (Rs 640) served in fettuccine pasta. The curried coconut sauce is creamy and fragrant. The condiments have been turned into a Burmese balachaung of fried onions, garlic, ginger, chillies and crushed peanuts.

Khow suey served in fettuccine pasta

Ras el hanout kunafa prawns (Rs 610) has a fried vermicelli draping that is a perfect snack to go with drinks. The offbeat tikki is in the form of seared edamame cakes with a kimchi mayo and seaweed (Rs 480). For new-age eaters, who prefer vegan and keto-friendly fare, there's kimchi loco moco (Rs 700), mock meat on a bed of spiced edamame rice. The rice is served with a fermented and fiery gochujang-honey sauce. Mix it well, or it can be too salty. The hot pineapple chutney adds a tart sweetness to balance the flavours.

Elco-holic anonymous

The drinks are clean and not overly sweet. We'd have finished the elco-holic anonymous (Rs 539) and ordered a few more rounds if it wasn't a lunchtime visit. This tequila, house chaat and green chilli concoction will give pani puri vendors a run for their pani. On the other hand, mellow drama (Rs 539) that included gin, lavender rosso, cream and egg white was a smooth and fruity joyride. Meanwhile, & she said nothing (Rs 539) comes with bourbon, fragrant rosemary and freshly squeezed orange and cranberry, topped with egg white. Palatable and light, we like that not all whisky cocktails need to be a heady reminder of the alcohol.

This wall art features a trio of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and George Clooney dressed as bourgeois men. The murals have been executed by artist Sagar Jadhav. "My brother teaches English in the slums and lesser developed areas. He requested me to encourage Jadhav because he noticed that he displayed massive talent, and we didn't want him to take up an office job," says Dabrai. Pics/Ashish Raje

The menu has our favourite OG dessert - chocolate brownie with vanilla drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with caramel popcorn (Rs 460), but it doesn't live up to the presentation in a glass with an edible movie ticket, as the chocolate brownie is too dense.

Short Stories
Opens: October 18
At: Ground floor, plot no. 712, Bajaj Niwas, opposite Only Parathas, Linking Road, Khar; 12 pm to 12 am
Call: 8433906854