25 August,2010 06:34 AM IST | | Anjana Vaswani
The crest on the facade of this restaurant and the dimly lit interiors may lead you to believe that you've stumbled into The Three Broomsticks from the Harry Potter universe. That is until, you look at the menu
There's not much to do in South Mumbai, apart from eating.
With the neighbourhood's sole bowling alley closing down, we were left with the following options: Watch a movie, hang out at a sports club (if you're privileged enough to be a member) or go for a walk on the Marine Drive promenade.
So, when we found a brand new place to eat that's equipped with a superb chef that serves some of the best Indian food in town, we had reason and more to cheer.
The servers, though, are misfits inside this painstakingly furnished space. "Everything here has been sourced from bazaars," informs proprietor Sameer Barabde, attempting to explain the restaurant's name as he leads us past a colossal Buddha and up a pretty, spiral, wrought iron staircase to the mezzanine.
The low-ceilinged area is surprisingly spacious, equipped with ample white leather seats and a Jaipur-cabinet-turned-DJ-station that can be booked for a minimum of 30 persons for "Rs 400 to Rs 800 per head, depending on the menu, naturally".
Downstairs, wood dominates the dimly lit area. Metal cowbells of varying sizes and coloured-glass lanterns lie suspended from the ceiling. A bulky, ornately carved wooden door mounted on a wall opposite the bar seems to defy gravity.
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"We wanted to source unique bazaar-furniture and to fuse eclectic elements into the decor here," says Barabde. An elaborate wooden swing that has been converted into a two-seater sofa, towards the end of the room, evidences his claim.
While flipping through the menu, we realise that the uniqueness of the restaurant is not restricted to its decor. Several dishes are interesting variations on the norm.
Take, for instance, the Murgh Chandi Kabab, a mouth-watering, Varak-adorned, the Reshmi Kabab variation that's roasted to tender perfection after being marinated in cheese and cream (Rs 250); the Karkare Palak (Rs 60), a scrumptious spinach chaat that proves more than filling;the superlative Limbuwale Jheenge (Rs 300) and the rather spicy Murgh Rajasthani (Rs 250), which is a recommendation.
The Yakhni Shorba, a Kashmiri meat broth (Rs 80) was impressive and is a welcome treat on a cold, rainy day. The Chicken Makhanwala is reasonably sweet and prepared with just the right amount of spice. The only disappointment was the Gulab Jamun (Rs 100).
Though nice, it simply dissolved in the mouth, robbing us the opportunity to savour the jamun's usually spongy texture. All in all, we had little reason to complain as our experience leaves us with a pretty good taste in the mouth.
AT 105, Apollo Street, Mumbai Samachar Marg, near Old Custom House, Fort. Call 65152020/ 65151010
Fort Bizarre didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for its meals.
