Game on

Whatever I am still fabulousrdquo reads a neonlit sign above the fourlane transparent bowling alley It is as though Game Palacio is trying its best to shrug off the remnants of its former avatars as the shortlived Club Royalty and more recently as a restobar called Drop Speaking of lsquodroprsquo a black and gold staircase at the ground level deposits us into the bowels of the cavernous Art Decoinspired underground space We feel wellinsulated from the pandemic blues and the torrential July rain that is raging aboveClaiming to be Indiarsquos first upscale boutique bowling and gaming arcade along with being a finedining restaurant and nightclub whenever evening dining and entertainment is back Game Palacio is the brainchild of restaurateur Suved Lohia who has future plans to introduce similar such iterations across IndiaThe gaming arcade has classics like PacMan PicsShadab KhanRusty as we are both at bowling and arcade games we bring along reinforcements in the form of a couple of 18yearolds to help us do justice to the experience As it happens to be a dry day we start off with a refreshing sugarfree mandarin and pineapple pulpbased mandarin delight mocktail Rs 395 that hits the spot along with slices of a pricey MiddleEastern piddestyle seafood flatbread pizza Rs 745 This one is studded with juicy morsels of prawn John Dory fish and squid rings in a cheesy marinara sauceWe nosh on this tasty snack at a plush red velvet booth alongside our designated lane Here a single round of bowling starts at Rs 800 note This cost is per set of 10 bowling attempts per player for 15 minutes For a 45minute and hourlong set pricing begins at Rs 6000 and Rs 8000 respectively for as many as 10 players A bowling butler quickly disinfects the balls between each round when we ask if gloves are an option we are told that it will cause the ball to slip when heldTruffle and mushroom burgerTaking a short break we plop ourselves onto the tealcoloured high chairs in the main black and gold decorated dining space as our table is laden with a few small plates that we call for from the QR codescanned menu The soft shell crab tempura Rs 545 served with a wasabigoat cheese mousse though perfectly made is a tad let down by a cloyingly sweet sriracha aioli Each bite of the fragrant truffle and mushroom cheese burger Rs 545 ensconced in a pillowy soft bun is an ambush of flavours ably partnered with cajun spice dusted fries With its sophisticated taste and presentation the baked camembert cheese Rs 775 that comes with multigrain toast points and balsamicglazed veggies is a hit with us and the otherwise pizzaobsessed teens alikeSeafood flatbread pizzaReminding us of the noisy pachinko parlours that dot Tokyorsquos Akihabara gaming district the brightlylit games arcade mdash tucked away at the back end of the space mdash is a gamerrsquos paradise Starting at Rs 80 per game one can play to their heartrsquos content with games like Tomb Raider and Super Swirl along with cult classics like PacMan and To Tha Net Here too attendants are quick to disinfect each game console after we are done with them mdash a touch we both appreciate and feel reassured by in such timesKing passion mocktailWith limited tummy space left for mains we share a delicious charcoal chicken risotto Rs 625 served with a creamy butter ragout that is an authentic Italian feast with the al dente arborio rice shining through Pity we canrsquot say the same for the stodgy tasteless and overpriced smoked charcoal flan Rs 495Another wellmade mocktail king passion Rs 395 assuages us with the dragon fruit cubes and bursting passion fruit seeds making for tart satisfaction Enough for us to decide to be back here for round two of almost everythingTime 11 am to 4 pmAt Game Palacio Krystal Building below Hakkasan Waterfield Road Bandra WestCall 7208862231