Dine like a Mughal prince

Candle Grill is a desi foodie's haven with an extensive menu for seafood and meat lovers. Head to the restaurant for a long and luxurious meal

Candle Grill is a desi foodie's heaven with an extensive menu for seafood and meat lovers. Head to the restaurant for a long and luxurious meal

Curry lovers will find solace in Oshiwara's newest restaurant, Candle Grill. The place serves authentic desi cuisine combined with succulent seafood. The food is committed to preserving culinary tastes that a Mughal prince would appreciate. A word of caution though, you might find the ambience a bit off-putting, since the place looks like a hookah-style lounge gone wrong. Nonetheless, what they lose in ambience and d ufffdcor, they make up for in service and taste.

Tom & Jerry Mocktail and Prawns Tawa Fry. Pics/Rane Ashish

The mocktail section caught our fancy with an interesting drink called Tom & Jerry (Rs 90). It is a light medley of pineapple juice and virgin blue Curacao with energising amounts of Sprite -- very refreshing, tangy and sweet. For trivia fans, the original Tom and Jerry is an American cocktail that is a variant of eggnog with brandy and rum added and served hot, usually in a mug or a bowl.

The Prawns Fry (Rs 500) was a perfectly saut ufffded grilled starter. Fresh jumbo prawns spiced and stir-fried to perfection with just a dash of green chillies, pepper and garlic paste. Also, the head armour on all the shrimps was very hard, a sign that the catch wasu00a0 fresh. Sadly, the exorbitant price (for eight pieces) might deter most patrons. The Bombil Fry (Rs 190) was nice and crunchy. Coated with rawa and marinated with a chilli-garlic paste, red chilli powder and garam masala, this melt-in-the-mouth dish left us craving for more. For the vegetarians, the Paneer Lasooni (Rs 150) is an unconventional twist to the traditional paneer curry with delectable garlic flavouring, served crisp and tender. Cooked in a yogurt-based gravy, this one will definitely inspire numerous culinary fans.

If you'd like to indulge in a true meat fest, then the Nalli Nihari (Rs 220) is a treat for the taste buds.u00a0 Cooked on dum, this dish is a meticulous combination of plenty of spices (nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, mace, wheat flour, cumin, black pepper, Indian bay leaf, ghee, crushed garlic and finely chopped onions). Candle Grill gets it right, and accompanied with a paratha (Rs 40), this dish is a must try.

At 4/5, Vaibhav Palace, opposite
Mega Mall, Oshiwara Link Road, Andheri (W).
Call 26396100 / 26396200 / 26396300 / 9833565659

Candle Grill didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for meals.