I have tried Smoque a couple times over the past year. The burgers feel average and the portion sizes are rather small. The “complimentary fries” work out to five to eight pieces per burger and packed with burger itself. I have had more fries from far more places than I can care to remember along with my sandwiches. The Burgers I tried were :       BBQ Cheese Burger – The Menu picture looks significantly more loaded than the burger I received(See my picture) Thin layer of sausages with cheese sauce. Can use more sausage, Jalapenos and Lettuce. The flavor was a very generic crunc ..read more

There was this one episode in a satirical TV show where central characters manage to get into a fancy uptown restaurant only to be disappointed by the overly expensive minuscule portions of tasteless food. Runaway project which tries to bankroll on the "goodwill" of its parent concern PizzaExpress is a real world example of that satire. Located in the noisy second floor of the new Skyzone wing in the Phoenix mall complex, this restaurant has a classy lounge like ambiance where any notion of classiness fades away due to the deafening loud music that they play. Apparently, there is a competiti ..read more

Food festivals and special themed menus need no introductions. Every week, there are many food events all over Mumbai. However, your time and resources are still limited and precious so it literally pays to know which festivals and places to attend and which to skip. I usually share my recommendations about festivals on my Instagram these days since it connects faster to an audience who may not have time to read a post like this. However, I want to chronicle my experience regarding the Paper Pot festival menu at the ITC Grand Central over here. I want this memory to remain in the universe. S ..read more

El Toro Cantina may sound Spanish due to its obvious naming and it does use the two words most Indians associate with Spanish. Cantina however is a term rarely heard of in India, I first heard of it in the 90s while watching Star Wars -  a New Hope. A Cantina in Mexico or Spain usually serves drinks and small plates or Tapas. Literally, it could mean an equivalent of a canteen or a mess. However El Toro Cantina is a mix of a cantina, a sophisticated cafe and a fine dine. It had a pleasant ambiance which felt very European in decor. Thankfully, it hadn't used any annoying stereotyped cul ..read more

There is this Manga or Japanese comic strip that I read called One Piece. In it a character named Sanji is shown as a runaway Prince serving as a cook on board a ship Captained by the protagonist. The author of course has employed an adventurous fantasy. But fantasy sometimes does become real. Chef Akshraj Jodha, a descendant of Rao Akheraj of the Akheraj dynasty in Rajasthan would technically be a Prince. A Prince of Chefs who brought amazing food from the House of Akheraj. The Rajasthani food festival was one of many food festivals held at the ITC Grand Central. I will be honest, Mumbai's t ..read more

Olio could mean a lot of things. It could mean Oil in Italian, Cooking pot in Latin or even a Spanish stew. But one thing is certain, it serves good food and that is in agreement with all of the above. Located at Novotel Juhu, Olio is the classy western fine dine for those interested in an authentic western meal in a refined environment. Like Square next door which is Novotel's general purpose Buffet restaurant or the famed Chinese restaurant Sampan, Olio offers the guest a unique culinary experience. I was part of a large chef's table that saw bloggers from around the town sample the food a ..read more

Mango, India's favorite food has the effect of driving the majority of the Indian population wild. As soon as the mango season begins, people crowd up at fruit stores buying them like hotcakes. Actually in India, one must say that hotcakes sell like mangoes. I proudly declare that I am not in that majority. Nope, the fruit's presence or absence doesn't affect me. But Mango desserts are another story, they give me a high. I dropped by last week to sample a special menu of Mango based desserts at the Sin patisserie within Hotel Marine Plaza. This seasonal special menu would last till the mid o ..read more

The Earth Plate is a massive multi cuisine restaurant within the Sahara Star property. A meal here will always be an experience to remember. But when Sahara Star goes out of the way to take the meal experience to the next level -  sparks fly, flavors explode and one experiences a culinary journey like none other. The Sunday Brunch Buffet at "The Earth Plate" is a very special affair. Unlimited food, beverages, desserts, Live music and live food counters await the patron. As opposed to the other days of the week, this brunch is far more massive and has live counters which cannot be found ..read more

The word Bohemian has both an artistic and adventurous context to it. It evokes the feeling of being different, liberal, adventurous and an explorer of the unknown. Mumbai is quickly becoming one of the World's best places for food. It joins the ranks of New York, Sydney, Singapore and Hong Kong when it comes to having multicultural food, fusion food and restaurants with interesting themes. Bohemian Brew is a new hangout kind of a restaurant near the Khar railway station. It is the perfect place for the Bohemians to flock together and discuss their intrepid craft. The Brew part may initially t ..read more

Food festivals are becoming quite a thing in Mumbai but surely people must be tired of the same old Middle Eastern, Iranian, Indian and Asian food festivals. I know I am. Its rare to see continental African and South African food in Mumbai for a change. Rising up to the occasion, Sofitel Mumbai has hosted yet another exotic food festival from a land whose food we Indians do not know much about. It is indeed time to take a break from the same old cuisines and try out something new. And unlike the previous Turkish food festival, this one is more than just food. There are African drummers playi ..read more