Bar review: Waterstones Bar & Grill
Bar review: Waterstones Bar & Grill
Found
it. In Mumbai. An elegant glass-walled restaurant with greenery all
around it. I'm such a passionate nature lover that I'm willing to
overlook the plastic creepers that hang upside down from the restaurant
ceiling, and the Astroturf grass on the lawn outside (alfresco dining
too).
There's lush greenery and a breezy, laidback feel to the place. Another unique feature is that all the dishes (world cuisine fare) are made on the Robata grill (food cooked in front of the customer, a type of grill traditionally used in Japanese restaurants).
Decor- HHH½
In the grimy, traffic-choked underbelly of the Sahar airport area, this lush nature-filled space is a delight. Enter Waterstones Hotel, take the lift (which has snow-laden trees as wallpaper) up to the second floor lobby. Go past the plastic sunflowers, over a winding pathway into the glassed enclosure. Simple yet elegant, an open kitchen and moulded plastic chairs complete the decor.
Service- HHH½ The attendants are polite and observant. Except for one other diner, we were the only ones in the restaurant for a Sunday lunch. I booked in Sushiland Sara Billaney's name (our Dusseldorf buddies who enjoyed it too).
Food- HHH½ I'm a fan of the ancient Japanese Robata grill (London's Roka perfects the modern Japanese Robatayaki) hailed as the "Cadillac of grilling". Even though the brilliant chef Zubin D Souza's Robata grill is not fired by the Japanese Binchotan coal, he still coaxes great flavours and textures out of the freshest produce. Be it the delicately feminine, soft, plump brie wrapped in vine leaf (spiked with jalapeno relish and onion jam) or the very macho, hearty half-pounder juicy burger, lush with tomatoes and caramelised onions and superbly thick hand-cut potato chips.
The Indian tenderloin steak is grilled to perfection, as is the seer fish which glistens in herbed butter sauce. Vegetarian choices include pancakes, artichoke, achari paneer etc. The grilled polenta cakes, layered with creamed mushrooms are a delight. And you must end with the Lava cake in a pot that oozes dark chocolate. The Madras filtered coffee, paired with chikki icecream is a good combination. I've never eaten such a light crisp baklava pastry before or such as superb (torch-fired) pineapple carpaccio.
Minus points
Stay clear of the overpowering hickory wood-smoked tomato soup. Over-cooked prawns ruin an otherwise tasty orange and basil sauce. While the fish, calamari and prawns on the seafood platter were perfectly grilled, the lobster was a bit undercooked. The sauce bearnaise (with the steak) was lacklustre as was the chocolate and orange drippy mousse in a glass.
Sure, it's a brand new restaurant, but still an empty, desolate one can be off putting. The vegetarian menu needs more variety and a little more innovation. (I'm informed it's in the pipeline.)
My point
Be warned about the bumper-to-bumper drive to the place. Stay clear of the patchy dishes, and be alert about the prices of the imported ones (for eg., US sirloin costs Rs 3,150 ). I paid around Rs 9,000 for four (sans alcohol) An average meal would come up to Rs 1,800 (approx.). Waterstones Bar and Grill doesn't get everything right, but for most of its outstanding grilled dishes (separate grillers for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food), the delightful desserts and the breezy-on-a-holiday feel, it deserves a big applause.
Foodline
The best way to have a love affair with a city is to taste its food. And where would I be without your inputs? No matter which part of town you live in, do let me know about any new discovery, old joints, or a personal favourite eating joint of yours — a dhaba, a dabbawallah, a small roadside eatery or anyone who conducts innovative cooking/baking classes from home.
There's lush greenery and a breezy, laidback feel to the place. Another unique feature is that all the dishes (world cuisine fare) are made on the Robata grill (food cooked in front of the customer, a type of grill traditionally used in Japanese restaurants).
Decor- HHH½
In the grimy, traffic-choked underbelly of the Sahar airport area, this lush nature-filled space is a delight. Enter Waterstones Hotel, take the lift (which has snow-laden trees as wallpaper) up to the second floor lobby. Go past the plastic sunflowers, over a winding pathway into the glassed enclosure. Simple yet elegant, an open kitchen and moulded plastic chairs complete the decor.
Service- HHH½ The attendants are polite and observant. Except for one other diner, we were the only ones in the restaurant for a Sunday lunch. I booked in Sushiland Sara Billaney's name (our Dusseldorf buddies who enjoyed it too).
Food- HHH½ I'm a fan of the ancient Japanese Robata grill (London's Roka perfects the modern Japanese Robatayaki) hailed as the "Cadillac of grilling". Even though the brilliant chef Zubin D Souza's Robata grill is not fired by the Japanese Binchotan coal, he still coaxes great flavours and textures out of the freshest produce. Be it the delicately feminine, soft, plump brie wrapped in vine leaf (spiked with jalapeno relish and onion jam) or the very macho, hearty half-pounder juicy burger, lush with tomatoes and caramelised onions and superbly thick hand-cut potato chips.
The Indian tenderloin steak is grilled to perfection, as is the seer fish which glistens in herbed butter sauce. Vegetarian choices include pancakes, artichoke, achari paneer etc. The grilled polenta cakes, layered with creamed mushrooms are a delight. And you must end with the Lava cake in a pot that oozes dark chocolate. The Madras filtered coffee, paired with chikki icecream is a good combination. I've never eaten such a light crisp baklava pastry before or such as superb (torch-fired) pineapple carpaccio.
Minus points
Stay clear of the overpowering hickory wood-smoked tomato soup. Over-cooked prawns ruin an otherwise tasty orange and basil sauce. While the fish, calamari and prawns on the seafood platter were perfectly grilled, the lobster was a bit undercooked. The sauce bearnaise (with the steak) was lacklustre as was the chocolate and orange drippy mousse in a glass.
Sure, it's a brand new restaurant, but still an empty, desolate one can be off putting. The vegetarian menu needs more variety and a little more innovation. (I'm informed it's in the pipeline.)
My point
Be warned about the bumper-to-bumper drive to the place. Stay clear of the patchy dishes, and be alert about the prices of the imported ones (for eg., US sirloin costs Rs 3,150 ). I paid around Rs 9,000 for four (sans alcohol) An average meal would come up to Rs 1,800 (approx.). Waterstones Bar and Grill doesn't get everything right, but for most of its outstanding grilled dishes (separate grillers for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food), the delightful desserts and the breezy-on-a-holiday feel, it deserves a big applause.
Foodline
The best way to have a love affair with a city is to taste its food. And where would I be without your inputs? No matter which part of town you live in, do let me know about any new discovery, old joints, or a personal favourite eating joint of yours — a dhaba, a dabbawallah, a small roadside eatery or anyone who conducts innovative cooking/baking classes from home.
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