burrp! Stats
- 20 Reviews
- 5 First to review
- 8 Places Added
- Been to 20 Places
- Burrping since May 11, 2007
- Burrping fromBandra (W), Mumbai
Reviews by bandraboy
Apr 17, 2008
23 A K Nayak Marg, Fort, Mumbai
Rated: Excellent
Excellentsior!!!
4 o'clock in the evening - 1 coffee since morning - 3 lengthy meetings - was my equation today. Famished..as i was, I wondered what I could possibly eat to keep myself going. Cafe Excelsior was one place I always wanted to field-test but I never made a conscious effort to explore what (now i feel) i was missing.
From an old weigh instrument that is kept at the entrance to the water filled ash trays and bold signage stating 'WASH BASIN - only for customers' I found all the typical elements of an old Mumbai cafe. They even switch the fan off if a table is empty :-)
Food is nice - pani kum chai in white 'bhaigiri' cups and sandwiches - keema pao and salli keema were some of the best i've eaten so far.
With everything considered, I dont find a reason not to rate this place excellent. I'm sure that Excelsior will have the good fortume of having a lot many burrpers including me - having a lot more evening chai in their cafe.
PS - The oldest server doesn't work. He just stands and checks you out. Do not ask him to get nothing or he will bang it on your table. He did that to me but i still feel that the place is excellent.
Mar 28, 2008
201, Om Chambers, 123, August Kranti Marg, Kemps Comer, Mumbai
Rated: Excellent
Don't be a noodle.. Be a smooooodle!
Since I was not born in the suburbs of Guangzhou I am generally clueless when people talk about the word authentic in their Chinese food reviews.
I understand ingredients, presentation and taste - and anything that goes down as tastefully as the time-honoured mughlai and north Indian food that i grew up with, is welcome.
China Garden is welcome! I just loved the food - from dimsums and prawns to lamb and rice and desserts. Our experience just got better and better during the course of our dinner.
Succulent, tender portions, mild on flavour but very tasty. The names were technical and mostly suggested by their staff so I dont recollect exact names. It is one of those places where you can expect everything to taste good.
It is a place where you would like to go more than once. I went for dinner with a friend who had memories of visiting the restaurant as a kid and he kept singing 'dont be a noodle ... be a smoooodle' I dont know why :-) Probably a hard day at work :-)
Their staff is very attentive - as soon as your head starts to move in anticipation, someone comes to assist you :-)
The bar is well stacked - decor and ambience is also nice. Laughing Buddhas are big and funny. Overall, a very good experience in terms of food and service except some ...chin-wagging....noisy south bombay families who laugh so much ... as if they're playing a table to table competition :))
Mar 13, 2008
Off Carter Road, Next to Sheesha Mezbaan, Bandra (W), Mumbai
Rated: Excellent
outflanked performance!!!
This eatery is a clear underdog at the famous 'khau galli' of carter road. It arguably has the humblest presence amongst the not so famous - volume comprising, check box eateries in this locality but it scores and it scores on many aspects:
1. No nonsense food
The menu is straight - they do not promise stuff that requires a David Blain approach (servicing orders magically from available resources in the refrigerator). Gripping a juicy shawarma is the fastest - takes 3 -4 minutes and comes with an option of customizing the contents on request. 'Baida roti' makes headway with tender masala chicken slits set down with perfection. It is so pleasing to the sense of taste that these days I make a mental picture of 'baida roti' whenever i feel famished. Falafel, cheese parathas and other veg/chicken rolls are equally terrific.
2. Price and cleanliness
This place is not even 15 feet wide and 15 feet long - but you will never notice disarray in terms of cleanliness of food they serve and the overall upkeep of their place. They are just a pavement away from the hustling carter road turn with vehicles passing every second but still they make up with regular cleaning of the place. Their pricing is the most reasonable in this locality - most of the items cost Rs 50 while good fresh fruit juices are served chilled for Rs 40 or so. I really dont remember any item on their menu that costs more than a 100 rupees. They are plain reasonable - and they do not cut any corners to make you feel you visited a cheap place. The leftover chicken on shawarma rod is not used the next day. When asked, the owner said that he takes it home and the family consumes it while the eatery gets fresh supply the next morning.
3. 'Chotu'
Chotu is the youngest server in their team of 5-7 people. He is 14 and has the required talent to put a lot of seasoned servers in high profile eateries to shame. He is very quick and handles everything in the owner's absence. This boy is the 'MS Dhoni' of their team and is excellent with guest relations. People ask for him when he is not around. He deserves excellent tips and people do not hesitate in making this boy happy.
All in all, this place is perfect to grab a quick bite - then gulping a part of a fresh fruit juice to complete the process of grabbing a quick bite :-) Reading this review may propel a lot of fellow burrpers to check this place out but I caution you not to go in groups if you plan to sit here - there is not enough capacity to seat people.
The best way is to call for home delivery or pick stuff up on the way!
I just hope that this place maintains the present quality, adds new offerings and keeps growing. Bandraboy says, "All the best!!!"
Feb 28, 2008
Shop No 1, B Bldg, Gagangiri CHS,Off Carter Rd, Khar Danda, Behind Cafe Coffee Day,Khar, Mumbai
Rated: Excellent
Amo il gelato a amore!!!
When God was gifting health, wealth, intelligence and ability - I stood in a corner and waited for my turn. God came up to me and asked "Che cosa volete il figlio?" (What do you want, son?)
I said "Darmi il gelato giornaliere" (God I want gelato every day) -
God looked at me and said - "Il vostro desiderio è assegnato bandraboy" (Your wish is granted bandraboy)
And now I have amore gelato - my one stop shop for happiness - two scoops of bitter chocolate and I get real good sleep.
(The Italian language used in this review is bleached :-) All I can say is - It doesn't matter - it is just an illustration of what Amore Gelato can do to you)
Acclamazioni Acclamazioni :-) !!!
Jan 28, 2008
355, Ramdass Naik Road, Hill Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai
Rated: Poor
Stupid!
Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on me!!!
Before going there, I had a feeling that the good times are waiting once again - Pause seemed to be the place at the moment. I visited Pause to experience that absolutely nothing blends in. All elements punch out of each other. The place which was initially touted as a fine wine tasting place before it started but it does not look like a wine place at all.
We entered the place and it felt like a lounge. Moments later, all my attention was towards the big screen which showed Spurs taking on ManU and I felt being in a sports bar. Another corner in Pause has a dimly lit wine bar...they have a wall with bottles used as masonry units and victorian wrought iron chandeliers on one hand and modern - day furniture with color changing lights under the table, on the other.
There is money spent and I'm sure they were trying to make something...WHAT - I don't know. By the time I realized all this we were done with our first round of drinks and calamaris as our hors d'oeuvre ;-) A server (wearing a big steel eagle buckle which is right into your face when he is talking to you) helps us with our paper .. a cool Rs. 3200 for 4 of us.
Before we left, they started playng some loud club hits ;-) don't know how that will go down with our holier than thou, socially exclusive wine lovers of our city. All in all, it was very confusing. Felt better when I came out on the street :-)