burrp! Stats
- 20 Reviews
- 7 First to review
- 2 Places Added
- Been to 143 Places
- Yet to try 12 Places
- Burrping since Nov 15, 2007
- Burrping fromChurchgate, Mumbai
Personal Stuff
- Occupation
- Marketing consultant
Reviews by pearljan
May 16, 2008
134-136, Mahendra Chambers, DN Road, Fort, Mumbai
Awful
Nothing healthy or Honest about McDonald's INDIA
McDonald's came to India sometime in 1997 or '98 and it was one of the better choices to spend your pocket money on when you'd saved it up to afford that delicious meal back in school/college.
This (VT) outlet was a walk from college and was often frequented for its proximity and good outdoor seating area. But besides all this, we actually 'liked' some of the burgers on the menu then. Available then, and one of my personal favourites, was the McBurger; a muttton patty burger and for a decent price too. The Double Mac (2 mutton patties in a double burger) was also a hot seller when you were really hungry.
A unique, not-so-commonly-sold, but deliciously fresh and tasty item was the Salad Sandwich! This had a whole lot of lettuce, tomatoes and onions thrown into a burger bun with a generous salad dressing. And it was priced at just Rs. 19 (that's under half a dollar)!!
Over the years, McDonald's International marketing outreach involved customizing menus to cater to non-American/European pallets, which in turn led to a whole new menu with chutneys & curried flavoured burgers.
While I'm not against adding more choice for customers, why modify already existing meals and disappoint existing customers?? A good example is the downsizing of the burger bun and patties just to match the current 'within Rs. 20' claims. But what about my Fillet-O-Fish that now costs more (Rs. 60) and is half the original size it used to be!!? The Salad sandwich, which was the only item a health conscious person could pick no longer has the salad dressing in the burger, but has been substituted with tons of Mayo! And the price you pay for the replacement?? Rs. 29 (mind you the size for this too is half it was 10 yrs ago).
Let's not even get into why the mutton burger was discontinued, when mutton and beef aren't closely related even when they're alive. So, what you get now is a whole range of UNhealthy, no value-for-money, non-standard menu with constantly fluctuating prices.
I think this beats what the brand McDonald's stands for in the first place. If an international 'chain' has outlets all over the world, I should be able to go to any of its outlets and order for my favorite item and expect the same quality, serving size and taste. A few additions to the menu to cater to local tastes are fine, but why move my cheese???
Apr 28, 2008
Royal Plaza, New Link Road, Next to Citi Mall, Andheri (W), Mumbai
Poor
Not-so-chinese Chinese
Like most 'Chinese restaurants' in India, this place too was disappointing in that the cuisine really isn't authentic. That's a huge dampener considering it costs so much and that most of their outlets have prime locations.
This three level restaurant can seat at least 100 people at a time comfortably. The seating and decor is pleasant and the washrooms are surprisingly well maintained. However, the staff and waiters aren't well-versed with the Chinese palates and can't do a thing for you if you're looking at customizing a dish.
You may want to avoid the crab here. At least it wasn't great the time I tried it. What you'll probably like is the Thai prawn curry and steamed rice (But then again you can't go too wrong with that).
Apr 28, 2008
Rodas Ecotel Hotel, Central Avenue, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Andheri (E), Mumbai
Average
Inconsistent quality but a life saver!
I won't rave too much about the food/menu at Parabola, but that said, Parabola is a life saver when you're in the vicinity (Central suburbs) at the wee hours of night and need a place to refresh yourself or have a meal.
The staff is friendly and prompt and the ambience soothing and clean. If you can't make up your mind with à la carte, their midnight buffet is a safe bet. It's not the best in the city, but the food's good and you don't have to try EVERYTHING on the buffet table. Pick the best and you can surely be satisfied. The desserts aren't so bad.
I surely recommend it if passing by after a night of partying.
Apr 28, 2008
E-3, Udyog Sadan No 2, MIDC, Opposite ESIS Hospital, Andheri (E), Mumbai
Good
Great food in the middle of Nowhere
MIDC, Andheri isn't a food destination and surely not so when you're out to woo someone. But nestled in this busy industrial hub is Gajalee Annexe - A coastal (Konkan) food haven!
The restaurant has ample parking and a pleasant ambience. The seating too is well spaced and the service par excellence. Having said that the specialty is Konkan cuisine, you can expect to see crab, squid, fish and prawn. In addition, they also serve clam and oyster (which isn't common on most menus in Mumbai). Each item can be prepared in your desired fashion: stir fried/butter garlic/konkan/masala fry.
We asked for the crab stir fried; and we were brought a live crab to OK. The chef thought it reasonable to show us their other catch of the day - a foot large pomfret and tiger prawns. The prawns were far too tempting to resist so we threw in butter garlic prawns in along with the hors d'oeuvre.
PLEASE ALLOW A GOOD 30-40 MINS FOR YOUR FOOD TO ARRIVE, IF YOU WANT TO GO FOR CRAB.
The prawns arrived first - They melted in the mouth! And just when I was still savoring the after-taste, the stir fried crab arrived. I can honestly say, I can't remember a thing from the moment the crab arrived until half hour later, when it had been completely stripped to shreds. The experience was divine. The stir fry sauce it was cooked in has to have been the best I've ever had and so was the crab meat.
For the main course (It's amazing how much you can eat when the food's great) we had the baby shark curry with steamed rice and squid masala fry. The baby shark curry could have been better. I found the gravy had too much coconut and while coconut is the basic ingredient in Konkan cuisine, I think coconut milk does the trick better than desiccated coconut.
Overall, a great place and a memory to walk away with (You really should consider walking back after a meal that large!)
What it cost (A large meal for two):
Tiger Prawn Garlic Butter (2) - Rs. 800 (Rs. 400 each)
Stir Fry Crab (Large Crab) – Rs. 900
Baby Shark Masala – Rs. 110
Squid Masala – Rs. 190
Steam rice – Rs. 40
Sol kadi – Rs. 20 (each)
Total: Rs. Rs. 2,080
I'd give it a 4 half star.
Mar 27, 2008
Tulloch Road, Apollo Bunder, Behind Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba, Mumbai
Awful
Agree Vishal!
Gone to the DOGS.. the Hafhta dogs... i'm guessing