Cafe Basilico Brunch

Rest :Indian Summer
Meal : Sunday Brunch
Date : 12/2/2006
Location :Opp the Gulf Hotel, Colaba
Company : Gautam

Experience -Well, the same as last time, laid back bordering on lazy, although all tables had a reserved tag they were nice enough to seat us. Although they took their own sweet time in taking my buffet plate which was kinda annoying, no one wants a pile of dishes, especially on tables as small as theirs.

Order - Sunday Brunch for me, Soup for Gautam.

Drinks - Diet Pepsi, 7UP

Food : Good. The buffet here costs almost twice that of Jazz by the bay, has half the number of dishes. However the dishes are unique and very interesting. They had pasta salad with sun dried tomato, mediterranean salad, a very unusual japalepno hummus and a sun dried tomato hummus. Each of those items was fantastic, unique in its taste, the dishes at Jazz are great but not singular like these. The main course was Lasagna, which was great, perfect except it fell apart once i put it on the plate. Spagetti in Alfredo with mushrooms, fantastic, again. There was also oddly rice with malaysian curry which while tasteful and superspicy dosent fit with the cuisie but i wont complain. The dessert was black and white mousse cake, im not gonna say anything except when my brother bit into it on our way home his eyes popped out of his head. Fantastic.

Rating : Food 9.2/10, Service 8/10, Dessert 9.2/10

Damage : Bhavesh treated us but i would reckon 700 ($17)

Indian Summer

Rest :Indian Summer
Meal : Dinner
Date : 8/2/2006
Location :Marine Drive/Churchgate
Company : Bhavesh, Sumit

Experience - Not bad, an old city favouraite, havent been there in a long long time. Place was full even though it was a Wed night. Menus were quick, food was resonably quick as well. No problems, no complaints.

Order - Cheese corn balls, Paneer Kadai, Black Dal, Balti Vegetables, Garlic Naan, Tandoori Roti, Steamed Rice

Drinks - Kingfisher, Thums Up

Food : Good consistent food. The paneer was soft and squishy, not too bad and spicy of course. The balti veggies were super spicy veggies though, i wouldnt order this again because the spicyness of it completely overpowered the taste. The Black Dal rocked !!! top notch. The garlic naans were nice and garlicy. The steamed rice well, first time ever having steamed rice with indian food. Dont like it.

Rating : Food 8/10, Service 8/10

Damage : Bhavesh treated us but i would reckon 1200 ($30)

Spices

Rest :Spices
Meal : Lunch
Date : 7/2/2006
Location :JW Mariott, Juhu
Company : Won Joon Lee.

Experience - Not too bad. The rudest thing is popping my hood, booth open for inspection. What a bunch of idiots run this place. If i really wanted to smuggle a bomb i could keep it under my seat, why not check there as well? Maybe the Govt of India is providing security. I dont mind popping the hood open, security is security but paying lip service to it is annoying. The wait staff itself is allright, no real complaints on them. Menus were prompt, the food took its time but not late just slightly longish. I dont like the decor of the restaurant much and would rather spend time at the much more lavish and better located Lotus Cafe.

Order - Sweet Corn Asparagus Soup, Miso Soup, Som tam, white rice with green curry, soba noodles and teriyaki sauce.

Drinks - Ice tea, Diet Coke

Food : Not bad at all. The soup was ok, the miso soup i was told wasnt all that. Som tam, nice, you cant go wrong with peanuts as i have said before. The green curry was fantastic, i forgot how superb tasting and yet spicy thai curries can be. Very good, The noodles werent too bad, but compared to the curry they seemed weak. On their own they do hold their own however.A good if not memorable meal.

Rating : Food 8/10, Service 7/10

Damage : 1450 ($40)

Shiv Sagar

Rest :Shiv Sagar
Meal : Snack
Date : 4/2/2006
Location :Kemps Corner
Company : Maxim, Feb.

Experience - Had this urge for a Dosa and since work got over early i decided to come home and then pop by Shiv Sagar for a dosa. Service is always quick here since quick turnaround is what these joints are based on.

Order - Plain Dosa, Onion Uttapam

Drinks - Thums Up (coke pfffttt)

Food : Both the Dosa and the Uttapam were great. The dosa was the right amount of crunchy. Perfect. i wish they had more Sambar though.

Rating : Food 9/10, Service 9/10

Damage : 65 ($1.20)

Starters and More - II

Rest :Starters and More Meal : Dinner Date : 2/3/2006 Location :Near Eros Cinema, Churchgate Company : Vishal Experience - We walked in around 8.30, seated right away. The wait staff made us wait a bit as well as didnt ask us for or serve water. Service was reasonable but nothing to be proud of . Order - French Onion soup, Veg Platter, Jalapeno Poppers with Cheese Drinks - Kingfisher, Ice tea Food : Oh dear, that was a disaster. The platter came with reshmi kabab, fried wantons, mushroom quesadillas, something else completely abomninable and some corn fritter thing. Absolutely disgusting food, i could taste the oil on the wantons, the kebab was dry as sin, the , mushroom quesadillas were respectable, the abomination was just that, the corn fritter was below average as well. Quite disgusting food and we left almost all of it there. Ordered the cheese jalapeno thing to see if they were really that bad. It was just about average, but the thing is you cant really screw up cheese and jalapenos can you. I am sure they tried. The Ice tea was probably the best in the city however. Rating : Soups 9/10, Ice tea 10/10, Food 2/10 Damage : 850 ($18)