Restaurant Review: Lower Parel cafe scores high on Indian dishes

For a change, a Mumbai restaurant scores high on Indian contemporary fare

Farzi Cafe 
Food: Good
Service: Excellent
Ambience: Groovy

It look us an entire week of phone calls to bag a reservation at Farzi Café. Given its popularity in Delhi and Dubai, the restaurant was bound to create a buzz among the city’s hip and chic. We hoped it would be worth the hype.The menu is well thought out, and there are several contemporary Indian dishes that will keep you piqued, so will the 3D walls with video projections. Eager to start our meal, we picked our cocktails first, Vodka Curry Mango Chutney Foam (Rs 425, prices exclusive of taxes) and Shikanji Bunta (Rs 345). For the alcohol abstainer, our attendant suggested Farzi Ok (Rs 245). The vodka cocktail was a good bet with the chutney foam adding an interesting layer to the curry leaf flavour. The Bunta cocktail, however, had no fizz, hence, it was pointless. Farzi Ok fared better with its mix of oranges and kaffir lime leaves.

Smoked Bacon and Pyaaz Ki Kachori 

For starters, we tried Pine Nuts Scallion Paddu Yaki (Rs 275) and Smoked Bacon and Pyaaz Ki Kachori (Rs 375). The paddu, an idli-like South Indian dish tasted perfect with a sprinkle of pine nuts and a tomato and spice sauce. It came with a crisp, cheese appam that we wanted an unending supply of. However, two paddu pieces were undercooked, with runny batter at the centre. We love bacon, and we love kachoris too, so the bacon-kachori combination was paradise for us. The potato reduction served with it made for a delicious chutney.

Galouti Burger

From the mains, we picked Pumpkin and Coconut Khao Suey (Rs 395) that tasted like regular-but-good khao suey (plus points for the desi toppings such as batter-fried groundnuts). The Galouti Burger (Rs 295), with the right amount of ghee for greasy guilt and the tender meat, was a heady encounter.

Vodka Curry Mango Chutney Foam. Pics/Bipin Kokate

We ended the meal with a big bang with Milky Way Big Bang dessert (Rs 395). The theatrical dessert, which is frozen in front of you, had a universe full of options ranging from crumbled meringue and mousse to desi rabdi.

The interiors

Farzi does things with finesse; their ideas aren’t half-baked and the service is one of the best we have had, with our attendants knowing the minor details of the dishes, down to the toppings. The overall great experience makes up for a few glitches, which we are sure will be ironed out. Even the 'mukhwaas' is paid attention to, with paan wrapped in a cotton candy shaped like a gujiya.

Time: Noon till 1 am
At: Kamala Mills, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel.
Call: 8433942801/ 02
Farzi Café didn’t know we were there.
The guide reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!