Khar's newest eating house offers delish Mediterranean and European fare, and sheesha against a backdrop inspired by Romanesque and Baroque architecture
Wild Mushroom Phyllo Wraps. Pics/Shadab Khan
There is something about a chef who can treat meat well. The talent shows in the care and attention to detail that has been given to the cut of meat, the cooking technique and the manner in which the accompaniments enhance it.
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At Pranzi, Mumbai's newest resto-lounge that opens tomorrow, meat is given the utmost respect. We sank our teeth into tender pieces of buff kebab, rhapsodised over the grilled lamb chops, and marvelled at the paper-thin slices of tenderloin in our carpaccio. Pranzi, however, is more than the sum of all its meat.
Tenderloin Kebab Adana
Decor tales
The restaurant is the baby of Aftab AK and Junaid AK, businessmen who specialise in import-export of fashion textiles. The interiors, divided into a lounge and dining area, are heavily inspired by Romanesque and Baroque styles.
The dining area is more formal, with wooden floors and light streaming in through cutwork patterns on the French windows. The lounge has graffiti-splayed walls, extravagant chandeliers, ornate mirrors and Chesterfield sofas; we even spotted an old clock masquerading as a table. The space is cloaked in royal opulence.
Braised Lamb Chops Indian
Initially, we were overwhelmed by the grandeur, but in a few minutes, the extravagance starts growing on you.
Take for instance, the sheesha. The four feet-plus-tall hookah, imported from Egypt, is decorated with octagon motifs, Egyptian plaques and even an ice bucket. We tried the smooth Dubai Mix (Rs 1,350), a fruity flavour with an undercurrent of paan; this can also be had with ice for a cooling effect.
A wall in the lounge features pop art
Meat of the matter
It was the food that had us hooked. The lounge serves Mediterranean dishes while the dining area's menu is focused on European flavours (they even have separate plates for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food). We tried a combination of both.
It took us a few tries to move away from the tender and fatty Tenderloin Kebab Adana (Rs 220) — smoky chunky pieces of meat enhanced by a yoghurt and garlic dip. The Chicken Sheesh Touk (Rs 320) was tender to the touch and had a wonderful aromatic flavour. It came on a bed of fresh cucumber labneh and a minty tabbouleh. We were served lamb chops two ways. The Braised Lamb Chops Indian (Rs 1,200) was a garlicky, pepper filled dish with crispy, fatty pieces. The meat for the Grilled Lamb Chops (Rs 1,800), imported from New Zealand, was equally well treated, but lacked the boldness of the previous dish. We loved the spiced Lamb Turkish Adana Kebab (Rs 350) and the juicy Grilled Peri Peri Tiger Prawns (Rs 1,500). The only disappointment was the too-tangy Tenderloin Carpaccio (Rs 220).
Dubai Mix Sheesha
Although our meal was meat-heavy, the vegetarian dishes didn't disappoint. Wild mushrooms and truffle oil gave a super-packed umame hit to the warm Wild Mushroom Cappuccino (Rs 240), which was more addictive than the regular cappuccino. The Wild Mushroom Phyllo Wraps (Rs 220) were, as promised, melt in the mouth. The feather-light phyllo pastry covered a light filling of mushroom and came with harissa sauce for that spicy hit. The Baked Camembert Cheese (Rs 220) was everything we expected — gooey and mildly cheesy.
Pranzi doesn't serve alcohol but they whip up some not-too-sweet mocktails. Our favourite was Orange and Mango Bliss (Rs 190), a thick shake with sweet and sour notes. Then again, you could pretend to be a royal, while alternately sipping on a mango shake and blowing smoke rings from a fruity sheesha.
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