Stay away from tinkering with the drinks menu at Zephyr, lest you end up staring at an Rs 1,000 bill for a harmless sounding Black Russian. Stick to the Kadhai Gosht and Atish Aloo instead
Stay away from tinkering with the drinks menu at Zephyr, lest you end up staring at an Rs 1,000 bill for a harmless sounding Black Russian. Stick to the Kadhai Gosht and Atish Aloo instead
When we entered the flashy-looking, neon-sign restaurant ahead of Malad's InOrbit Mall, we noticed two levels to it. The lower level is the family restaurant and the upper floor appeared reserved for the "quarter" system.
Aatish Aloo. Pics Anuja Gupta
Ergo, drunken men, unwinding with tales of the day's conquests, over bawdy drinks. The host advised us to take the family room. The d ufffdcor is decent and comfortable. More than just a restaurant with a bar, Zephyr has attempted to attend to all apparatuses of a good dining experience.
We began with the Mojito (Rs 180). Zephyr got it right on most counts with their combination of sweetness and refreshing citrus but the mint flavour that masks the potent kick of the rum, was missing. We couldn't spot too many mint leaves. On our request, mint essence was added to the concoction after which, ensuring it scored well. Next, the Fruit Punch (Rs 120), an interesting creation of flavoured sherbet, came in a nice tall glass with a variety mixture of pineapple juice and ginger ale.
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Our vegetarian starter, the Atish Aloo (Rs 150), was a dry variation of the popular Dum Aloo. This was a curious mix of tender baby potatoes that was made to roast, grind and gyrate with spices; it came served with a masala coating that teased the palate. Our only grouse ufffd we wish the dish were served crispy-creamy (with a yoghurt base, perhaps?) for a perfect American-desi feel. The Aatish Aloo, in its present-day iteration, got sloppy and messy in 10 minutes.
The Prawns Koliwada (Rs 330) was utterly disappointing. It's common for restaurants to mix up the definition of Prawns Koliwada for Prawns Pakoda. Thick batter over non-juicy prawns doesn't qualify for this local specialty. It is supposed to be the perfect fry-up of ginger paste, garlic paste, chili sauce, garam masala and salt ufffd simple and effective. Negative markings here.
The Kadhai Gosht (Rs 195) was Zephyr's redemption. The saut ufffded tender mutton was a delicious combination of cloves, ginger, garlic and onion in nice brown gravy. We enjoyed the tangy flavours from the tomatoes and the curd. The Cheese Butter Garlic Naan (Rs 95) was of the melt-in-your-mouth variety. It had the perfect amount of garlic, and cheese oozed out of every bite. An incredible crisp naan, honed to lip-smacking perfection.
There was however, one glaring issue. Being a restobar, we ordered a Black Russian after dinner. Since they advertised Kahlua and Vodka separately on the menu, we asked if the Black Russian could be made. The Black Russian is a cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur (usually, three parts vodka to two parts coffee liqueur). Their explanation was unfathomable. They insisted that this is a large drink. Their recipe consisted 1 part Kahlua and 2 parts Vodka.
They also insisted that the Kahlua (Rs 400 for 60ml) and Vodka (Rs 300ml for 60ml) were of a different quality than what was stocked and that they got this from the godown. So in essence, their theory was that 1 shot of Kalhua (Rs 400 for 60ml) plus two shots of vodka (Rs 300x2 for 60mlx2) made for a whopping Rs 1,000 for a drink. A cheaper version of this drink can be had at the Taj Land's End and at the Marriott (including service charge and 25% VAT on alcohol). No matter what the explanation, no single drink can cost that much money in this city. Moral of the story: Don't order off the menu. Stick to the basic drinks and enjoy the Kadhai Gosht.
At 1090, 1091, New Link Road, near InOrbit Mall, Malad (W); Call 32584400, 28762555 / 28768555 / 28769555
Zephyr didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals
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