That is the mantra for Amboli Bar & Kitchen, a new joint, tucked away in a busy street of Andheri. The Guide gives you the first look into the upmarket coastal eatery
That is the mantra for Amboli Bar & Kitchen, a new joint, tucked away in a busy street of Andheri. The Guide gives you the first look into the upmarket coastal eatery
The rains aren't exactly the best time to launch a new restaurant and Anupam Mayekar knows that. But if all goes well, the Amboli Bar & Kitchen will open its doors to rain-drenched patrons tomorrow.
"If we open off-season, we may get lesser guests, but we'll be able to focus on them wholeheartedly," explains the proprietor.
The smooth glass-exteriors and pebble-bound little water bodies by the entrance are like nothing this crowded lane in Andheri has seen before.
While it's located in Amboli, the cluttered mini-suburb has nothing to do with the name of this seafood lounge.
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"Ambodi refers to a Maharashtrian bhakri, which is sometimes pronounced as 'Amboli', hence the name," says Mayekar, who is the co-owner of the joint along with Anurag Parmar.
There's a seating area outside, done up in pristine white, while the interior dining area is in muted tones of beige and olive with a dash of red at the entrance.
Everything's been arranged according to astro-vaastu, informs Mayekar, a combination of his astrological chart and the vaastu of the area.
Mayekar has been in the hotel business for 33 years, a significant number of those years have been spent at the Olive chain of restaurants. But it was always his dream to open a Maharashtrian joint.
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Amboli Bar & Kitchen offers Malvani, Goan, Mangalorean and a touch of tandoori cuisine as well. While chicken and beef find a mention too, its mainstay is fresh catch from the sea.
A live fish counter is on one corner, with crabs, lobsters and fish laid on crushed ice, thus quickly eliminating space for the hardcore vegetarians.
There's a light drawing of what appears to be palm trees on one wall of the fish counter, while an LCD screen playing a FIFA match faces the seating area opposite.
The tables are softly lit with candles and overhead yellow facets. There's a mezzanine floor too, it's a classy, cosy eatery.
The menu is yet to be completely finalised, though it does mention the usual coastal must-haves, including Sol Kadhi: "It's the one item which sets the standard for any coastal restaurant," says Mayekar.
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The pink Sol Kadhi soon arrives in characteristically tiny glasses, and doesn't disappoint. We stick to basic starters, Fried Bombil and Pomfret, which are touted as the bar snacks.
The crisp, crumbly bite-sized portions, lightly spiced, are a great stimulant to a full-fledged meal, which even offers staples like Ghee Bhaat. "We'll be serving complimentary bowls of dried prawns pickle as well," says Parmar.
With a three-piece music band, a Sunday brunch and pre-plated meals, Mayekar has several plans for Amboli Bar & Kitchen. But first, he says, he wants to build the brand. "To give Malvani food the value it so deserves, yet never gets."
AT: Amboli Bar & Kitchen opens tomorrow. Ground floor, Meridien building, near SBI ATM, Caesar Road, Amboli, Andheri (W).
Call: 26780022 / 26770022.
Time: 12 noon to 3 pm, 7 pm onwards
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