Colaba's new lounge half of US prezname, to rock

Yes, "green" is the colour of the century (whether that has to do with global warming or the economic crunch), but Oba could have been a bit brighter. We are hopeful that the management will see reason, because co-owner Rishi Acharya said he had hoped to create a "Serafina" of New York atmosphere, and he wanted it to look and feel like a lounge, not a club. Until things change, we recommend you watch out for a tricky step at the entrance and carry a torch to make your way around the lower floor.

To keep you coming back bar bar: The Pomtini, prepared from pomegranate juice, and Blueberry Martini (Rs 730 each), are two excellent reasons to drop in. Zack, one of our stewards, knew what he was talking about when he recommended them and threw in the promise of free massages if they brought on headaches the next day. They didn't! Both concoctions were well prepared; neither too sweet, nor too strong.

The menu needs an extension: It's not just the bar that gets a thumbs up. Head chef Jatin, who claims to have run a French restaurant in Hammersmith, London, fixed us a Goat-Cheese Risotto (Rs 495), that was to-die-for. The Wasabi Tiger-Prawns (Rs 345) were lip-smacking. A dish of Crisp Calamari Fritters (Rs 275) could have been better by simply adding lemon halves to the garnish, but the one dish that disappointed us was the Vegetarian Ravioli; a bland vegetable mix encased in shells of light-but-not-crisp filo-pastry.

The food was appetising, but choices limited. We are guessing the management will have to do much more than just expand the menu to entice Indigo regulars away from their favourite haunt, a few lanes away.

Drive up the lane beside Regal cinema on Colaba Causeway and you'll find Oba at the corner of the first lane that comes up on your left, right across the road from The Gordon House Hotel.
Call: 22020223

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