WHAT?
Set on the wonderful Carter Road, Bandra, MasalaBar is a pleasantly romantic experience from the moment you enter.
AMBIENCE:
From the candle-strewn path that leads up to the restaurant, to the warm, mellowed interiors and candles on every table, MasalaBar is a pleasant sight to behold for every visitor, and the fact that it faces the sea adds more to it.
Further setting the ambience right are good playlists curated by the in-house DJ, which heightens the mood or slows down the high, all the while maintaining a happy charm around here.
THE FOOD:
The food, meanwhile, plays no accompanying role, and the chefs here do whip up a fairly delectable menu.
In the vegetarian fare, the cheese stuffed chilies (Mahabaleshwari chilli poppers) were our hands down favourite. Deep fried and coated with crumbs, the chillies are not insanely spicy, and yet retain the strong flavour of Mahabaleshwari chillies ably supplemented by the molten cheese. This is a great dish to order alongside the extensive array of cocktails and mocktails, of which the cherry mocktail and Mumbai Matinee were our favourites. The dish and the cocktails also concoct a wonderful play of colours, set against the warm ambience.
The paneer served on khari (Tofu and paneer khurchan, khari naan, smoked sour cream) biscuits was also an interesting preparation that tasted great, and the spicy beetroot canapés (Baked potatoes, sweet and spicy beetroot & apple, sweet fennel yogurt) were also very rightly flavoured, with the sweetness of the beet seeping through and the spices measured right to and zing to the dish.
The menu has ample choices, and you can also choose to savour mains, if you’ve walked in for dinner here. On Tuesday’s they celebrate the ‘Big Bang Nights’ where one can get a one plus one offer on their drinks. Worth it!
VERDICT:
On an overall term, the MasalaBar is a thoroughly enjoyable place, with the innovative fare and thoroughly wonderful ambience. You would love to walk in here along with your person, and it really will be time well spent.