Mia Cucina's third branch in Mumbai is sure to make Powai's fine diners eat out of their hands
The Hiranandani area in Powai is turning out to be a fine-dining hub for north Mumbai residents. After Out of the Blue, The Yellow Chilli and Café Mangii, Mia Cucina is the latest entrant in the suburb. Since their outlets in Versova and Bandra were quite a hit with Italian food lovers, we wandered into this restaurant on a rainy Sunday afternoon with high expectations.
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The restaurant was crowded, but yet had a cozy feel to it. The huge bar took centrestage at the restaurant and there were antique-looking tables and chairs scattered across the eatery. Jars of Dolce Vita olive oil on the tables and vintage photographs on the walls added to the atmosphere. With Jazz music playing in the background and the whiff of yummy dishes from neighbouring tables, we were ready to start our Italian expedition.u00a0We learned that beside their long list of beverages (wine by glass, cocktails, sodas and slushes), the restaurant plans to add a section of smoothies from next week. Other than the food, the design of the menu, which resembles a handwritten notebook page, interested us. Plus, the descriptions accompanying the dishes were of great help.
We ordered a Peach Slush ('85) and on our attendant’s suggestion tried the Martini Bianco ('175). Our beverages were accompanied with the Supli di Riso ('215) and Torte di Pollo ('215) from the Antipasti section.The slush is a must-have and the martini was a pre-mixed drink served on the rocks, quite unlike the shaken-stirred variety. In spite of its alcohol-heavy content it didn’t burn our throats. The Suppli di Riso consisted of risotto and mozzarella balls dish served with a spicy mayo dip. Though we are not risotto fans, the mozzarella balls added a pleasant twist to the dish. The Torte di Pollo (‘pollo’ means chicken in Italian) were patties made of mildly flavoured chicken mince with a yummy chilli and lemon dip. It was definitely a good start.
Next, we tried their Fig and Feta Salad ('325), which was a tad expensive. It wasn’t well-tossed and the dressing was not evenly distributed. From the pizza section, we opted for a simple Margherita (' 300). Fortunately, the pizza wasn’t overloaded with cheese and hence retained the delicate flavour of the herbed tomato paste and basil.
We were tempted to try Mia Cucina’s yummy Spinach Pasta, but wishing to experiment we ordered a Tortellini di Pollo e Gorgonzola (' 495) instead. The dish comprised pasta stuffed with chicken and gorgonzola mixed in pesto sauce. Our gamble paid off as the chicken and pasta were well-cooked and the creamy pesto added to the texture of the dish.
For dessert, we asked for the Affogato, but they were out of ice-cream and hence we had an Almond Chocolate Cheesecake u00a0(Rs 150) and a Mango Panacotta (Rs 175). We loved the cheesecake as it was a perfect balance of firm and gooey. The Panacotta’s sugar content was balanced thanks to the mango purée on top, but we would suggest you try the Chocolate Cake instead.u00a0All in all, with great food, dewy glass windows lined with glass bottles and a paved restaurant front, Mia Cucina is a great place to spend a laid-back afternoon.
Mia Cucina
Food: Yummy
Service: Good
Ambience: Romanticu00a0
At: Mia Cucina, Transcocean House, Lake Boulevard Street, Powai.
Call: 67094000
Mia Cucina didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals.u00a0