Mumbai food: Lower Parel gastropub offers tasty, pocket-friendly Asian eats

With pocket-friendly prices and feisty flavours that come packed in its baos and sushis, a bar chain's Asian eats sibling promises a fun nightout in Lower Parel

Review
Food: Tasty
Ambience: Cheery
Service: Efficient
Cost: Reasonable
Verdict: *** 

Twice Cooked Pork Belly Bao

Presenting a distinct Kyoto-meets-Kamala Mills vibe, Mr Baozi charmed us with cute pink cherry blossoms painted on AC ducts, ornate porcelain vases, red kettles that adorned the shelves and wooden furniture gleaming under wire-framed lamps.

Having recently taken residence next to its elder sibling, The Bar Stock Exchange in Lower Parel — both share a wall and owners — the spacious Asian gastropub, with an open sushi bar, offers fare from across the continent, rustled up by deft chefs Kshama Prabhu and Gaurav Gidwani.

Californian Maki Rolls

Bao wow
From baos, sushi and sashimi platters to dimsums, gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), satays, stir fries, curries, meals-in-a-bowl, rice and noodles — the extensive menu featured an array of options, including familiar eats like Kung Pao Chicken and Nasi Goreng. From the baos section, we ordered Twice Cooked Pork Belly ('300) and Crunchy Potato with South Eastern Flavours ('250).

Also read - Mumbai Food: Juhu 5-star's new eatery serves unique Asian cuisines

Piping hot and sponge soft, the Pork Belly Bao packed a punch with the tender meat laced with spicy sriracha sauce. Almost like a veggie rendition of prawn tempura, the Crunchy Potato Bao with Gochujang Chilli Mayo (a mayonnaise made with Korean red pepper paste) was a hit too. Hands down, they were some of best baos we’d had in a long time.

Liquid Som Tom cocktail

Salad cocktail, anyone?
From the bar menu, molecular cocktails boasting of rosemary smoke and jaggery redux teased us but we stuck to Liquid Som Tom ('350). A quirky take on the salad version, the vodka-based cocktail was a spicy-sour medley of raw papaya and lime juice infused with coriander and bird eye red chilli. Served in a glass rimmed with crusted peanuts, a cherry tomato skewer and sweet jaggery on the side, the soothing drink had an effect similar to Thai massage, leaving us wanting for more.

Also read: New Lower Parel eatery serves healthy vegetarian Asian cuisine

Splashes of red in the furniture brightened the space. Pics/Atul Kamble

Alongside, we also ordered Californian Maki Rolls ('175 for four pieces) featuring crabstick, avocado and cucumbers neatly rolled in sticky rice. Moderately priced and high on flavour, the rolls would be perfect for sushi newbies who are keen to get introduced to Jap nosh without spending a bomb.

Not so Ramen
Having savoured a smooth ride so far, we relied on the gentleman to comfort us with The Chicken Ramen Bowl ('365). Though generously-sized with a portion sufficient for two, the meal-in-a-bowl disappointed with its OTT soy sauce and miso seasoning, drowning the taste of chicken chunks and veggies.

Also read: Mumbai food: Enjoy value-for-money veg Asian cuisine in Fort

Instead, we found solace in The Healthy Bang ('350), wherein the tartness of beetroot juice was nicely balanced by honey, tamarind pulp, hint of star anise and dark rum.

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