NRI -Not Really Indian

NRI - Not Really Indian restaurant vibe is relaxed and casual, with plenty of natural light streaming in, the decor has lots of whites and browns and interesting light fixtures like milk cans and a row of bulbs bunched together.

From the signature cocktails I tried the English Summer which was a refreshing concoction of gin with elder-flower, apple and basil; 

Tamarind & Ginger Martini which was delightfully potent combination — a terrific start to the meal.

The Jerk Spiced Chicken Salad with lettuce and raw papaya was lip smacking though I felt it had slightly extra oil.

For mains, I ordered the Sri Lankan Potli which was a delicious thick chicken curry accompanied with Idiyappam. 

The portion was generous so I ordered a round of naans as well as tried the Roti Canai which was in other words malabari parantha. 

Desserts were wheeled to the table on a cart and it comprised of the usual fare blueberry cheesecake, three chocolate mousse, tart etc and nothing looked interesting enough so I gave it a pass.
Having said that the food wasn't a disappointment hence NRI is certainly a must visit to form your own opinion.

Ruka ~ Bright Blue Flower

My second visit at Ruka was when I received a text inviting guests for the all new Sunday Brunch. Smokey cocktails, crunchy tempura, delightful sushi, open kitchen, a bar area, a low-seating lounge is the newest Japanese fine-dining spot in Juhu.

This time round instead of a smokey cocktail they introduced a molecular welcome drink that was smokey, bubbly and looked something like a sangria once it was poured into a goblet though it was a refreshing lychee flavored mocktail. 

I started my meal with Lemon Coriander Soup, a hot and sour flavoursome soup with fragrant and freshly ground herbs and spices sans any meat.

This was followed by some delicious and crunchy Mixed Seafood Uramaki mainly Tuna, Salmon and Prawns, though I did try the crunchy veg sushi variety as well. 

There were a variety of salads, namely 

Kasundi Seafood Salad

Roasted Barbecue Lamb Salad and 

Sprouted Beans With Sweet Chilli Salad

The main course was a lavish and wide spread of pan Asian dishes from across the continent. Khao Suey,  Stir Fry Vegetables in Blackbean Sauce,

Murg Dhaniyawala, 

Stir Fry Fish in Oyster Chilli Sauce, 

Prawns in Thai Green Curry, 

Sautéed Chinese Greens, 

Subz Dum Biryani, and so on.

Other gastronomic treats at Ruka and must try are the Salmon Teriyaki, Sliced Fish in Parsley Sauce, Butter Garlic Prawns, Vegetable Phad Thai Noodles all of which were flavoured and cooked to perfection. 

Among the desserts the Chocolate Truffle Cake and Strawberry Mousse were a treat for the eyes. 

The Mango & Chocolate Pannacotta was divine in flavour as well as its silken texture.

Veranda - Monsoon Brunch

I visited Veranda on a rainy Sunday afternoon for their brunch...having booked my table 2 days in advance! Moving on inside I got to know Veranda was actually located in the basement of Hotel Executive Enclave on Ambedkar Road and not Pali Hill as the address claims.
The place was empty, I was seated at a cutely tagged table reserved for me, a very nice cozy spot near a large window over looking the pitter patter of the rains.

When I informed the staff I was there for the brunch they told me it was cancelled on account of dry day. This was the first let down since the whole visit was planned for the brunch, nevertheless after expressing my angst at not being informed they offered me the brunch package and choose from the menu accordingly. Frankly how does a dry day make any difference to people who come to eat, I wonder?!!

It's a gourmet Indian fine-dine restaurant that serves deconstructed modern Indian cuisine while you can be rest assured the traditional flavours are kept intact. The seating is spacious, the dining area is aesthetically designed with Indian artifacts. Scintillating chandeliers, bright and colourful runners adorn the tables, strategically placed plants and beautiful paintings make up the decor.

The ride from here on was a culinary delight and overshadowed the experience I had at the onset. So here goes the series of Indian fusion food each competing with the next one...!

Pablo Picacho 4/5
Chicken soup with mint and brown onions

Desi Gazpacho 4/5
Deliciously spiced tomato soup with coriander, and mind you it's not a cold soup. It's served piping hot coz it's the desi version 

Baby Beetroot, Arugula and Quinoa Salad 4/5

Flavoursome with a spectacular presentation

Crab-stract Salad 5/5

This ones a must have. Crab and raw mango are the key elements along with spicy Thai salad and avocado cream.

Raja Dahi Varma 4/5

This is basically a deliciously deconstructed dahi bhalla

Frida Kohli 2/5
Just about okay, seemed like tandoori fried prawns served on skewers 

Mushroom Car Pachino 2/5
This one was with a tangy ranch dressing, not particularly a favourite at our table

Pork Van Dogh 3/5
Pork belly chunks cooked in vindaloo sauce served upon prawn crisps along with crispy bacon

Oriental Roast Chicken Breast 3.5/5

Spicy Indian rice with marinated chicken breast cooked to perfection accompanied with a spicy Thai salad.

Gustafish Klimt 3/5

Pomfret fillet along with spicy quinoa and potatoes... you need to be really experimental to try this out lest settle for the more conventional dishes.

Gulkand Choco Bar 3/5

Nice, rich creamy chocolate bar mildly flavoured like a meetha pan. Superb presentation though one needs to be open to chocolate & pan blended flavours to actually relish this innovative dessert.

White Chocolate Soufflé 5/5

Lip smacking and outstanding. What I thought it would be like and what eventually arrived was world's apart. This one's a hands down winner