Veggie Paradise!. Review on Curry Twist, Sakinaka, Mumbai

Curry Twist is officially my favorite restaurant from now until I stumble upon some place that’s even better – no mean feat! This is a relatively new fine-dining restaurant at Saki Naka. It's just below Pop Tate's, if you've ever been there. The restaurant is only vegetarian, something meat eaters should know before they venture there and are disappointed. But the food is really worth it, so either way it's worth the visit. But don’t go there when you’re in a hurry. To really enjoy the Curry Twist experience and the scrumptious food, you need to relax as you go through each course at leisure.

Curry Twist has valet parking, a boon in that congested part of Andheri. The entrance to the restaurant is a bit confusing since it's shared with a cute little art gallery right next door. But once you're inside, you'll be delighted. The decor is pleasing and the tables and booths are well-spaced. Other than on weekends and Friday nights, you won't have to wait to be seated. Opt for a comfortable booth, if it's available.

Don't forget to stare up at the ceiling once you're seated. The lights change colors, from soothing blues, to dusky pinks, tangy oranges, and fresh greens. Don't worry, the lights are very subtle - your dinner/lunch companions won't start changing colors :) The service is very prompt and very friendly. They appear just when you need them, but blend into the background when you're engrossed in conversation or your meal. No hovering waiters who make you feel like you need to order, eat, and get out of there as fast as you can.

The menu is extensive, with food that caters to every palate, so if you're confused about what to get, feel free to ask the maitre'd for suggestions. The wait staff knows a lot about the food, and will definitely assist you to ensure you enjoy what you order. Something that really made me happy is that they don’t use any preservatives and artificial flavors or colors in the food! Everything is wholesome and delicious!

So, the decor is amazing, as is the service. But the best part of the restaurant is the food and of course the drinks. Everything I've tried so far is mouth-wateringly good! The cocktails are well-laced, and there are plenty of mocktails to choose from. They also have a good range of iced teas, fruit juice, coffees, and aerated drinks, if you're so inclined. The starters are delicious and varied – there are the usual paneer tikkas, baby potatoes, mushrooms, sesame toasts, spring rolls, fingers, and nachos, all really delicious, but most with names too complicated for me to remember.

When it comes to the main course, the portions are really generous! The Italian cuisine is a must-try. The Lasagna is very delicately flavored and cheesy, and just a little spicy. The Cannelloniis beautifully prepared, stuffed with the yummiest cottage cheese and spinach. Not at all spicy or overwhelming, it has the most delicate flavors. The other pastas are yummy too, and go best with some warm garlic bread. Their garlic bread is soft, fresh, and yummy! They also have a few other breads to choose from, like their delicious pita bread, which goes just as well with the baked preparations. Curry Twist also does a good job with the other cuisines. There’s the Mexican rice, it’s a spiced rice served in a bed of spicy vegetables in red sauce. The Moussakais pretty good, if you like aubergines. The Baked Corn and Cheese dish is yummy too.

They have lots of other baked vegetables which sound pretty enticing, I intend to try some more next time I go there. Their Orientalpreparations seem tantalizing too, but I’ve only tried the Vegetable Balls in Garlic Sauce (I hope I got the name right) served with rice, so far. The Indian food is awesome too! The biryani and hariyali pulao is amazing, spiced just right, and no traces of oil. The Rajastani kadhi is pretty good and they even have the seasonal Gujrathi Undhiyo. This is the only place I’ve ever tried it, and I’m not much of a Guju food fan, but it was pretty alright. I liked most of the paneer dishes I tried there, like the Paneer Nazakat which was cottage cheese in red gravy. Another delicious preparation had a name like Kaliyonor something (tongue-twisting names!). It was exotic vegetables, like baby corn and broccoli, in mild cashew gravy. They have a decent variety of rotis, but my favorite is the Ajwain roti, which smells delicious, and tastes even better than it smells.

And finally my favorite part, deserts that make me swoon! A cute thing that Curry Twist does is, they bring all the different deserts to your table in a tray (sort of like the desert trolley that goes around the restaurant in America), the wait staff explains what each is, and then you can choose your pick. With all the different delicious choices, this is by no means an easy task! They have different tarts, pastries, custards, and mousses. The Dark Chocolate Mousse is delicious, as is the cheesecake and the white and dark chocolate pastry. Or if you’re inclined to Indian sweets, they also have kheers, rabdis, and gulab jamuns. The stuffed gulab jamuns are really very good, even though I’m not a fan, and are served piping hot. If you’re watching those pesky calories, you can have a fruit salad, and ask them to hold off on the ice cream.

A meal for two will set you back by about Rs. 1200 - 1500, with alcoholic beverages, starters, main course, and desert - totally value for money! It’s really amazing that one restaurant can do justice to different cuisines, Indian, Italian, Continental, and even Oriental. They also have a decent bar, and the most amazing deserts. Curry Twist doesn’t let you down, no matter what you’re in the mood for. The one thing that might add to the whole dining experience is if they played some music. Nothing too loud, just some soft music or even western classical, like Beethoven or Mozart, would definitely add to the ambiance. But other than that, I can't think of a thing I'd change about Curry Twist. The restaurant is a delight, and if you haven't been there already, you don’t know what you’re missing!