Sunday, June 06, 2010

Mumbai Dining: Maya and Stax

Thali at Maya in Trident BKCThe Trident opened another hotel in Mumbai a few months back. Located right in the middle of the Bandra Kurla Complex, this hotel is home to a couple of good dining options. 022, named after the postal code of Mumbai, is a great place for a business lunch. The lunch buffet has a variety of Indian and international options including decent sushi and fresh pizza. Botticino serves contemporary Italian food in an unique setting that highlights the grappa and wine culture of Italy. However, today I was at the Indian restaurant, Maya.

Maya was completely deserted during lunch unlike 022 which was filled with business type people. I had the complete, undivided attention of the waitstaff; even the sous chef came by to make me feel very welcome! The restaurant itself is a modern affair in bright reds and gold and the menu offers dishes from different regions of India.

Murgh Methi at Maya Trident MumbaiI decided to try their lunch thali which included portions of mutton, fish, chicken and vegetable dishes. They started me off with a glass of chilled jal jeera, papads and a starter of murgh methi tikka - a kabab marinated with fenugreek and yogurt. The kabab was succulent and perfectly cooked and the jal jeera was refreshing as I waiting for the main courses.

Dessert at Maya Trident MumbaiThe thali appeared quite imposing: a large bronze plate with bowls of steaming, hot curries! The saag gosht, lamb slow-cooked in a gravy of spinach and mild spices was perfect, as was the murgh makhani, chunks of tender chicken in a thick gravy of tomato and butter. But the best was clearly the meen moilie, fillet of fish in a thin coconut-based sauce, a dish that originates from the state of Kerala.

The chef had been light-handed with spices; I enjoy spicier versions when eating Indian food, but otherwise, the lunch was perfectly balanced and the breads were excellent too. Dessert was another South Indian delicacy, a warm payasam made of whole lentils - mildly sweet and a nice end to a filling meal.

Fried Calamari at Stax MumbaiI also returned to Stax, the Italian restaurant in the Hyatt Regency, Mumbai. Unlike my previous visits, the restaurant was busier - always a good sign! The waitstaff were as efficient and helpful as ever. Since I had a flight to catch in a few hours, I passed the wine list and quickly settled for a starter of fried calamari followed by the popular pork tenderloin dish on the menu.

Pork Tenderloin at Stax MumbaiThe calamari came mixed with some fried shrimps too and wasn't particularly remarkable. However, the pork was quite interesting. The tenderloin was served on a on a bed of sauteed mushrooms and served with golden crispy tater tots with a cranberry sauce. For dessert, I had scoops of the home-made seasame ice-cream which were fantastic!

Ice-creams at Stax MumbaiChef Alessio Banchero has been offering his Nuovo Spring Menu for the last couple of months. This is a good place for a quiet dinner if you are close to the International Airport.

Note: My previous visit to Stax is posted here.

4 comments:

indicaspecies said...

I'd love to try out that thali..with a variety of veggies!

BackPacker said...

nice blog...
plz also write at www.duniyagolhai.com

Join them on facebook :)

cheers!

Anonymous said...

@indicaspecies: They did have a veggie thali too, something I never order. :)

@backpacker: Lemme check the site out...

CAO- Chef Azura othman said...

I've been sooo bus lately that I don't find the time to see this.I am on a diet Mr Shantanu, your blog is making me hungry!