Fiona — Restaurant in Mumbai

I am staying at the hotel at the moment and I had a buffet dinner tonight at the Fiona restaurant which was one of the worst Indian buffets I ever encountered in my life anywhere in the world let alone in a 5 star hotel. And to think this is in Mumbai, India 🇮🇳 (oh, the irony).

Upon arrival I was asked if I wanted still or sparkling water.

I opted for sparkling water.

It is perrier, a French mineral water which is fairly priced at 300 inr + + (comes to around 3.90 EUR which is the same as what a small mineral water in a 5 star hotel in France typically costs).

However, perrier spent a quarter of a billion EUR recalling and destroying millions of mineral water bottles this year because it admitted one of its seven water wells in Southern France had fecal contamination due to heavy flooding.

It would be better had I been told what exactly I was getting rather than "sparkling water".

As it is a small bottle I decided to drink it but I can't for the life of me understand why a buffet restaurant can't have a drinks menu.

I started with pani puri and dahi puri which were the only tasty items.

After being seated I was not asked if I want any bread to accompany the meal.

It is only after I got my food that I realised it must be ordered so the bread arrived after my food was already sitting for a while.

The waiter said they have "all Indian breads". I asked for a kulcha and a roti. I got a plain naan and a roti instead and both tasted below average.

In order not to write a long essay I will suffice by saying that the non-veg food is so bad I would not opt to purchase the meat if on display in a chicken or mutton shop I frequent when feeding the dozens of stray dogs on my visits to India..

Everything (with the exception of the chaat/pani puri) was extremely salty and in fact non edible.

The salads uninspiring (i.e a thick slice of boiled beetroot stuck between some other bits and pieces, a bowl of dry lettuce with no sauce whatsoever etc.)

The so called biryani and the paneer swimming in cheap oil were so salty I couldn't eat them and returned the plate to the waiter.

The same was true for the so-called "hara bhara kebab". It was a dry salty patty and had nothing in common with hara bhara as I know and love.

The sweets were edible but not particularly tasty either.

After this experience I will surely not try the buffet breakfast tomorrow nor for the rest of my stay which is otherwise...

Review of Fiona at Radisson Blu:

Fiona, located within the Radisson Blu, is a restaurant that promises a premium dining experience but unfortunately falls short in several key areas. While the ambiance is undeniably pleasant, with a chic and sophisticated decor that creates a relaxing atmosphere, the overall dining experience leaves much to be desired, especially considering the hefty price tag.

The buffet spread was extremely limited, offering very few options to choose from. This wouldn’t necessarily be a deal-breaker if the quality of the food made up for the lack of variety. However, the food was bland and lacked any distinctive flavor. None of the dishes stood out, and it felt like the chefs had completely overlooked the importance of seasoning and taste. For a restaurant of this caliber, the lack of flavor was particularly disappointing.

The pricing at Fiona is on the higher side, and it’s hard to justify the cost when the food fails to deliver. You can easily find better-tasting meals at half the price in regular restaurants elsewhere. Even if you compare it to other high-end dining establishments, Fiona doesn’t come close to offering the same level of culinary excellence or memorable experience. Paying such a premium for just ambiance feels unjustified when the food is such a letdown.

In conclusion, Fiona is best avoided unless you’re a guest at the hotel and have no other dining options due to time or energy constraints. If you’re looking for a truly satisfying meal, there are far better choices available, even at a lower price point. Radisson Blu should reconsider its culinary offerings at Fiona to match the expectations set by its ambiance...

The place is clean, with both indoor and outdoor seating options that we found to be comfortable. We had the breakfast buffet included in our stay, while the dinner buffet was an additional purchase.The buffet service was commendable overall, and we enjoyed the wide variety of food options. However, many of the authentic Mumbai and Konkan dishes had flavors that were a bit stronger than my usual taste preferences. This included items like paneer tikka, paneer sabzi, chicken sabzi, chicken tikka, biryani, chole, and chicken soup.On the other hand, the fish dishes were exceptional, and the live chaat counter was a real highlight with options like dahi papdi, pani puri, and sev puri. The variety of desserts was also impressive, featuring a delightful selection of halwa, gulab jamun, chocolate cake pastries, rasgulla, rasmalai tart, and walnut chocolate brownie fudge.The salad bar offered some lovely choices, especially the fish salad from the Konkan festival. The chicken tikka salad and sprouts were fresh and flavorful. Among the starters, the fish tawa and bread rolls were particularly delicious, and we thoroughly enjoyed the fish dishes in both the starter and main courses. The variety of breads provided with the meal added to the experience, and the Manchow soup was another highlight.Economical Tips: For those looking to save, it's worth asking for additional discounts, as you can sometimes get up to 35% off. Alternatively, check table booking apps like EazyDiner for dining deals or Zomato for ordering in. We managed to get a great dinner buffet deal for 5k for four people...