Luv Restaurant — Restaurant in Mumbai

New Place Alert

We found this newly opened restaurant tucked away in the quiet by-lanes of Andheri Lokhandwala area.

Here, for a Sunday afternoon lunch to an almost packed place made us realize the place is already a hit with the patron.

Called for 3 of the Non-Alcoholic cocktails, which they assured us would taste exactly like a cocktail, and we were intrigued to give it a try!

One can also relish on the long list of Hot 7 Iced Coffee/Tea from the beverage offerings.

Rum & Coke – Won us over in the very first sip; looked & tasted exactly like the OG Rum & Coke combination (Must Try) Passion Forbidden Fruit – This too tickled our tastebuds, passion fruit mixed with tequila with chilli powder dashed across the rim of the glass (Fun drink for sure) Brazilian Lemonade – Condensed milk concoction failed to elicit that feeling for us (Can be skipped)

We moved to the 2 page Appetizers spread evenly between Veg & Non Veg options!

Chef’s Special Tomato De Burrata Toast had dollops of tomato minces topped with fresh creamy burrata (4 portions), and we savoured each bite. The toast texture can be re-looked for a finer experience, though!

Kokum Prawns with Crackers was beautifully presented with king sized prawns with kokum infused flavors; the curry at the base was a delight (Perhaps 2 slices of bread can be added to the dish to go long with the curry). Definitely a must try item here – Packed with flavours!

Soft Shell Crab & Milk Bun was our star appetizer indeed for the day! Freshly baked milk bun with spiced onion stuffed in between served along with a medium-sized soft shell crab in flavorful gravy. Each bite was an indulgence, and the crab had the perfect soft shell and was meaty as well. (Recommended)

The Mains is again here very thoughtful with great options for pasta lovers!

Fagotini, for those with undying love for pasta, this one came stuffed with goat cheese on a bed of wine sauce. Do give it a try!

Coastal Seabass Curry with Uthappam stole my heart with a rich flavorful coconut based gravy (Malvani style prep) with a crispy skinned seabass slice placed atop, paired this with fluffy hot uthappam – Perfect combination – Definitely a must try here!

Ended with a “Bread Pudding” which was good but our unfortunate timings as their hot selling Dessert “Starry Night” was over for the day by the time we were done with the lunch; perhaps a sign we need to go back to Luv once again to savour the food and intricate desserts.

Luv does a great job when it comes to food offerings, and the service is definitely good . It's fun to see the open kitchen where the chefs tirelessly keep making the magic happen! We will be back again...

A Rushed Dining Experience: Disappointing Service Overshadows the Food

On Valentine’s Day, I was excited to visit this restaurant with my better half, who is also a chef.

We had pre-booked our table through District by Zomato, ensuring a hassle-free experience—or so we thought.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the staff and served a complimentary bread with garlic cream cheese, which was absolutely delicious. It set high expectations for the meal ahead.

What We Ordered:

Iced Lemongrass & Matcha Latte – Easily the worst matcha latte I’ve had. The lemongrass was so overpowering that it completely masked the matcha, and the drink itself was watery. Every sip was a disappointment.

Karaage Fried Chicken – A decent dish. The fried chicken was crisp and well-cooked, but the base, which was supposed to have a kimchi flavor, lacked any trace of it.

Soba Noodles – A letdown. The noodles were overcooked, which ruined the texture. The fried chicken element was good, but it didn’t justify the restaurant’s hype. The recipe mentioned peanuts, yet there were none in the dish.

Togarashi Fries – The portion size was generous, which was a plus. They were served with kimchi mayo, but once again, there was no noticeable kimchi flavor. The Japanese spice blend wasn’t anything extraordinary.

Lemon Iced Tea – Refreshing and well-made, one of the better items we had.

Starry Night (Dessert) – The presentation was stunning and truly lived up to the hype. The passionfruit jelly on top was a bit too overpowering, but the mousse itself was well-balanced, and the muskmelon chunks added a nice touch. Overall, a good dessert.

The Worst Part: Rushed Service & Poor Hospitality

Despite our table being prebooked, we were repeatedly pressured to leave. The restaurant was getting crowded, but that should never be the customer’s problem.

• We were asked three separate times if we wanted to order anything else, even when it was clear that we had already placed our full order.

• As we were still finishing our meal, they placed the bill on our table without even asking, making it abundantly clear that they wanted us to leave.

This kind of treatment is unacceptable, especially for a first-time customer. Being rushed through a meal, especially on a special occasion, completely ruins the experience. No matter how good the food might be, if a restaurant prioritizes turning tables over customer experience, it’s not a place worth revisiting.

Would I come back?...

When you’ve had a meal cooked with love, you know it.

We walked into Luv with our heads full of ideas about what we’d dig into. But then, life happened, and we ended up waddling out many plates later with our hearts (and tummies) feeling quite brimful.

Each plate of food served up by Luv was homely, hearty, and heaping with food, not to mention superlative flavours. But make no mistake, the fusion of French techniques and bold, evocative, distinctly Indian flavours cooked up quite a storm.

There was, for instance, the fantastic Kokum Prawns with homemade crackers, which was lip-smackingly good, existing perfectly at the intersection of Mediterranean and Indian fare.

Or how about the soft shell crab and milk bun, with the buns boasting a gorgeous sheen that almost made me feel bad to eat it. And then Chef Akash took me through the dizzying process to make its broth, involving creating a stock from other sea creatures, and then breaking down shells to create the flavoursome sauce. And if great sauce is what defines the finest of French cuisine, this was finesse, refined.

The pork bun maska was a playful take on the classic Irani bun Maska with chai, complete with its mouth feel. But break off some of the pork filled buns, dip it in some pork broth, and a wave of umami will wash over you. I admit that the novelty of this dish was more impactful than the punch of its flavours, but there is something to admire about the thoughtfulness of the idea, so distinctly Mumbai and homely.

We rounded things off with the coastal curry from the mains, and it was breathtaking. What greeted us was a fillet of perfectly cooked fish with crispy skin that brought a smile to our face. And it was floating in a curry so perfectly balanced, it could walk a tightrope. Paired with a duo of perfectly fluffy uttapams, it was a glorious dish that would keep me coming back again and again just for it.

We rounded things off with a bread pudding, offered compliments of the chef, and we left with our stomachs full and hearts grateful.

Luv is not the kind of place you visit for a quick lunch. Instead, linger, and luxuriate in the homeliness of the place, resembling something of a Goan or Bandra bungalow, and bask in the warmth of it all. All for the luv of good,...