Punjab Grill Kurla — Restaurant in Mumbai

Winter season brings with itself some delights; the late sunrise due to the hazy atmosphere, yearning for a cup of hot tea / coffee and the frequent feeling of being hungry. The change in the climate necessitates a change in diet to give the body some extra warmth moreso through food. Keeping this in mind, since ages, some food items were mandated to be cooked & consumed essentially during this season especially in North India as it faces severe cold.

This restaurant is located in Phoenix Market City Mall on LBS Road, Kurla. The restaurant is quite spacious and can host about 50-60 people at full capacity.

We were handed over a pre-set menu which had an assortment of Vegertarian & Non-vegetarian dishes. Detailed below is my take on what I sampled here:

KAALI GAJAR KAANJI [INR 195] This drink was a unique and refreshing beverage presented to us. Big chunks of Carrot & Beetroot were soaked in vinegar for over 4 hours. 1/3rd portion of the vinegar was mixed with 2/3rd of water, it was then infused with asafotedia & crushed mustard seeds to give it a appetizing effect. The end result was a slightly sour tasting, appetizing drink. It was vey similar to Goan appetizer known as TIVAL which is made from Kokam.

MOONGHERIYAN [INR 245] Fritters made from Moong Dal batter were served with spicy green chutney. The chutney had an extra helping of green chilies. The fritters were fried to an extent where they were soft inside but slightly crispy outside.

GATHI GOBHI DI TIKKI [INR 425] These melt-in-the-mouth soft Tikki’s were made from Parsnip, mashed Potatoes and peanut butter. Parsnip is known an CHUKANDAR is Hindi and is a edible root which belongs to the carrot family. Grated parsnip was mixed with mashed potatoes and peanut butter and then shaped into Tikkis and shallow fried till they got a golden glaze. It was served with a sweet chutney made from Amla and Jaggery.

SARSON DA SAAG [INR 525] If it is Winter season then an authentically prepared Sarson Da Saag is a Must-Have. It’s slow cooked to perfection with a medley of various greens though not entirely in mustard oil. The aroma of mustard oil is something which will not be appreciated by customers in Mumbai. The dish was cooked to a thick consistency with very minimal spices. It was served garnished with ginger juliennes and a red chilli.

MAKKI DI ROTI [INR 115] If it is Sarsaon Da Saag, then it has to be paired with Makke Di Roti. The roti served to me was pretty thick and only one was good enough. It was served with white butter and chunks of Jaggery.

TIL GUR WALA ROTI [INR 115] This is another Winter specialty, whole wheat roti made with Jaggery & white sesame seeds. Jaggery & White sesame seeds are known to have qualities to bring warmth to the body.

BAJRE DI KHICHDI [INR 495] Bajra or Pearl Millet is another food grain which is known to infuse the body with warmth is specificaaly consumed across India for this reason. Rice grain and Bajra were pounded to a granular consistency and then cooked along with basic spice. It was served with ghee and a sweet lime pickle and green chili pickle.

GUR KI KHEER [INR 195] A thick Kheer made by boiling rice with milk and then sweetening it with Jaggery. It was served cold, garnished with finely chopped dry fruits.

GAJAR GOBHI SHALGHAM DA ACHAAR During the meal, we were served a home made pickle made from cauliflower, carrots and turnip. Surprisingly the pickle was slightly sweet to taste but went very nice with each & every dish on the table.

The service was at times very laid back & slow, so much that we passed time by polishing off the chutney on the table. The steward who attended to us, REMI, was very courteous & knowledgable about the menu.

Overall, it was very warm experience of having sampled the Winter menu at Punjab Grill. The fact that the climate in Mumbai is sub 15 degrees made the experience even more enjoyable. It is worth a try at least the cold spell...

Nariyal Pani Cucumber Detox A perplex of coconut water with cucumber, mint & lime, super refreshing this was lovely.

Aachari Santra Orange juice spiked with lemon pickle, super aachaari, sweet tangy tasty, if you are a pickle fan go for this!!

Murgh Badami shorba : Lovely A mild, lite translucent chicken soup having a runny consistency, and mild essence of almonds with chopped chillies, carrots and almond flakes very soothing & appetising, go for it.

Non vegetarian grills

Tandoori Jhinga Jumbo Prawns marinated with lemon juice, carrom seeds, green cardamom in a yellow marinade and grilled in the tandoor. It was a miss for me and a hit for my partner. A mix review, varies from palate to palate. Ps: I called for a small portion the restaurant serves more.

Raan-E-Sikhandari Lamb leg marinated stock of cinnamon, cardamon, bayleaves on a mild spicy side with a semi gravy & tandoored. Meat was on a slightly firmer side, well absorbed with spices accompanied with salad and green chutney.

Khaam Khatai (mutton galouti) Effortless on the palate, well textured, aromatic, pounded into a paste consistency lamb tikkis pan seared, this was good.

Nalli ghost Lamb shanks marinated with herbs and spices, cooked on dum with onion mint and yoghurt gravy was good, the meat was beautifully cooked, paired it with garlic butter naan.

Bharme Amritsari Aloo Kulcha : WoW Stuffed Aloo Kulcha not going into much details you must try this, this was really good.

Kulfi falooda The deconstructed falooda: Miss On The Name, Breaks the entire perception of the falooda, this is not the traditional falooda do check the picture in post. Kesar kulfi pieces rested on a bed vermicelli with rose syrup topped with finely sliced pistachios. The Kulfi is made in house has a beautiful texture.

Gulab Jamun 3 types are served: Classic & Gulab Jamun with white chocolate & Nutella.

Tried the Chocolate gulab jamun Nutella infused Gulab Jamun was WOW!! PS: On an Extremely Sweet Side!!

Amazing Culinary Skills by Chef Virendra Singh & Team.

Good Service by R Sawant & Tek Singh.

Good Experience : A pleasant and satiating meal.

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**Review of Punjab grill Kurla phonix mall 04/08/2024

I recently visited Punjab grill in Kurla expecting a pleasant dining experience, but unfortunately, it turned out to be quite the opposite. From the moment I stepped in, the ambience was overshadowed by the staff's unprofessional behavior. It was disheartening to witness staff members shouting at each other and using inappropriate language. This disruptive atmosphere is not what one hopes for when looking to enjoy a meal in peace.

Service, in general, was painfully slow and disorganized. After placing my order, I found myself having to repeatedly call for the waitstaff, who seemed oblivious to their customers' needs. To make matters worse, it was confusing to see different waiters coming to take orders, serve food, and handle requests for additional items. They often appeared unsure about which table they were serving, adding to the chaos.

On a positive note, I did enjoy the juice I ordered, but even that came with its own set of frustrations. After requesting sweet syrup to enhance its flavor, I had to wait nearly 15 minutes for another staff member to bring it back to me—who then awkwardly took my juice glass to add syrup instead of just providing it on the side.

As for the food, my experience was a mixed bag. I ordered mutton maans, rice, and butter garlic naan. Unfortunately, the mutton maans was overly oily and lacked flavor, making it a disappointment. The only standout dish was the chicken seekh kebab, which was genuinely good and perhaps the highlight of the meal. Given the quality of the other dishes, I hesitated to explore more options on the menu, simply because of the staff's lack of attentiveness and professionalism.

Overall, while Punjab grill has the potential for great food, the staff's poor service management and unprofessional behavior overshadow the dining experience. I hope they can address these issues, as a better environment and improved service could make this restaurant a lot more appealing. For now, I cannot recommend it unless significant...