Taftoon — Restaurant in Mumbai

I visited Taftoon for lunch with a friend. When I was introduced about the concept of Taftoon, I was quite impressed. Taftoon means breads and the restaurant specializes in variants of breads along with food from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh & parts of North India that include Kashmir, and some parts of Lucknow. I totally loved the Persian vibe of the place, the ambience was lovely and lit, and the music too was quite soothing. We were welcomed by a welcome drink that was Kashmiri Kahwa. The Kahwa was nice and hot. It had aromas of cinnamon, cloves and saffron. The Kahwa was freshly made and had jaggery too in it. I was very impressed by this drink that was served in a small Kulhad. After this, we started our food journey by calling for two mocktails & some Vegetarian appetizers.

~ Green and Pink Splash was a virgin i.e non alcoholic drink made with Muskmelon, Guava, Ginger. The drink was quite refreshing. The flavor of the guava & Muskmelon made a great match and balance. I loved the tinge of ginger that came in with every sip of the drink.

~ Date & Pineapple Sherbet was another impressive mocktail. It looked rich in terms of presentation, with a date & cherry and dehydrated pineapple on top. After taking a sip of the drink, I got flavors of pineapple & date along with fennel seeds. This was indeed a refreshing blend and the drink was neither too sweet nor too bland. I found the blend perfect. Also full marks to this drink on presentation.

~Gucci Mushrooms was the first appetizer that came in on the table. Taftoon topped with some ghee, with a mushy base of mushrooms. The three mushrooms used were Gucci, shitake and button mushrooms which were blended in a soft paste format and topped on the Taftoon. In terms of presentation, this looked beautiful & royal. The flavor of the ghee, along with the mushrooms and Taftoon had a nice impact. They complimented each other in flavors.

~ Dahi Bhutteyan di Kebab was the appetizer that impressed thoroughly. Corn kernels nicely mashed up with curd and some green chillies and a light touch of spices and shaped into tikkis. These were pan fried minimalistic. The tikkis were soft and tender. The sweetness of the corn added an amazing touch. Unlike, other Dahi kebabs that are extremely sweet, this one was sweet but the corn kernels had more of an effect than the curd. Also, the spices and green chillies added an additional flavor to the tikkis.

~ Chatpatey Paneer Tikke was Cottage cheese nicely marinated in a herb base dip. The cottage cheese was very soft and tender. I found it very fresh and hence the quality of the product was great. The tikkas were topped with shredded Beetroot. The marination was a little on the spicier end, however due to the beetroot it gave it a sweet flavor. I loved that with every bite, the spice could be felt and towards the end of it, the sweetness of beetroot gave it a nice feel.

~ Bhune Mushroom Shish was another enticing mushroom appetizer at Taftoon. The mushrooms were filled with some achaari filling and stuffed with some veggies like zucchini, and bell peppers. However, the best part was that apricots spread too was used in it. They spread a sweet and sour base onto the veggies that gave it a chatpata feel. I found it similar to the Khatta Meetha Muraba flavor. The button mushrooms were cooked well and the filling inside was yummy too. I loved the presentation too.

~ Chukandar- E Shammi was a Beetroot based Tikki. It looked very similar to Beetroot Galauti, however it wasn't the same. The beetroot was nicely mashed and stuffed with processed cheese. Also, there were hints of pepper and cardamom in it. It was soft and flavorful. At the end of each bite, the spice was give a hit on the throat. I loved it.

• Bharwan Kadhai which had Mirchi, Brinjals, Bhindi, and Tomatoes in a spicy gravy. The veggies had stuffing of Cottage cheese and peanuts. It was quite nice. Full marks on presentation, and also the dish was not too spicy and can be enjoyed by everyone. We also had Lababdar Paneer & Maa di Choliya Dal which...

Bkc is a paradise for all the foodies , and this place cannot be missed out at any cost because of its amazing creativity. Right from the ambience, theme and the dining experience, each and everything is luxurious. I was extremely excited to visit this place since the theme seems to be Interesting, and it truly added to expectation level .

“TAFTOON BAR & KITCHEN “ is the place to have a Royal touch to dining experience. The word taftoon means , a flour bread . It is located in the heart of bkc , now the specialty of this place is their theme . The GRAND TRUNK ROAD “ , this place takes you to try out some of the classic dishes right from Afghanistan to Kolkata. Some of the amazing dishes from Bangladesh, a twist in Indian dishes .

Coming to the Ambience, based on their amazing theme . A relaxing vibes , it gives a Royal touch to dining . The bar counter’s decor is just incredible, also this place has some of the dishes from England . The place is spacious, there are some of the pictures on the wall . Hospitality was taken care of , especially mr . Ajay has done excellent job .

COCKTAILS

1)THE GRAND TRUNK COCKTAIL - the signature cocktail of this place ! Based on their theme , a gin based cocktail having cucumber juice with orange flavour, tasted well . It wasn’t too strong , the presentation was on point . If you’re looking for some photogenic cocktail , then definitely go for this .

2)SILK ROUTE - Yet Another cocktail cocktail that will meet the expectation level . A whiskey based includes fresh plum juice , apricot , egg white and smoke flavour. Bitter on taste side , the smokey flavour along with this looks pretty good . The presentation is amazing , over all the cocktail tasted on point .

STARTERS

1)MIRZA HASNU KEBAB - Chicken pieces marinated to the perfection , the tandoor spices gives an excellent flavour to the dish . It tasted delicious, chicken was tender and cooked perfectly, this will definitely brings Mouth watering flavour.

2)GALAUTI KEBAB - A totally different concept of presentation, the kebab were served on the paratha along with salad . Mutton was blended well , it had hint of onion paste . The best Part was , texture was soft . Tasted well with creative presentation.

MAIN COURSE

1)TAWA KEEMA BOTI - keema is the preferable thing for all the non-vegetarians. This mutton keema had nice ginger flavour . the mutton pieces were sufficient, it tasted well . The ginger plays a major role in this , over all a good option for mains to try out .

2)GOALONDO STEAMER CURRY - A Bangladeshi style chicken curry , it had a perfect blend of onion , turmeric and chillies . Purely made in Bangladeshi style , tasted delicious. Not too sweet , the presentation was also on point . the chicken pieces were tender and sufficient. the gravy was delight to have it . Over all it truly met the expectation level.

With Mains , I had this classic bread, Laal Naan is originated from Amritsar , had flavoured with red chilli oil . Crispy taste , it was topped with sesame seeds. A mutton keema with the laal Naan was the best Combination.

DESSERTS

1)CHOCOLATE PUDDING - Loved it ! A Sinful chocolate dessert contains egg . Nice creamy taste , served in small plant pot . Something different it was , chocolate lovers don’t miss out .

2)KAJU KI KULFI -after having a heavy meal , the kaju is kulfi is here to finish this meal . A home made kulfi had a flower for presentation. Kaju ki kulfi was served with anjeer . Creamy taste with well presented. A perfect way to end an happy meal .

On the whole , had an incredible experience ! Loved their creative theme , food and service both were on point . The journey from Afghanistan to Kolkata was amazing. I would surely recommend this place , Definitely a place to remember , taftoon is here to rule your heart .

Looking forward to my next visit! Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambience 5/5 Recommend 5/5 Value for money 5/5

Keep traveling, keep eating,...

BKC never comprises on the quality of restaurants it nestles, and to its pride is Taftoon Bar & Kitchen, a casual dining spot with an interesting tale to its name. It’s not the usual BKC eatery that office crowd would eat at every day, but it's so worth every penny spent.

Taftoon or Taftan is named after leavened flour bread from Persian, Pakistani and Indian cuisines baked in a clay oven made up of milk, yoghurt, and eggs decorated with poppy seeds. There also exists a place called Taftan, which is the only legal crossing border into Iran. Well, the science behind a name is always ambiguous.

Taftoon is confined to a limited space and lacks the theme associated with any ethnicity. It rather discovered more sensible interiors with the help of Payal Khanna, the lady behind the creativity. The décor is honeycomb and hexagon gradually moving to the bar, and the “seal” monogram is inspired by the Maurya dynasty which is visible on the walls and napkins.

Inspired by the food along the Grant Trunk Road, one of the oldest and longest running roads in South Asia, making its way through the land of five rivers, the Grant Trunk Road has helped spread culture, diversity, and food.

It runs from Chittagong in Bangladesh to Howrah in West Bengal, then crosses through Delhi passing through Amritsar from where it continues towards Lahore and Peshawar in Pakistan, and finally resting in Kabul, Afghanistan. Taftoon serves everything from Kashmiri to Pakistani to Bengali to Rampuri cuisines.

We started from the top i.e Kashmiri Kahwa, it was an amazing combination of delicious taste, aroma and a bundle of health benefits. It has been known to be a part of Kashmir’s cuisine since ages. It had the presence of saffron, it serves as a warming drink. An exotic mix of Kashmiri green tea leaves, whole spices, nuts and saffron, which was traditionally prepared in a brass kettle known as samovar. Too good.

Then we moved to their Signature Mocktails

Date & Pineapple Sherbet: Date puree mixed with anise-flavoured jaggery, fresh pineapple sherbet, and sour mix.

Lavender & Apple Ice Tea: Fresh lavender-apple tea, blended with sweet & sour mix served over ice.

Starters:

Taftoon pe Harissa Gucchi and Mushroom(veg): Cocktail taftaan smeared with harissa paste, each variation is minced on the stone, gradually spiced with cardamom and saffron, slow cooked and finished with truffle oil.

Soya Ki Chaap(veg): Charcoal-grilled soya fillets marinated in yogurt & garlic tandoori masala.

Chatpatey Paneer Tikke (Veg): Paneer marinated with fresh green herbs, tangy & hot spices

Mirza Hasnu Tikka (Non-Veg): Gently Spiced very fragnant, boneless chicken marinated in tandoori spices, slow cooked & smoked.

Main Course:

Labdaari Paneer(veg): Velvety- smooth, onion-tomato curry, with chunks of fresh cottage cheese

Maa Choliya Ki Dal(veg): Mixed lentils, channa, rajma, black, urad, slow-cooked without onion or garlic, and very few spice

Goalondo Steamer Curry : Reminiscent of the quick chicken curries made aboard steamers while crossing the seas, the base of onions, turmeric, chillies.

Malai ki biryani: Basmati rice dum-cooked with garam masala, Lauki beans, gobi and peas, in milk.

Signature Breads

Lal Naan: Crisp Amritsari bread laced with rogan or flavoured chili oil and sesame seeds

Zafrani Taftoon: Oven baked, flavoured with saffron and a hint of black cardamom

Baquerkhani: Poppy- crusted, leavened bread baked in the oven, typically found in the local bakeries in Kashmir

Desserts

Chena Plate: A Platter of assorted, milk -based sweets, such as jaggery ras gulla, Sandesh, kheer kadam, and malai Sandwich.

Chocolate Pudding: This egg based, sinful chocolate dessert is a century-old, colonial club favourite.

The food is robust and well-presented, with authentic flavours, albeit with a few hits and misses. The service is a bit slack, but the staff is polite...