After two weeks of failing to snag dinner seats at Farzi Cafe, we showed up as walk-ins at lunch time, only to be shown to their bar. The counter, like the rest of the three week-old modern Indian tapas bar in Lower Parel, was colonised by ladies who lunch. The restaurant, which is long and wide like a shipping container, accommodates fewer tables than the 4,400 square feet permits. This, we suspect, makes it easier for them to rearrange the place into a performance venue. A section of the restaurant closest to the stage was cordoned off during our visit causing us to scowl over the wasted space until they seated us on the first table that was vacated.
It has echoes of Masala Library (their playful spin on Indian food) and MasalaBar (the regional selection on the menu), its sister establishments under the Massive Restaurants umbrella, but Farzi Cafe seems to be angling for a younger crowd. This is evident in its competitive pricing – it’s astutely on level with that of neighbour The Bombay Canteen – and gig programming – Penn Masala, the popular a cappella group performed here a fortnight ago. That it’s also a bar is emphasised by the decor. The walls are overlaid with Rajasthani jali work. Colour changing lights have been installed behind this blanket of jali patterned stones and visual art is projected on them creating the impression of a sound and light show.
There’s plenty of room between tables for the staff to zip around and communicate, but they speak into ear pieces rather than to each other. The accessory is part of their uniform along with suspenders over crisp white shirts. The contraption we suppose comes in handy when they’re trying to maneuver the drinking and gig crowd. During orderly lunch proceedings however, it was comical to watch this walkie talkie-enabled army shooting orders at the voices in their ears.
The folks running Massive Restaurants have always had a flair for the flamboyant as evident in the fanciful showcase of the North Indian grub at Masala Library and the ornamental cocktails at MasalaBar. At Farzi Cafe, which has outposts in Delhi and Dubai, they fuss over the presentation of dishes just as much. The culinary company, which is clearly oblivious to the We Want Plates movement, has swapped conventional crockery and cutlery with custom-made boxes, platters and bowls here. The Farzi fried chicken is presented in the boot of a toy truck; chicken tikka masala in a telephone booth shaped box; and the galouti burger in a mini treasure chest. But these photo-friendly tricks and toys are needless.
Even though they’ve contributed to the plethora of reimagined pan-Indian menus, a number of Farzi’s inventions justify the ubiquitous trend. The meat stacked galouti burger with tawa boti (Rs295) is among them. We ate the tender galouti and succulent boneless taw boti packed between lightly toasted brun pao brushed with pungent coriander chutney without pause. We were equally focused while tackling the Delhi Belly tikka (Rs425), an appetiser of pliant pork belly squares dipped in a chaat-like sweet and spicy green-apple flavoured rub.
Our lunch companion, a staunch carnivore, commended their homestyle asparagus and water chestnut kurma (Rs245), a fragrant and creamy preparation of coconut milk, crunchy asparagus stalks and quartered water chestnuts. Sadly they only serve a single appam to mop up this curry leaf-flavoured kurma. Their generous portions belie their self-ascribed tag of being a tapas bar. The deceptively worded goat cheese stuffed tangdi kebab (Rs365) had four pieces of chicken legs, doused in rather than stuffed with a whipped goat cheese sauce that overwhelmed the smoked flavour of the perfectly cooked meat prepared over a tandoor. If you can afford a post-lunch nap, order the tandoori gucchi risotto (Rs425) a rich and intoxicating bowl of parmesan and garlic lavished arborio perfumed with meaty morels.
Our attention scattered like the visuals against their ornate walls during the final course. The ras malai tres leches (Rs295) had enough milk to feed a small litter of kittens. The only creative component in this hybrid dessert were the spongy carrot-flecked pillows of ras malai. The chocolate dirt pile (Rs325) was a thoughtless mess of cake crumb, chocolate coated almonds, blueberries, cherries, vanilla ice cream and chikki drowned in silken chocolate sauce. Even for those who love excessively chocolate-y desserts, it was disappointing as the parts were not in harmony.
Get: Galouti burger with roast tawa boti (Rs295); asparagus and water chestnut kurma (Rs245); Delhi belly tikka (Rs425); tandoori gucchi risotto (Rs425).
Skip: Goat cheese stuffed tangdi kebab (Rs365); ras malai tres leches (Rs295); chocolate dirt pile (Rs325).
It is our policy to wait at least a week after an establishment has opened before we review it.
Prices exclude taxes. This review was conducted anonymously.
Farzi Cafe, Kamala Mills Compound, opposite Times Tower, Lower Parel. Tel: 84339 42801. Open daily, from noon to 1am. Get directions here.