Chili’s @ Powai, Mumbai : Visit to US via Mexico and Mumbai !

As always Powai gives me this unreal feeling of not being in Mumbai and yet there, it’s a strangely bustling place with people always moving around at leisure; a place of contrasts and contrast it was cause inspite of its large chili at the entrance and a large graffiti of a man crying out as if he had just had the hottest chili, the food was quite well balanced and delightful too.

I started with two gorgeous cocktails – the Presidente Margarita and Tropical Sunrise. Both of these brewed with the top secret sweet and sour syrup of the chain, were a discovery in freshness.  This was a great start to my gastronomic journey and the first dish on the table was the Terlingua Chili cup and that was a Eureka moment for me in more ways than just taste!  “Chili” as in the delectable meaty, spicy stew with black beans! The designer had perhaps unknowingly taken a more literal route. But they have just revived their 1970s original menu and I was all set for my journey of “Back to future”.

The next on the table was the Triple Decker; a platter of starters such as Texas cheese poppers, Wings over Buffalo, Paneer bites, Chicken crispers and Southwestern Rolls with their own individual sauces like Cool Ranch, Bombay Ranch, Chipotle Ranch, Avocado Ranch  and Honey Mustard. Someone had spent a long time working on these combinations and coming out with these culinary marriages. The cheese poppers were soft and full of piping hot cheese centres, crispy on the outside. The chicken crispers with crisp exterior and soft perfect melt-in-your-mouth flesh within were delightful. The Southwestern rolls did justice to the special recommendation they came with. However, the paneer bites lacked any Indian flavours we associate with and the wings lacked a balance of flavours and I found the sauce sour to my taste.

The next on the table were the quesadillas. The Paneer quesadillas which were specially made for Indian patrons and the Chicken bacon ranch quesadillas served with Chipotle Sour cream. The non-veg ones are a definite recommendation for the meat-lovers. The combination of garlicky chicken with smoked bacon and toasted crisp tortillas were un-put-down-able. A journey to the Mid-west would be incomplete without its rack of Pork Ribs. These were soft, succulent though a little sparse on the meat, but the sauce was just right. I declare it would be worth a trip to Powai just for these.

The dessert was California Baked Cheesecake and Peach Pudding. The latter a delightful soft pudding made with a load of peaches and finished off with icecream and walnuts. It was manna not only for the stomach but the soul too !

 

Food: 3.5 | Ambiance: 3.5 | Service: 3.5 | Overall: 3.5

Meal for Two without Alcohol: Rs. 2000 Approximately plus taxes| Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes|

Timing: 12 noon to 12 mid-night  | Wheelchair access : Yes

Address: 13, Ventura building, Central Avenue, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai – 400076

Telephone : 022 67419002