A few days back, I revisited one of my favorite Japanese food restaurants in Mumbai, Shiro, for the review of their new menu launch.
As always, the sense of space one feels when you enter the sprawling restaurant is amazing. The tastefully done up interior with the huge statue of Buddha completes the décor. The restaurant is divided into two floors, while the ground floor boasts of a small dining area that can be converted into a private dining area; the first floor boasts of the live Teppanyaki stations.
Choosing wisely to stick to green teas, we asked for a Jasmine Tea to begin with and were greeted with a very aromatic and soulful drink that whet up our appetite for things to come. The first dishes to come to our table were an assortment of Sushis and Rolls ranging from a Crispy Duck Sushi which had all the crunchy goodness of Peking duck and the nutty toastiness of sesame in a lovely roll, a complete delight. The Maki rolls that accompanied were average, but the Crispy Spicy Avocado Roll with a potent spice kick towards the tail end made up for them. The Vietnamese Rolls, though beautiful in presentation and good in taste, were quite clumsy to eat and can be avoided if you are on a date and don’t want to look sloppy.
A Sriracha based Chicken Skewer was served next which was spicy, delicious and quite an apt starter to pair with their house cocktails. I had paired it with an amazing oregano and mint tea which worked well for me. The skewers were presented on a live charcoal grill which lends an inherent smokiness to the dish which was highly appreciated. The accompanying Basa Skewer with fresh basil notes was soft and juicy and went equally well.
I didn’t relish the Dim Sums as much as the previous dishes as, despite the fillings being delicious, the casings were a bit doughy. The best of the lot were the chestnuts and mushroom Dimsum and the prawns with Edamame ones. The Chicken filled Bao was slightly pan seared and tasted good. The clean flavors of this dish stood poignantly over the Dimsums that were served along with.
Of the mains, the Chilean Sea Bass in citrus sauce on sweet potato and fried garlic mash was decadent, very soft and buttery. Similarly, the Black Cod was also a very beautiful buttery dish where the fish was extremely soft and flaky and, despite a sensual sauce, was quite the hero of the dish.
Of the dishes that didn’t work for me were the Chinese style scallops and the Pork Belly. While the scallops were over ruled by the heavy Chinese sauce, the pork belly was a bit over cooked, thereby taking away the joy of both the dishes.
Thankfully these were the only dull dishes as the Lamb Chops in Balsamic reduction that was brought in next was absolutely mind blowing with its juicy meat and a sweet potato base which worked well as its accompaniment. Similarly, the 5 Mushroom Yakisoba Noodle had a hearty mix of mushrooms and quite delicious in its own rights.
The Massaman Curry was the last dish on our tasting menu. Despite a heavy food lineup and a sharp curry flavor, I found it quite appealing and balanced on the spice level. I brought this dish back home and relished it through the next day as well.
Shiro´s food may sway during the special events or caterings they do once in a while, but when it comes to a la carte experiences, their food definitely comes up tops barring a few ups and downs. It is definitely a worthy place to catch a quick business lunch or even a scrumptious night out with your date, in an ambiance to match! The new menu complements the experience on the whole and I hope to catch more of it in the days to come.
Ratings out of 5
Food: 3.5 | Ambiance: 4.5 | Service: 3.5 | Overall: 4
Meal for Two without Alcohol: Rs.3000 Approximately plus taxes| Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes|
Timing: 12:30 – 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm – 1:00 am | Wheelchair access : Yes
Address: Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound, Pandurang Budhkar Marg, Worli, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400025
Telephone : 022 6651 1207
Disclaimer : This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgment and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review; however readers may exercise their own discretion.
