Picture this: You are standing under a massive Indian flag which is fluttering beautifully in the lovely wintery (or whatever little of it you feel out here in Mumbai), the lovely new airport terminal right in front of you in all its glory, hundreds of people walking quickly, some moving with their luggage, others with their families waving good bye to the ones leaving , an open garden with a view of the city and in one corner, a smaller glass lit building with al fresco tables and a very elegantly done façade displaying the words “Beer Café”!
Yes, this is the scene I found myself staring at when I went to visit The Beer Café. Located at the most unusual location, right in front of the departure gates of the new international terminal of the airport at Mumbai, this is one of the very few beer joints in the city which is open 24/7.
As I made my way into the Café, I was impressed by the massive selection of beer from across the world that this Café boasts of; but what impressed me even more was the fact that the menu not only displayed a fine array for dishes which included snacks as well as complete meals but also a good selection of cocktails made from beer as well as other hard spirits.
As I sat down for my review I was wondering whether the food here was made at a central kitchen and simply heated and served here but then I was quite happy to note that unlike other café concepts, The Beer Café actually boasts of a full-fledged kitchen where everything that is served is actually made to order.
Starting off my tastings, my first order was a dish called Sixteen Till I Die which comprised of 16 chicken wings made in 4 different flavours. A fantastic dish perfect to be paired with chilled beers. Of the 4 sauces, while the Classic and the Barbecue ones were quite run of the mill, the Chilli Garlic and the Spicy Chipotle wings were awesome. The flavours, the spice levels, the tanginess, everything was well balanced and good enough to be had with some chilled beers on the side.
As I finished my wings, I was served two beer based cocktails, one was called the Blue Flip which had Blue Curacao and a lot of ice and was a bit too sweet to my taste and the other was called the Beer Mule which was a far better beer cocktail with balanced sweet and sour flavours.
Another great snack I had during the evening was the Chicken Koliwada which was beautifully seasoned. It had a beautiful crunchy exterior and a juicy well cooked interior; this was one dish that would surely make me drive all the way to the cafe…. Needless to say, I shamelessly asked for a second helping of this dish to go with my beer.
Though the USP of the place is beer, I am glad to announce that their entire snack section is worth the visit as well. Of the next dishes I tried, I really liked the Corn Bhel which was a tangy crispy version of the classic bhel, albeit with sweet corn instead of the usual puffed rice. It is surely to be a scene stealer with kids and grownups alike. The Onion Rings were also not bad, though the breading could have used some seasoning. The Kolkata Chilli Chicken, however, was a big flop with its soggy thick batter and over cooked chicken, totally avoidable.
With a fine array of beer and spirits and a fully fledged kitchen operating 24/7, The Beer Café looks to be the perfect place to fulfil your midnight pangs. Though they have an extensive multi cuisine menu, I feel their Indian is far better than other cuisines and their snacks line-up is definitely a must try if you are down there to catch a quick drink before your flight or even if you are there to satisfy your midnight cravings.
Ratings (out of 5)
Food: 3 | Drinks: 4 | Ambience: 3.5 | Service: 3.5 | Overall: 3.5
Meal for Two: Rs. 2000 (With alcohol) | Credit Cards: Yes | Alcohol: Yes |Timings: 24/7 | Wheel Chair Friendly: Yes
Address: MLCP P10, Landside (eastside), Opp. Gate No. 1, Departures Terminal 2, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400099 | Telephone: +91 8108665256
Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgement and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review, but readers need to consider this review keeping this fact in mind.
