Curiosity about an open air lounge in the midst of bustling Goregaon led me to The Tipsy Terrace. I was a little skeptical about the location as I thought the place would be inundated with noise from the relentless traffic which flowed on the busy stretch there. With those mixed feeling, I made my way to the The Grand Sarovar Premiere, Goregaon, whose 2nd floor rooftop space houses T3 (as The Tipsy Terrace is fondly called).
One walks through the two dining spaces in the hotel (The Liquid Lounge & 180 Degree) into the open lounge bathed in reddish light. The Tipsy Terrace looked pretty spacious and looked quite inviting. While the noise of the traffic does filter through, it was nowhere as loud as I thought it would be and surprisingly, the place wasn’t hot. Warmly received and seated at one of the comfortable & cozy booths, which a look around my ears were drawn to the lovely music. That’s when we were introduced to the app called BC Jukebox. One downloads it and plays one’s own music. Interesting – all set with my son’s favourite oldies playing just loud enough to dull all noise from the road below, I was ready to try out the menu.
While the menu is not extensive, what is on offer are a good mix of popular Indian dishes with a good combination of appetizers and mains. The vegetarian diner would have enough to choose from as well. I decided to sip on a Kamikaze (INR 255) – vodka, triple Sec and lime juice, served with a wedge of lime – as we went through the menu. And of course the smile popped up when I saw wonderful categorization of the drinks into unpretentious Chotta (30 ml), Patiala (90 ml) and Quarter (180 ml). Loved that!! It set the tone as to what to expect and, yes, while there was a fair mix of cocktails and mocktails from the bar, the wine did not come as an extensive list and stuck to the basics apart from a celebratory Gran Cuvee Brut. The Mojito and Sangria pitchers (INR 895 each) were good enough to be shared by four.
The Paya Shorba (INR 255) was brought to the table, fragrance emanating, enough to whet the appetite thoroughly, and I sent a silent prayer that I am not disappointed in taste after that delightful aroma. This was definitely one of the better ones that I have had, albeit a touch on the spicy side – beautifully cooked, spiced well, very flavourful with a fine aftertaste and the meat falling completely off the bone. Very good indeed!
The first appetizer arrived, the Chapli Kebab (INR 495). I must say that that presentation of the dishes at T3 is par excellence!! The Chapli Kebab came in its own little modern version of a little tandoor served right at the table. The shallow fried minced lamb-lamp chops combo was perfect in every which way and was my pick of dish that evening. The Khumb on Toast (INR 345) didn’t work for me as I found the bread soggy and the mushroom lacked anything memorable. We were told the Chicken Tandoori Pili Pili (INR 455) was the most ordered dish. This turned out to be a skewered chicken leg with some spicy marinade and served in a copper pot, covered with a tandoori roti – very attractive. I found the dish sufficiently tasty, although not out of world, apart from the fantastic presentation.
Sipping on a fruity Cosmopolitan (INR 255) –vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice, I waited for the mains. Kheema Anda Ghotala (INR 545) it was – well, not bad, but needs some correction, the kheema was overdone and slightly underspiced with eggs being added more generously than I prefer – matter of personal taste. The Gosht Biryani (INR 495) came in a nice matka; it was done truly beautifully with the lamb pieces done nice and tender and the spice component just right.
Stuffed thoroughly but there’s always room for a little dessert is one is asked nicely, and the young staff at T3 did do the asking nicely bit very well; and so from the Meetha section of the menu, Malai Kulfi and Angoori Rabri (INR 195 each) it was. The rabri was thick and delicious but the little rasgullas in the angoori rabri could have been more spongy for perfection, the Bengali in me has very high standards about rasgullas, but naturally and understandably. The Malai Kulfi concluded the evening – perfect with just the right amount of sweetness!
The Tipsy Terrace, with a reasonable pricing especially for drinks, and an ambiance which is relaxed and comfortable, is a good place for an evening out. Surrounded by residential complexes, the lounge could well be the “place next door” to have a quick meal in, as long as the rains hold off. With room to seat around 50 people, this would make a fine place for a private party too. The music of one’s choice, the not very unfamiliar food, the friendly staff, all work reasonably well in favour of The Tipsy Terrace.
Ratings out of 5
Food: 3 | Ambiance: 3 | Service: 3.5 | Overall: 3
Meal for Two with Alcohol: Rs.1800 Approximately plus taxes| Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes|
Timing: 7 00pm to 11 00pm| Wheelchair access : Yes
Address: Hotel Grand Sarovar Premiere, Junction of S.V. Road & Veer Savarkar Flyover, Goregaon (West), Mumbai – 400 062 Telephone : +91 22 42158000
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.
