On a brief tally up of our reviews, it seems that our amazing visit to Mithas, early on in our questing ways, has prejudiced us somewhat against further visits to what we fear may turn out to be inferior Indian places. My recent visit Kasturi did nothing to erode this practice.
Prawn on puri
After a rather unsatisfactory trip to The Kitchin, I took a wild gamble on the Mumbai Mansion, a Haymarket Indian, not a million miles away from my humble abode. This was based almost entirely on their over-exuberant re-tweeting on Sunday morning, so congratulations to them for that.
Upon arrival, I was shown to the prize window table, so passing diners could watch my freakishly well-mannered eating style and thus be enticed to join me in my chosen dining establishment for the evening. Or maybe it was to make the place look busier than it actually was.
Lamb rezala
Whatever the case, I was quickly presented with an extensive menu from which to choose. I did my usual thing of gazing at it without really soaking in what it was trying to tell me, so when a waiter approached, I proclaimed myself to be entirely in his hands as regards menu choices. He checked a couple of things with me, in terms of how hot I wanted the dishes to be, then settled upon recommendations to which I quickly assented.
First to arrive was prawn on puri. The puri was hot and fresh, and the prawns were numerous and succulent. The dish was a good, simple starter plate, with flavours to the fore and fuss to a minimum.
The fuss that had been spent on the place was in the decor, with a massive crystal chandelier dominating the place. The inlaid tables were very smart, too. You had a sense that someone had expended some thought in putting the elements of the look of the place together, which is always a nice feeling to have.
Lamb and rice
The main course of lamb rezala was very good, also. The lamb was lean, yet full of spicy flavour. The rice was good, too. Again, this was simple, well-executed stuff, with which I was very happy.
Given that these dishes were the house recommendations, I have a feeling that the place doesn’t have a huge array of high-end fireworks to offer, but what I had was extremely satisfying, so it would be churlish to offer anything but praise.
So overall, I was really pleased with Mumbai Mansion. I feel that I could go there again, put my trust in the waiter’s choices, and be served some more good dishes. If you’re in the neighbourhood, I’d certainly say to you that it’s worth stopping in to sample some of their high quality dishes.
Chandelier
Blythe scores Mumbai Mansion:
4/5 for food
3/5 for presentation
4/5 for service
4/5 for setting
giving an overall 15/20
Today’s quester was: Blythe
I ate: prawn on puri, lamb rezala, basmati pilau rice
I drank: lager, tea
I wore: brown Dior suit
Total bill: c.£28
