Mantraa Bar & Restaurant | Foodies Mantraa Perfection | Food Review

Foodies have only one Mantraa in life-to never leave any opportunity to have good food unattended and Mantraa Bar & Restaurant at Thane understands this perfectly well. This famous foodie destination is from the same group that has given us our perennial favorite Family Tree Restaurant, so obviously we landed here for our review invite with high expectations which were fulfilled 100%.

A vast dining space on the 1st floor of Dheeraj Residency Hotel, elegantly done up with some private alcoves and more than sufficient setup for large groups, it was jam packed with families as well as huge corporate groups by 9 PM on a weekday night, a good sign of things to come. The staff is very efficient, service is quick, there is camaraderie all around, music is mostly pop hits and both veggies as well as non veggies have more than ample Indian, Continental and Oriental choices in the menu at reasonable prices :) They have recently added many new dishes in the menu and we mostly tried from this selection only,

We suggest every foodie to start off a memorable meal with Mango Tamarind Mojito which reminded us of our childhood Mangola and Swad candies (all 90s kids,raise your hands :D), this is one chatpata drink to be relished. For those like my mom who need something fresher and smoother, go for their signature nitrogen wizardry based Raspberry Frost, a drink served like a gelato! Very subtle beautiful flavor, this can work like a dessert actually!

My sister was battling a sore throat so we ordered in 2 soups- Cream of Tomato Soup (which was similar to tomato soup at any other family restaurant) and Kashmiri Shalgam, the standout with Fresh Turnip Slow Cooked, Chilli, Ginger, a wholesome broth :)

Now get ready for an avalanche of starters, right on with Spinach and Kale Fingers that magically bring spinach & kale together and let Cheese, Chilli Flakes, Herb Mayo eliminate all bitterness of kale to replace it with a lovely must-have flavor for every palate,

 

All kebab lovers must try their melt in mouth Mushroom Galouti, heavenly kebabs of Ghee Roasted Mushroom, Galouti Masala, Crispy Bread, very reminiscent of authentic Lucknowi kebabs nobody seems to get enough of,

Paneer fanatics in the house, I swear their Rose Achari Paneer Tikka will make you come back here over & over, imagine huge chunks of softest Cottage Cheese ever with just a hint of rose and Mix Achar spice marination, this combination is enough to send anyone to heaven instantly, easily my most favorite dish this evening :)

 

My mom's favorite dish was Spinach Squares, another one of their bestsellers, an innovative take on Gujarati Dhokla or Mathura Petha, whichever you prefer :D With Fried Garlic, Spinach Mousse and Chilli Flakes providing a beautiful tapestry, get ready to enjoy little squares of spinach with hidden chestnuts inside, a crunch inside each mouthful, this is the kind of dish they serve on masterchef. An absolute stroke of genius!

We also liked Corn & Curd-American Fresh Corn, Sweet Hung Curd, Mango powder bringing this on the sweeter side, which might not be everyone's cup of tea, I loved it though since I am blessed with a sweet jaw :D These are served with cheesy dips that make it even denser, good for me but maybe not for someone like my mom who likes things spicy,

Among main course, we went with Jardalu Kofta-Apricot Hung Curd Kofta with Raisins, Lucknowi Gravy, Microgreens; again a bit on sweeter side, the gravy is rich and calorific and this is exactly the kind of dish you would have on a royal evening out with family, it went well with Garlic Naan and Stuffed Veg Kulcha, undoubtedly a very dense feast this! We were too full to try anything else so went straight to desserts :D

For those with craving for something very mildly sweet, go for plain yet delicious Panacotta, an Italian Dessert that my sister loved, think of it like a block of custard..actually, just have it for yourself and let me know how it was for you :D

Their standout is Toffee Apple Tart-Caramel Green Apple, Cinnamon, Mint, Vanilla Ice Cream, an explosion of sweet flavors!

 

Chocolate fanatics like me should attack Mud Chocolate Mousse, just like I did, very shamelessly :P It is smooth, rich, fluffy, enough said!

For every foodie whose mantraa in life is 'Live to Eat', Mantraa at Thane is where we proudly proclaim -Mission Accomplished :)