Loco Chino | Peddar Road | Mumbai| Food Review | Restaurant Review

Having been to Loco Chino outlets at Fort and Carter Road and genuinely enjoyed their scrumptious fare, varied choices, value for money price points and exceedingly warm service, it was thus an evening with high expectations when I landed at Loco Chino Peddar Road outlet with my mom and sister for sampling some of their dishes from the newly launched menu. This means even more choices but thankfully still at very value for money price points. Meal for 4 hungry souls would still be within Rs. 1500 :) Cool! 

The ambiance is standard Loco Chino fare, vibrance and colors intact. They could probably do a paint job and spruce up the place a bit more. It is not as spacious as the Fort outlet and feels a bit cramped but the majority of orders here are for takeaways or home delivery, so dine - in might be pretty rare. We saw plenty of singletons walk in, nosh on some nachos or soup while waiting for someone, or take away Wok or Nachos on their way home, which was a good sight. Seating is decent with basic chairs and table with funky artistic tops. Staff is again extremely polite, helpful and efficient just like at other Loco Chino outlets. I just told them to bring in all the new dishes from the menu and they got that at proper intervals, our plates were cleaned promptly, dishes were suggested according to our preferences, they checked up on whether the dishes met our mark of approval without being intrusive and overall gave a wonderful service. 

We started with Peach and Lemongrass Iced Tea both of which were sublime and delicious. Lemongrass Iced Tea actually felt like a relaxing day at some Thai spa! It just had the flavour bang on :) Both of them weren’t too sweet either, perfect for instant refreshment. I would have liked more full bodied peach flavour though,it was very mild. 

Dimsums were the perfect way to start our culinary escapade. I love the Dimsums here, they are crunchy, filling and full of flavours. The latest additions are full bodied Spicy Pumpkin Cheese, delicate & delicious Wasabi Vegetable (acquired taste!) and very crunchy (my favourite) Waterchestnut & Lotus Root. I suggest do not miss the Dimsums here. They are awesome,even if not technically absolutely authentic! 

From the starters section, we chose Salt & Pepper Vegetables, a hearty portion of crunchy Waterchestnuts stir fried with fresh Bell Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, Spring Onions in mild salt & pepper flavour combo. For those who love their Chinese cuisine not overly Indianized :) For those who do, go for Wok Tossed String Beans that my mom loved with the hearty dose of Soya sauce which gave it such a wonderful flavour! 

Cottage Cheese Corn Carne Quesadilla tempted us next and the mix of Paneer with corn, cheese, beans within these delicious wraps was indeed worth relishing. I find all the Mexican dishes have a burst of flavours with the help of fresh vegetables. I have never had authentic Mexican food but this is pretty good for my & my family’s taste buds and I am actually going to search for something similar when I finally visit Mexico :D I must tell you that this is very much like a fresh salad burst, I know there are people who might think this is not standard restaurant fare but well,I like it!

Next up was Mexican Veg Sauteed Chipotle Pizza which was unique and again delicious. Nacho chips with cheese, corn, chipotle sauce, loads of veggies sandwiched between them and a big dip of sour cream plus guacamole. Loved it. Again, a very typical rustic taste of fresh veggies and sauce, as if I am sitting in someone’s home and having home cooked food! It helped that the songs being played in the background also seemed as if they had been captured at some traditional Mexican wedding :) 

We finished our hearty meal with 2 dishes we already had and loved before –Thai Green Curry with Rice and Cottage Cheese Wok with various veggies (Zucchini, Bell Peppers etc.) in Sweet & Sour Sauce. Thai Green Curry was perfectly creamy, rich, fragrant while Wok reminded us of the best American Chopsuey we had eaten when we were kids! Such generous portions too! I just wish that the Cottage Cheese was a bit softer, I really love the melt-in-mouth version,but in any case this is one of the best Wok places. 

We were completely stuffed by now and are already making plans to come back since there are dishes like Burrito, Tostada and Chocolate Nachos still left for us to taste! Looking at the quality of all the dishes we have had so far, along with all the other factors of ambiance, service etc. we are sure we are going to have many more wonderful trips to Loco Chino :)

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet | Beauty Review

The Body Shop is one of the best brands around, something I can say with confidence having used quite a few of its products none of whom have ever disappointed me or my family :) I got The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Sorbet as a part of a big gift hamper a few months ago and after my mom & I used it for more than a month, here is our take on it.

This is a part of The Body Shop Vitamin E range and available on The Body Shop website as well as on Flipkart, Amazon, Nykaa etc. for around Rs. 1200 for 50 ml. Yup, it is expensive :D

Claims to provide all-day hydration, quenching skin's thirst with ultra-light formula. There are no magical claims associated with the product and Ingredients list contains Glycerin, Community Fair Trade Shea Butter, Wheatgerm Oil along with a boatload of chemicals (that are present in almost every beauty product nowadays anyway) including fragrance which are a big part of The Body Shop products. Packaging is different from other products in their Vitamin E range,the frosted glass jar is beautiful and bulky. Quantity is quite less when compared to price but decent enough to last just about a month when used daily.

My mom has normal mature skin with fine lines and wrinkles (each one of them is lovable!) and I have sensitive weird combination skin. So we are always in a tussle on which cream/ lotion to buy as most of them react horribly on my skin. But this never did! It really does what it claims. It is cool to touch, gives instant silky smooth feeling and sinks in after about 20 seconds making skin feel hydrated from inside. There is a sort of glossy finish for some time which is perfect base for makeup and my mom especially loved that. However, I noticed some clogged pores on my nose maybe because of all those chemicals even though it did not break me out in any other way. It gave perfect hydration to my combination-dry as well as my mom's normal skin though extremely dry skinned beauties will need to use something stronger. I just wish it also had some enhanced capabilities like anti pollution or skin brightening or even out skin tone :D Oh,our unlimited wishes :D

YES

• The Body Shop promise of quality and ethical sourcing of ingredients
• Perfectly hydrating without breaking out
• Instantly soft,smooth,supple effect noticed on skin
• Ultra light formula perfect for a make - up base too
• Apt for all skin types

NO

• Not recommended for extremely dry skin
• No SPF
• No extra capabilities :P Just moisture and hydration inducing :)
• Jar packaging is unhygienic
• Expensive
• Not easily available, check on Flipkart, Amazon etc.

Recommended- YES! I am on the prowl for multi-tasking creams and lotions but would always remember this one as a special one. Rating is 4/5 from both me & my mom :)

Asado The Cocktail Street | Bandra West | Food Review | Restaurant Review

Go clubbing with an alcohol loving friend and not starve to death due to dearth of good food. That’s what Asado is offering, great cocktails with very good food options too, a rarity when it comes to most lounge/bars. It was thus a wonderful experience that awaited me & my sister when we landed here 2 evenings ago for a much awaited review :) 

All Pictures Credit : Prachi Shailendra Photography

Located barely 20 steps away from the busy Gaiety-Galaxy junction in Bandra West on an even busier S V Road, walk in and get transported to a different world than the honking horns and bustling traffic outside. Think a laidback Goan shack. Think a Mexican village square with a charming marketplace and old-world cottages with those cute windows. Think lamp-posts and a carnival–esque atmosphere with vintage lanterns and open blue sky overhead. Bring these all together, welcome to Asado the Cocktail Street, perhaps with one of the most romantic settings in Mumbai. 

Dim lighting, comfortable seating arrangement, retro music, sweet ambiance with excellently trained staff who can suggest the best drinks and dishes from the menu make this a cool place to land at with a loved one. Or go with a bunch of loved ones especially to take advantage of their mammoth drinks. We tried just one – House of Eden- Rum based with Passion-Peach-Pineapple, and it was so deliciously strong plus enough for a party of 4. Similarly there are humungous delicious mixes for party of 6,8,10,12 and more! Also loved the Tiki Zombie – Rum, Passion & bit of Absinthe, Yummm! We also had the privilege of tasting a Zinger which is made right on the table by mixing fruits, herbs, lemon juice, spirits etc. as per our choice. We chose watermelon, pineapple, mint, rosemary and it turned out to be delicious in looks as well as the mild surprise that my sister wanted to end the night with. Cocktails are the star performers here with a wide variety to choose from for all alcohol lovers. 

Food is not far behind as I said before :) We started with Truffle Mushroom Cream soup which obviously made me super happy being a Mushroom lover, it had wonderfully light creamy texture and dense flavors. A must have for mushroom fans! Then came Truffle Garlic Parmesan Fries with Exotic Dips, a crunchy treasure with melt in mouth deliciousness inside and the dips got over faster than the fries itself. Absolute mouth watering stuff! 

Pan Seared Cottage Cheese with Teriyaki Sauce was something different, we usually expect something like Paneer Tikka but this one really made us pause and relish it. I found it a bit salty but that was because I am not a big fan of Teriyaki sauce myself, my sister though loved it :) Next we turned our attention towards Tex-Mex Loaded Potato Skins which were truly loaded with Corn, Olives, Cheese, Asparagus, Jalapeno and the flavors burst like anything. Yummy! 

To break the monotony of grilled or cheesy stuff, we had the Healthiest Quinoa Salad and even my sister who normally does not like Quinoa liked it enough to smile :) I loved the fresh burst of veggies and am happy there is something healthy for everyone on the menu here. Similarly impressed with Veg Tacos where the filling was just so fresh and juicy. All health fanatics must order these here. Cottage Cheese Taquitos are another one of my favorites,soft Paneer with fresh veggies,also a good healthy alternative :)

Got back on the saddle with Beans & Cheese Quesadilla and Cottage Cheese Taquitos which I again found a bit salty but my sister loved :P What we both really loved was the Chipotle Marinated Cottage Cheese Steak with Corn on Cob, Mashed Potatoes and Dips. It was perfect. Cottage Cheese was marinated beautifully, it was soft and flavorful, corn was juicy, potatoes were creamy (yet light). Nice meal for 2 hungry people!  

For anyone indulging in cocktail fun, greasy cheesy food is a must to absorb up all that alcohol. I recommend going for Truffle Risotto (loved the slightly sweetish flavor, amazingly creamy) and Four Mushroom Truffle Fettuccine (again with the brilliant textures of mushrooms coming forth perfectly). 

After all this deliciousness, most of which we couldn't finish naturally, we pounced on the tantalizing Tres Leches dessert. Sweet dreams are made of these, who am I to disagree :D Oh and then we ended the evening with a pair of flaming shots, the kick of absinthe in them being the perfect way to say goodbye to an amazing evening :) Psst-If you are a neanderthal like me, do ask for the help of staff before gulping down those shots :D 

Portions of all dishes are quite hearty making them perfectly good value for money. Even 3 starters are enough to fill up 2 light eaters. Quality is top notch and the staff is always checking up (without being too intrusive). There is something for everyone on the menu which is why I am happy that even a place specializing in heavy duty cocktails has enough juice to make every foodie happy. Asado, I will be back :)

All Pictures Credit : Prachi Shailendra Photography