Sky Lounge appears to be a fly-by-night restaurant riding on the crest of the IPL wave. What's On dropped in to find that even the pom-pom cheerleaders looked bored
New at Bandra
Sky Lounge appears to be a fly-by-night restaurant riding on the crest of the IPL wave. What's On dropped in to find that even the pom-pom cheerleaders looked bored
What is a sky lounge? One would imagine, the terrace of a skyscraper encrusted with a swimming pool in the
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Thai Lemon Ginger Chicken (Rs 165) |
centre, few tables set aside, a mini-bar stacked with lip-smacking liquor, an open kitchen where the chef and his minions toss and flip aromas into the sultry evening air, a flutist whistling on the sound box, chimes tinkling in a sudden draft of sea breeze. Were we wrong!
Ambience: Ka-ching! You step into this pitch dark cave where a wall is paneled with a mammoth screen on which Ashish Nehra is cracking wicket-after-wicket and yuppies suck on sheeshas before they hoot foul-smelling hookah smoke into the air. Anything else to notice about the lounge? Sit-down doofus, you are blocking my view!
Before we could take seat, the maitre d' informed us that the lounge served only drinks and starters, and doesn't accept debit card payments.u00a0 For those of us who have not waged our souls to a credit card company, this was news to head back to a nearby ATM.
On the menu: The alcohol menu is extensive, though Belvedere and Findlandia, when asked for, were missing. We settled for a Jack Daniels (Rs 275) with Coke (Rs 50). For starters, we tried the Thai Lemon Ginger Chicken (Rs 165) which had a strong, pungent punch of lemongrass. Lemon juice was oozing out of the chicken nuggets, a taste so tangy, our tongues clicked till our ears started ringing. Cucumber, basil leaves and cauliflower were tossed in olive to balance the sour with their slightly bitter taste. The dish went cold before we could scoff it down.
The Harissa Grilled Chicken (Rs 165) on sticks was chew-chew-leathery. It wasn't coated in middle-eastern herbs as the menu foretold. Cilantro shavings on it would have been killer. We tried to chow down a Fried Chicken Egg Rice (Rs 175), which was dry as wood shavings.
Service: Slow. We didn't know if it was the cheerleaders distracting the waiters, coming in their way and popping food off their service plates. The DJ's music was deafening. By the way, who plays Cher's disco tunes to grown-up macho men thumping their chests and punching the air at a quasi-sports bar sort of a place?
At: 77-A, Crystal Shoppers Paradise, fifth floor, Linking Road, Bandra (W). From 7.30 to midnight.
Call: 66711586
Sky Lounge didn't know we were there. What's On reviews anonymously and pays for meals
