Aagey Se Right!

If you've stayed for over a month in Mumbai, you must've realized how hard it is to manage with or without the rickshaws! You can't survive without them cause they are supposed to be one of the most convenient modes of transport and you can't survive with them cause the most annoying lot of people have been given the responsibility of riding it.


I have come across some of the worst and hence I'm compelled to share this post with our readers. Here are some categories that I have divided them into; they could fall into one or more of these categories.

Richie Rich: Have you ever been a victim of 'Madam chuttha nahi hai, sirf 500 ka note hai' scenario? This one will never have change and will ask you for exact Rs 128.50! How do you get it is your headache, cause I'm not getting off my seat

Tees Maar Khan: If without seeing the Tariff Card, the rickshaw wala tells you, the meter reading interprets to Rs 67, something is fishy. Make sure you pay only after re-checking the card, cause in most cases the guy is trying to con you.

Mr.Google Maps: He will insist that he knows a shorter way to get to your destination, no matter how much you argue. What you should do is, be more persistent!

Racer Pacer: He will cut lanes, speed up on roadblocks, pace into one-ways and disobey all kinds of traffic rules. He would rather believe in the phrase 'Time is money' over 'Better Late than Never'.

The Newspaper: He will make conversations, give you gossip and will know everything that's happening in the world. From Bigg Boss to Kapil Sibal, he knows it all. Dear traveller, you're in for some good entertainment.

Pichkaari: He slows down every few minutes to spit out his paan, supari, gutka and the likes. Sick and disgusting as he maybe, don't forget to remind him of social responsibility before you get off!


Cow, Cow, Holy Cow: Especially when you're late, you will get this one. You would probably reach faster if you rode on a cow. As soon as you realize that, 30kmph is the fastest he can go, run for your life. Stop wherever you are and shift into a faster vehicle or you will actually have to witness bicycles overtaking you.


The Lecher: He is the one with the multi-purpose rear-view mirror. He will occasionally adjust it, not to see the vehicles coming in from behind, but to get a better view of the passenger seat. Creeps, deserve a kick, where it hurts!

Refusal King: Last, and clearly the worst. The number of times he would say no for your destinations would probably be more than the number of times a bollywood actress would, when confronted about her relationships. From excuses like, 'Gas nahi hai' to 'Rickshaw wapas dena hai', he would do anything to get away.

To conclude with, here's a message that I just received. To register a complaint about rickshawwalas:
Sms 98690 89898

Code:
1) Refusal - REF
2) Overcharge - EXC
3) No meter - NOM
4) Fast meter - FAST
5) Rudeness - RUD
Code(space) Vehicle no.(Space) Nearest station
E.g. - RUD MH02AB1234 BAND
Also, you can report your complaint on www.sitibajao.com

Review: Woodside All Day Bar & Eatery

After winning the hearts of thousands with its Colaba outlet, Woodside opens an all day dining outlet in the burbs! Andheri welcomes this beauty with open arms and pints of beers!

Known for its burgers and beers, we decided to drop in here for a full-fledged lunch. With a warm ambience adorned with wooden furniture and a well stocked bar, the inside section of Woodside is the perfect option on a sunny day. However, if you’re visiting this place post noon, opt for their alfresco dining area which is more relaxed, vibrant and full on energy.

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The menu of Woodside is quite similar to one in Colaba, with a couple of additions. There are burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pastas and mains. Also, they have quite a tempting selection of desserts! Besides the luscious burgers, we would recommend the ‘Chicken Caesar Salad’, the ‘Fish Fingers with Tartar dip’, the ‘Pesto Grilled Chicken with Fresh Mozzarella Pizza’ and the ‘Grilled Rawas with Lemon Caper Sauce’.

The service at Woodside is pleasing and prompt; they don’t keep you waiting for too long for your meal and are willing to alter the dishes according to your preferences. Overall, Woodside is a charming option for a romantic meal, a casual lunch or a relaxed dinner with your friends. If you haven’t been here yet, you’re definitely missing out on something! 

Venue: Woodside All Day Bar & Eatery

New Link Plaza, Next to Oshiwara Police Station, Oshiwara Link Road, Andheri (W)

Landmark: Next to Yoko's

Phone: 26328963, 26336549

Review: Mohammad Ali Road

The feast that follows after strict fasting, is quite delightful. Yes, we are talking about the iftaar that happens during the ramzaan period, and the best place to experience this is the famous, Mohammad Ali Road! Even though we don’t deserve this feast as much as they do, we still decided to treat our tummies for some street side tandoori chickens and bheja fries!

The Mohammad Ali road, as you enter, is surrounded by the aroma of kebabs and biryanis. The Minara Masjid lane is one of the most buzzing streets of that area. From the first stall to the last, you will see colourful kebabs, tandoori legs and other delicacies being prepared freshly with oodles of oil and butter!

Besides chicken, there’s mutton, bheja fry, kaleja and dishes that you might have never even heard of. If there was a word called super-delicious, it would have been added to the dictionary after an experience right here, at Mohammad Ali Road. But caution, this is not for the weak stomachs, and certainly not for the faint hearted. The tonnes of oil, butter and masalas that they use, would undoubtedly upset the stomachs of those who are not used to hogging on roadside junk. 

If you are one of those junkies, make sure you go here before Eid and enjoy the food as well as the irresistible dessert options like the Mango Kheer, Rasmalai, Malpua, Chamcham and lots more! Weightwatchers, you can most certainly ignore this post ;)

PS: Make sure you are prepared for the crowded tiny lanes and the traffic honks. Recommended: Use the public transport as there are parking constraints and carry enough cash cause they don't accept cards out here! 

Venue: Mohammad Ali Road

Timings: 6 30 PM - 5 AM

Review: LSD - Love, Sugar, Dough

 

We were passing the little lane to get to Carter Road when we stumbled upon a tiny colourful eatery which was screaming out to us. LSD - Love, Sugar, Dough is a brand new dessert shop and bakery that sells irresistible desserts and scrumptious baked goods.

Extremely colourful and vibrant, these adjectives describe the interiors of the place and also the display of cupcakes which interestingly has small and large cupcakes with different shades of frosting. Run by Sheeba Hasan - a major in marketing and Tarannum Aziz - a baker since twelve years, this place looks like it has been designed with a lot of love. 

Their menu comprises of croissants, sandwiches, breads, toasties, biryanis, beverages, pastries, cheesecakes and cupcakes. Okay, stop drooling! They also customise cupcakes and are soon going to start with cakes. 

The highlights of their menu are the 'Ferrero Rocher Croissant' and the 'Sip - a - brownie' shake! Their cupcakes are also quite delicious and they are definitely giving some tough competition to their very popular neighbour. 

Venue: LSD, Love, Sugar, Dough

31 Bajaj Arcade, Union Park, Bandra (W)

Landmark: Next to Butterfly Cupcakes

Phone: 32229654, 26052028

Ferrero Rocher Croissant : Rs 60

Sip - A - Brownie : Rs 70 

Click here for entire menu.

Review: Foster's PET Bottle

Foster's Draught has launched its new PET bottle with the idea of keeping it fresh! The best part about this bottle is that it's plastic and can be kept fresh for a longer time after opening it. At our Foster's Art of Chilling party, we enjoyed the 1 litre bottles of Foster's Draught without any bottles breaking at the end of the party ;) Sharing some pictures of the same! Enjoy and the next time you plan to buy beer, opt for the Foster's PET bottle, it's safer, convenient and stays fresh longer!

Price:  Rs 150 per bottle (1 litre)

To get more updates from Foster's Art of Chilling. Click here.

"You Know Who I Am?"

Mumbai, they say the city is extremely safe at any time of the day. I believed so, until last night when a couple of my friends, on their way back from Malad, almost got shot.

“On June 24, 12.40 AM, when five of us were driving through Link Road, a maroon Skoda Superb suddenly overtook our car sharply and aggravated one of us to show Mr. Schumacher the finger. Guess it hit the ego of the other, he blocked us by parking right in front of our car outside Lotus Petrol Pump, Andheri and asked us to get out of the car immediately. Knowing we were not at fault, we got out and were ready to face the consequence. On stepping out of our car, we got the shock of our lives when the guy removed a pistol from his pocket and pointed it at us and uttered the clichéd dialogue, “You know who I am? Do you know what this is?” No, this isn’t a scene out of some random Bollywood movie, it DID happen to us. We were dumbstruck for the first five seconds and thought apologizing and getting away would be the safest. We weren’t wrong, we didn’t overtake them, we didn’t do anything, but we had to apologize. And why, cause we have no political influence guarding us, we could’ve been killed and the guy would still come out clean and no, we didn’t want to repeat history.” As narrated it by Piyush Khanna (name changed on request).

The least we can do is share this story with our fellow Mumbaikars, trying to change the system is far from impossible. This happened with my friends, it could happen with you or me too. And remember, everyone is not as lucky to get out of it alive, it would simply take them a microsecond to press the trigger and take someones life. 

Review: Tea Culture Of The World

Tea lovers, weight watchers and health freaks, this post is dedicated to you. Tea culture of the world, an online tea shop has introduced a range of flavourful and healthy teas that you can buy with just a click. Their range includes varieties like Blooming Tea - bundle of tea leaves and flowers bound together with a cotton thread into a ball, Chamomile Tea – the traditional version of the herb tea, Rose Tea – rose petals and tea leaves bundled together for a flavourful experience, Oolong tea- another flavourful and aromatic herb tea and many more. Click here to see the entire list.

Besides adding flavour to your regular version of tea, these products also claim to have innumerable health benefits. Calling out to all the tea aficionados; this one is definitely going to be a treat for you!

Website: Tea Culture Of The World

Phone: 65270443/ 21649616/ 21645462

Prices range from Rs 800 - Rs 1000

Review: Fro Yo

With Frozen Yogurts gaining popularity in the suburbs, there’s one more on the block. Fro Yo opened its first outlet in Bandra and is soon opening another one in Oshiwara, opposite Sammy Sosa. This outlet is Fro Yo is ideal for takeaways as it is relatively small and has limited seating available.

You can choose from flavours such as Blueberry, Strawberry and Plain Fro Yo alongwith a wide range of toppings like Chocolate Chips, Lychee, Strawberry, Cashews, Almonds, Oreo Cookies, Kiwi, Mango, Coconut Flakes, Hazelnut Crunch and lots more. We tried the Blueberry Yogurt with Chocolate Chips, Oreo Cookies and Kiwi toppings.  The toppings made the dessert a little crunchy and the yogurt was perfectly sour and yummy!

What we enjoyed the most was the smoothie at Fro Yo. We tried the Frojito, a unique blend of mint, lime and sprite topped with Strawberry yogurt, absolutely delightful! We loved Fro Yo and would recommend it to everyone who would rather choose a healthy alternative to indulge in after their meal!

Venue: Fro Yo

Silver Pearl, Off Waterfield Road, Bandra (W)

Landmark: Opposite Harley Davidson Showroom

Phone: 26443020

Fro Yo Cups range from Rs 55 - Rs 195

Toppings are charged at Rs 15 and Rs 20

Frojito: Rs 75 for small and Rs 100 for large

Jack & Jones, Vero Moda & Only Super Sale!

Wondering what the buzz is about, Mumbai Candid gives you a sneak peak into the Saturday Super sale at Vero Moda, Only and Jack & Jones. An attempt to bring the international concept of Super Sale to India, the Santacruz outlet has organizes a day long sale. The response is unbelievably crazy. Crowds waiting outside the store for hours. 

The good stuff was sold out in the first two hours with barely anything remaining for the late-comers. Unlike the international super sales, the stock wasn't as discounted as it was expected to be. Almost everything ranged above Rs 1,000 (a complete let down). If you are still planning to go for the sale, a suggestion from us, go back home. Pay a little more money on the regular days for the better stuff (not just the leftovers) and skip the long waiting queues followed by the longer queues at the cash counters.

To all those who are still planning to go for the super sale, we wish you some super luck! Do share your shopping pictures with us on our facebook page!


Venue: Vero Moda, Jack & Jones & Only
Opp. Elite Studios, Linking Road
Santacruz (W)

Review: Orchids Fish & Foot Spa

One fine weekend, we decided to treat our feet to a fish spa and on surfing through the net came across various deals at Orchids Fish & Foot spa. We booked an appointment and on a Sunday afternoon we visited the spa at Oshiwara. 

From the outside, this spa looks like a hole in the wall, but is quite spacious once you step in. Disappointed by the attitude of Mr. Raj (the owner) who took objection on the fact that we had not informed that we had vouchers while booking the appointment (as that would help him decide whether he should or shouldn’t give us the slot), we were totally put off by his prejudice. 

After all the confusion and a wait of ten minutes, we were directed to the fish spa section where hundreds of Doctor Fish (Garra Rufa) were awaiting their delicious meal, the dead skin of our feet, eeks! Post wiping our feet clean, we were allowed to dip them in the tub of lukewarm water. The fish nibbled on the skin creeping us out completely! At first it felt ticklish and a little eerie but after a good 5 minutes, we got used to it. The feeling of cleaner and softer feet after the therapy is absolutely delightful! The hygiene factors are maintained quite well with antiseptics keeping the water clean. 

Next, we were directed to the massage section where the visually impaired masseuses gave us a relaxing foot reflexology treatment. The set up could have been a little more comfortable, nonetheless, the masseuse were well trained and assured that the pressure was adequate enough.

Overall, the fish spa is definitely worth a try! Would we go there again? Sure, we would, only if we the owners cut down on their discrimination.

Venue: Orchids Fish & Foot Spa

Shop No. 7, Link Palace, Off Link Road, Andheri (W)

Landmark: Next to Delicacy of China

Phone: 8108227000

30 Minutes of Foot Reflexology + 30 Minutes of Fish Spa: Rs 800

Review: The Wedding Cafe & Lounge

For every girl who dreams about her Prince Charming and the White Horse, The Wedding Café & Lounge will definitely take you into the world of your fantasies. With beautiful white interiors, to wedding attire stores, this restaurant cum wedding planning agency, is a whole new concept brought to the city. 

Our trip to the Wedding Café was more than just pleasant. As we entered, the charming white interiors and the flower arrangement took us by delight. We looked around to see tables for fours and sixes, a private dining area and a bar area. Since we couldn’t spot a table for two, we occupied the one next to the huge French window. The staff promptly attended to us and gave us the gigantic and rather uncomfortable menu. 

The menu comprised of international cuisines including French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Indian. We called for the Barbeque Chicken Wings for starters and the Chef’s Special Pasta (Red Sauce) for the mains. Alongwith this, we called for a Peach Iced Tea and the Kiwi Hazelnut Cocktail which was recommended by the bartender.

The Barbeque Chicken Wings were fried and served with the Barbeque Sauce, crisp and cooked to perfection! The Pasta was equally delicious, served with garlic bread and had chicken pieces, mushroom and capsicum in it. Coming to the drinks, the Peach Iced Tea was tangy and tasted almost like an Orange flavoured mocktail. The Kiwi Hazelnut Cocktail was good but could have been better if it was a little mild; the taste of vodka was overpowering the flavours of Kiwi and Hazelnut.

At the end of the meal, we asked the server for a dessert recommendation to which he got us the ‘Love Boat’ for us, Chocolate Mousse with a base of cake served with Vanilla Ice Cream and topped with chocolate sauce. Only one word can describe it, blissful. It’s rightly said, save the best for the last, and voila, we did!

Venue: The Wedding Café & Lounge

Address: B /104-106, Kotia Nirmaan, Above Mercedes Showroom, New Link Road, Andheri (W)

Landmark: Next to Fun Republic

Phone: 61558999

Barbeque Chicken Wings: Rs 325

Chef’s Special Pasta: Rs 350

Mocktails: Rs 100 – Rs 200

Cocktails: Rs 300 – Rs 475

Love Boat: Rs 250

Review: Yogurtbay

After Cocoberry and Fro Yo, Bandra gets a brand new Frozen Yogurt Place called Yogurtbay. Located in the Khau Galli of Carter Road, the new kid on the block, promoted its launch by giving out free cups of yogurt with lots of toppings on the first day. Impressive, huh? 

We reached Yogurt Bay after the much created hype and tried the Blueberry Cheesecake Yogurt, the Strawberry Yogurt and the Chocolate Yogurt. The Blueberry Yogurt was sinful, Strawberry was not bad either, but the Chocolate Yogurt tasted like a sorbet (we wouldn’t recommend it). For the toppings, you can choose from the Oreo cookies, Brownies, Marshmallows, Strawberries, Choco chips and lots more. What you must try are the ‘Poppers’, they are small jelly pieces that burst in your mouth, distinctive and exciting!

They have played smart when it comes to the seating. Cushions are placed on the platform outside the parlour giving it a young and refreshing look. Great effort we must say, Yogurtbay is definitely here to stay!


Venue: Yogurtbay
11, Gangagiri, Off Carter Road
Landmark: Next to Crepe Station and Cafe Coffee Day


Phone: 30629191, 9833360235, 9930811185


Swirls range from Rs 35 - Rs 180.
Toppings are charged Rs 10 and Rs 20

Review: Arthur's Theme Restaurant

Arthurs Theme, when we first heard the name, we imagined it to be a rustic European restaurant with intricate décor. It certainly isn’t. Couldn’t understand why it was called a ‘theme’ restaurant as the makers had clearly not paid too much attention to the ambience. 

Soon after we entered, we were directed to a table for two. After taking a good look at the menu and browsing through each page we asked the server for a recommendation to which we got no response. After a lot of contemplation, we decided to call for the Gerard – Golden fried prawns served with a tangy spicy sauce and William III – Chicken steak cooked in brown sauce served with rice and steamed veggies. On our request, they replaced the steamed veggies with fries. 

After close to twenty odd minutes our order arrived. The Prawns were delicious and crisp and the presentation was commendable. The Chicken Steak was well cooked; however, an extra serving of brown sauce could have helped. The meal was filling as well as appetizing; we enjoyed every bite we took. 

Overall, a great place for a formal dinner although a little more work on the ambience would add the cherry on the cake. The service needs to be more knowledgeable, especially when it comes to the menu. If food is your preference, this place will definitely not disappoint you!

Venue: Arthur's Theme Restaurant

 Tian, Level 3, Gulmohar Road, Juhu, Vile Parle (W)

Landmark: Next to Costa Coffee

Phone: 66980760, 65704869, 9920748631

Gerard: Rs 320

William III: Rs 380