VINOTECA
VINOTECA
Spanish Tapas and wine bar
I cant stop smiling. I bond with my buddies over three meals and we do what a Spanish tapas bar intends one to do: Sample some of the Spanish cured meats and cheeses, nibble on the small plates with long unpronounceable names and sip on many an affordable wine. I let my appetite wander while my feet dangle on the bar stool. That’s the tapas spirit, and in Mumbai’s three month old Vinoteca it’s found a Spanish home.
Located in Sunville on Worlis arterial road, this casual, neighbourhood Tapas and Wine bar surprises, disappoints and then seduces by turns. Lacklustre food marks my first lunch with my two warm-hearted buddies (Vidya Gajapatiraju Singh, the princess of Vizianagaram and bubbly Bela Dalal). A raucous dinner (packed with Spaniards) is exuberant with flavor and fun and then the lunch with the talented performer, singer and now much in demand motivational
speaker Raageshwari (please see photo) has us both bonded and delighted with the food and pricing too.
DECOR
Its tiny, has an alfresco wrap around bar and the centerpiece is made of 300 Sula Riesling wine bottles that light up the bar. Ritu Nanda and Elsie Nanji have even managed to nudge in a sofa seating in to the burgundy walled and wood floored Tapas and wine bar.A happy cozy vibe infuses it.We could’ve done without that large TV screen.
FOOD
Never mind the long names of the small plates, never mind that some of the dishes are not true blue Spanish. I’m just back from Madrid and Im delighted to find that the flavors of Spain, garlic and olive oil, the deft use of pine nuts and figs enliven the fare with taste and texture. Go for the VFM lunch, Rs 500- 550 for a three course veg or non veg meal with a glass of wine. Go for the quinoa salad with walnuts, while the lambburger is moist and succulent, it’s the aubergine bristling with the vigorous flavors of the Mediteranean that delights.Ask for the Tabla (platter with salami and Serrano ham and Chorizo with dill hummus) you can request for half a Tabla too. Though the young Spanish chef Silvia Grimaldo has returned to Spain on vacation, the kitchen continues to serve up her specialties, batter fried calamari and grilled kingfish which are competent as are the moist meaty Albondigas and the robust Chicken Chillindron. In addition to Sula’s entire range of wines, labels from Spain, France,Chile, Italy and more are served by the glass too. Ask for the fruity signature sangria,( made from Grimaldo’s family recipe) and a dry martini-infused hot chocolate spiced with chilli.An exciting wine flite has been introduced too.
MINUS POINTS
Skip the stodgy chicken croquette, the asparagus mushroom salad. Even more disappointing? They actually served smoked salmon which was well past its best before date. Patata Bravas (spicy fried potatoes) failed to delight. A selection of wine-infused sorbets and gelatos as well as chocolate truffles are a refreshing finale, though the coffee and
lemon tarts are not. Slow service, soggy desserts failed to dampen our relaxed, neighborhood bar experience.
MY POINT
Finally, Rajeev Sula Samant’s brilliantly located brand new tiny tapas and wine bar is all about low-impact pleasure rather than high-wattage excitement or gourmet fare. It has an unlabored panache that makes an evening go down very easy and very cosy.Its casual, relaxed ambiance, VFM lunch, moderate pricing, wines by the glass,grazing menu, lift what might otherwise be just another neighborhood charmer into a loftier league.
Vinoteca, ground floor, Sunville Building, 9, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Ph 40046234, Rs 2,000 for a meal for two, wine starts at Rs 200 per glass. Noon to 4.30 pm – 6.00 pm to 12.30 am.
RATING
FOOD 3.5
DÉCOR 3.5
SERVICE 2.5
FOODLINE
Its fabulous to be connected to you here in Delhi which dazzles with Rakshbandhan and brotherly love even though there is a power cut. Thanks for your twitter, fb and email feedback.
Mail (rashmiudaysingh2012@gmail.com
READERS RECOMMEND
Rafaa Dalvi recommends Momentz Cakes and Chocolates by Munira Bagasrawala for their homemade cakes and chocolates which are personally handcrafted. Ph: 9821184528
@CulinaryMuse1 Sunayan Shahani recommends Snack in the box at Shivaji
Bldg, Prabhadevi for chicken tikka biryani, chicken roll and brownies.
Yasmin’s homemade mayonnaise with salad oil no preservatives (kindly refrigerate.) Ph: 24928681, 9820781560
This Sunday special chicken Hyderabadi dum biryani packets @ Rs 100 contact Shabnam Merchant Ph: 9819078365
Vivek recommends Misal fry @ BEST Canteen, kasara basin, Mazgaon and Suryoday Hindu Hotel for seafood near Dockyard Road station
Lotus Blossom presents its lovely new North Indian food menu succulent tandoori, interesting starters, flavored biryani, rich curries and more all catered at home for Thai and Indian menus see 9769022787
@musingsman 212 Worli great for authentic Italian
Kumar Mulchandani recommends this absolute melt in the mouth pure dry fruit mithai modak and more customized to your taste and preferences, personally handmade by Maya Gangwani Ph: 26480796, 9821021499
@DeliciousDirection I’m Deliciously Directionless a.k.a Prachi Joshi. I’m a complete foodie, love cooking and eating out! I’ve recently started blogging (just over a month). Here are my reviews on three tiny eateries in Mumbai:
1) Race View at Mahalaxmi, opp. the Race Course, near Essar House - their bombil fry is really yummy as is their caramel custard & bread pudding! And it’s one of the few places that serve that jeera soda. Most of the non-veg menu is quite good and it’s very reasonably priced.
2) Prakash at Dadar, on Gokhale Road – their sabudana vada makes people queue up! Also their thalipeeth is good and so is the thick piyush. Share a table with fellow foodies in this tiny eatery – they had community tables long before Le Pain Quotidien and The Table made them fashionable! Simple Maharashtrian fare and VFM too!
3) Ram Ashray in Matunga, near the station (Central) and near the market – It opens early and serves great idlis & upma. Their coconut chutney is one of the best I’ve had. And of course, you can’t leave without having their kaapi! Cheap and delicious, it used to be one of my college hangouts (I was in Ruia).
@ShaaqT from Twitter (leelashakti.com) recommends 1. Ayyappa Idli Stall (Matunga. This one is opposite Ram Mandir and next to Shankar Matham). Satkar( Goregaon East. Close to the station the place requires you to walk through a narrow alleyway and up the stairs into a modest eatery. Share tables with fellow diners who are lost in the delight that is the ‘kalwan’. One of the best Malvani places in town and it never gets its credit.)
Juita Kawli recommends Pure Pur Kolhapur at Vile parle, Hanuman Road & Dadar near Siddhivinayak temple for excellent Kolhapuri food, their tambda rassa, chiken suke is very tasty. Next Malwani Katta at Dadar West near Samarth Math serve delicious Malvani food.
Kairvi Mehta from Choco Kisses supply hand made chocolates, cheesecakes, cookies, short glass desserts, to photo cakes, festive hampers et al Ph: 9820029065
@Salilicious Dosa on the cart opp Mithibai
@sanju855 Sanjivani Bhide takes orders cream and chocolate truffle cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes & all other desserts, chocolate and theme cakes. Eggless too. Ph: 9870636303
@iamammumbaikar Chembur colony for hot sizzling paya soups on the streets with bheja masala keema pao. Also have a soul stirring nalli nihari at Noor Mohammadi Bhandi Bazaar.
Xocolat byYashita Suchde specializes in customized confectionary and baked goods. Beside the regular fare it also also includes organic, whole wheat, vegan, sugar free, glutan free, toddler friendly and theme based. Must try hand crafted truffles and personalized cupcakes. Ph: 9820224887
QUERIES
Sunil Anand wants to seek a guru who can teach him cooking (North Indian ie Punjabi,Rajasthani, N.W . Frontier etc) in Andheri(East)
QUERIES ANSWERED
@wilson_d4 thanks. Om Tejwani the Sus Kitchen numbers are 7738202221, 8879233235