ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Restaurant Name: Long & Short – InterContinental, Churchgate, Mumbai
Phone: +912229879999, +912239879855, +919167244542
Address: Intercontinental 135 Marine Drive, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Rd, Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400020 India
Time: 07:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 3,000
Cuisines: American, Continental, Italian, North Indian, Fast Food, Beverages
Facilities: Breakfast, Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Full Bar Available, Indoor Seating, Seaview, Table booking recommended, Valet Parking Available, Outdoor Seating, Romantic Dining, Smoking Area
What does the Mafia Don Corleone and Princess Diana have in common? Marine Drive’s L & S Bistro & Pizzeria.
Here’s the convulated (but then that’s how I remember L&S) explanation. From 2003 onwards, restaurant ‘Corleone’ was housed in the same space where L&S is today. Its Italian Sicilian fare was amongst the best in the city. It shut down to give way to Long & Short gastro bar and then to L&S bistro and pizzeria. It is here that we dine with the live wire, multi-talented and lovable actress, model and TV host Kubbra Sait, who lights up the entire restaurant with her smile. We can’t stop comparing her resemblance, at certain angles, to Princess Diana.
We came away with mixed feelings about the humdrum food here (except for the unique charcoal pizza and cheese fondue. ) But wow did we enjoy the company! Kubbra Sait is well-known for her many brilliant TV and film roles especially in Sacred Games. But not many know that she cooks up a fabulous Biryani, among other dishes. Her high octane energy kept us in great spirits. Charming us and educating us was the knowledgeable and brilliant Infection and Cardio-Metabolic specialist, consultant to leading Mumbai hospitals, Dr Hemant P Thacker. His columns in The Times of India are popular as are his TV appearances. Ameeta, his lovely soft spoken wife, is a lawyer, homemaker artist and is creative in the kitchen too. Great company, but alas! not such great food. I paid a bill of ₹18,840 (with wine).
SECOND TIME IMPROVED
Our first meal here was below average. I felt it important to give the restaurant a second chance, however inconvenient and expensive it maybe (my bill ₹9483 without alcohol). So my discerning, incognito and gourmet buddies come to my rescue and checked out the current menu. PK, NPK and SBG and Pawan Mahimtura come away delighted. Pawan, the gourmet, takes time off his work as an expert in unique curated travel experiences in Kashmir, to give me a detailed critique on the food.
CHARCOAL PIZZA TO TIRAMISU IN A JAR
Happily the Napolitan pizzas remain consistently good. Guests are given a choice of three bases from charcoal/ multigrain/ regular. All made with authentic Italian ingredients (including Pomodoro Pelati). Ask for the charcoal base pizza (fermented with activated charcoal powder), it has a remarkable crunch and bite. Opt for the unique pizza topping of clouds of artisanal Burrata and pesto. Hummus vibrantly infused with flame grilled fresh jalapenos, Crumb coated fish cakes, with lemon poached fish is recommended. Grilled Fillet Mignon Steak brined in red wine, bathed in an intense pepper jus are must trys. As is the Pan Fried Atlantic Salmon sparkled with lemon dill crème. Tiramisu Jar with it’s Italian Lavazza brewed coffee is consistently good. The new Phirni Brulee is worth trying too.
QUIRKY AND CASUAL
A colorful bicycle at the entrance, sets the quirky tone. Cutting chai teapots, dabbas and kerosene tins, knick-knacks, old photos complete the charm of this 70+ seater bistro. As does the small, alfresco terrace overlooking Marine Drive.
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT
This open-through-the-day, first floored restaurant of the Intercontinental Hotel has been through many a patchy phase and several avatars. Even now, it is not a specialty restaurant, has many Indian and Asian dish es which diffuses its focus.
In 2003, it started off as Chef Dario Dezio’s ‘Corleone’ (which was superb) and it turns out that the current chef Prashant Bhoir worked in Corleone for two years. He has now removed the duds (retained old favorites, fondue and pizzas) revived the pizzas, fresh pastas and has stuck to the strict adherence of authentic Italian ingredients. The CRO Romil Ratra’s Intercontinental has two hotspots now Dome and L&S Bistro.
