Ping’s Cafe Orient, Lower Parel, Mumbai Pan Asian Restaurant

Restaurant Name: Ping’s Cafe Orient, Lower Parel, Mumbai
Phone: +919920054488
Address: NRK House, near Kamala Mills gate, 1, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013 India
Time: 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1800
Cuisines: Asian, Chinese, Japanese
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Indoor Seating, Table booking recommended

It’s serendipity! “Love you long time” read the words on the brightly colored wall behind our dining table (see photo). These words in the six month -old Pings Orient Cafe have a triple relevance for us. Firstly, they’re relevant to my lovable dinner companion couple Nandini and Vikram Kamdar, celebrating their golden wedding anniversary year.

Secondly, this love and admiration also applies to what I feel about the great gourmet, model, actress Naqi Jehan, whose parents were superstars of the silver screen (Pramila Esther Victoria Abraham and Kumar). Even she, Naqi Jehan (married name, Nandini Kamdar) captured hearts in her screen roles and as Miss India 1967. Her mother was the very first Miss India ever (1947) and both the former glamour queens have excellent cooking prowess (Yahudi recipes and cakes,too). Vikram Kamdar has amazing restaurant and food connections, too. He hails from two generations ofthe most well-known family for interiors and furniture. The Kamdars had also done the iconic restaurants of the Taj Rendezvous, Harbour Bar in Bombay and Skyroom in Calcutta. Thirdly, after our long, joyful and delicious dinner, ‘Love you long time’applies to how we all feel about the Pings.

Ping’s Cafe Orient, Lower Parel, Mumbai: Decor

Walk into the gleaming arch of Mansionz (after Phoenix Mall, Lower Parel), which houses Pings, Saz and The Tasting Room. The colorful vibrant Pings with bright walls and rustic lamps is a small, cozy, happy space.

Food

Let me begin with the biggest surprise of all. It’s my usual pet peeve, but Pings serves up an all-time super hit. The pillowy Cream Cheese Dumpling infused with musky truffle and sparkled with chilli oil. A must try. Plenty for vegetarians (Jains, too). Depth of flavour in the hot and sour bamboo shoot soup, crunch and spice in the dynamite water chestnut, moist and thin skinned dimsum are recommended. As is the vibrant Thai Som Tam Salad. Asia distils itself onto our plates. Khowsuey with it’s coconut infused curry and the perfect accompaniments is recommended. As are the fall off the bone pork ribs, with their sweet, spicy richness.

Sushi buffs can look forward to a big choice of sushi (spicy tuna roll tops). ‘Great food, guilt free’ and emphasis on healthy eating is reinforced by their gifted Executive Chef Hanoze Shroff who has opened several new restaurants and whose delicious food I’ve eaten at The Oberoi, too. In Pings Mumbai, Chef Hanoze has created two standout healthy dishes. “Shirataki noodles, which are miracle noodles, gluten-free, vegan, keto-friendly made from konjac starch tossed with Thai flavours and bean sprouts,” points out chef. And the second is the “SOBO fried rice made from local red rice with low GI tossed with edamame, Bok Choi, snow peas and asparagus.” End with the creamy dreamy Banoffee pie and intense chocolatey Brookie icecream.

Minus Points

The small space can get noisy. Overcooked seafood (steamed red snapper be it prawns or fish). Krapow tenderloin disappoints with its chewiness. Sadly, my favourite Chicken Hainanese rice is lacklustre. Friendly service, but they forgot to tell us about the two standout healthy dishes specially created for Pings Mumbai.

My Point

Casual, quirky, high quality food and moderate prices make Pings a must-visit. It’s the sixth Pings opened by Rakshay and Radhika Dhariwal brother-sister duo. The first was in Delhi in 2016. In fact, while we’re dining at Pings, I bumped into ace golfer Digraj Singh, who’s a die hard Pings Delhi fan. And now of Pings Mumbai, too. We will surely return and along with the vibrant, tasty Asian food, make it a point to try the Shiritaki noodles and SOBO rice, too! Cheerful small restaurant, open through the day, comforting Asian fare at comforting prices. May the Pings tribe increase!