Slink & Bardot, Worli, Mumbai

Indian Travel Places August 13, 2022 Food Review 671 Views

Restaurant Name: Slink & Bardot, Worli, Mumbai
Phone: +917045904728; +919326965643
Address: Shop 329/A, Thadani House, Worli Village, Opposite Indian Coast Guard, Worli, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400030 India
Time: 18:30 PM – 01:30 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,200
Cuisines: European, American
Facilities: Takeaway Available, Full Bar Available, Valet Parking Available, Indoor Seating, Smoking Area, Wifi, Serves Cocktails, Table booking recommended

I’m a believer of, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’, which is the cliche which fuels my life. ‘To make every single setback into a bigger come back’ is the theme tune I live by. And I’m thrilled that the draconian pandemic has had this positive impact on the restaurant under review today. The Worli village restaurant Slink & Bardot restaurant reincarnated two months ago, better than ever. It did so with a new team, change of cuisine, new look, but the core philosophy stays the same. Exuberant and relaxed energy infuses it.

Fun Dining

The perfect place to dine with a vivacious group of foodies, not just from Mumbai but also Japan. Japan-based Monica and Mohan Zaveri are in Mumbai for a holiday. The vivacious pearl-expert Monica cooks authentic Japanese and gives us her take on the Japanese elements of the food in Slink. Our marvellous Myrra Arya, accomplished artist is off to university in Michigan.

It’s the perfect place to dine with and applaud the resilience and strength of the gorgeous young poet, author and blogger Rayna Arya. Rayna authored Hope Exists when she was recovering post a car accident that led to a period of six months of coma and years of rehabilitation .

Backing her, is her strong beautiful mother, architect Sonica Arya, who believes in never giving up. It’s a wonderful relaxed and delicious evening as we eat our way through the menu.

Moodily Dramatic

Its all part of the Slink experience. It starts with the swampy, bumpy drive through the messy Worli village. The bungalow which awaits at the end of the drive has five moodily lit spaces. We make ourselves comfy in the plant filled Tropical Room’s big leather couches. It stretches into the bar, the magic room. The Marlene Room Bar with its rouge walls charms. Opt for the formal dining table and chair room with its black and white flooring or float into the blue seater community room. Gold angelic lamps adorn the wall, black and white chequered flooring, brass tables and a tropical wall set the mood and blur into a happy haze.

Cuisine Without Borders

Expect the unexpected. Unique combinations, local produce and more. We love the richness, faint sweetness and zip. It’s the unique multi-textural feta that comes up tops. The salty cheese, which is crumb-fried (Cracker), Truffle Honey and Pistachio Cream with Fresh Mint, is a masterpiece. Vicky Singh, partner with an experience of over 40 restaurants and his own Flavor Bastards in London, originated this recipe which the brilliant 27-year-old chef Ali Akbar Baldiwala perfects. There are forty dishes on the menu (half are vegetarian), take your pick: ‘Me so morel’ which originates from Kashmir, packs a Japanese punch with miso custard and is glazed with intense terriyaki water. Aloo bhindi refines into the amazing potato and leek foam, pickled aji lemon pepper and okra.

Ask for the buff toast with its tangy kasundi sourcream. Don’t miss the chilled salmon with its unique surprise elements of gochujang and wasabi buttermilk. End with the lighter and creamier version of the Basque cheesecake, made with Chevre Goat Cheese.

The cocktail menu is equally well-thought through. It serves up an evolution of cocktails through history starting with the unique gin and turmeric cocktail named Paanch.

Minus Points:

The location might be off-putting for some. Some of the dishes need fine tuning. The burrata could’ve done with more freshness and softness, the eggplant with a little less of the pomegranate molasses. Though beautifully presented, the tart is over the top with its tartness of passion fruit and yuzu.

My Point:

We love the reincarnation! Unlike many, we even enjoy the bumpy messy drive because it leads to and ends at the moodily lit, five roomed intimate hideaway bungalow. The earlier avatar was grey walled and now has splashes of colors. The perfect foil to the vibrant cuisine without borders, an “unshackling experience”. A far cry from the earlier French menu. Kudos gamechangers, partners Riyaaz Amlani and Vicky Singh, talented chef Ali Akbar Baldiwala and head mixologist Santosh Kukreti for breathing new life into Slink. For turning the pandemic setback into a major comeback. A playful and joyful one and serving up one more game changing experience.