15 December,2013 04:46 AM IST | | Kareena N Gianani
We walk into Tilt, the soon-to-be-opened lounge and restaurant at Lower Parel, and Lenka (the Australian musician whose latest number is now the official song for Windows 8) neatly walks into the room in our mind. Because Tilt, surely, wants to be âEverything At Once.'
Think sprawling space, community tables, slate-coloured velvetcurtains for private dining areas, a bar, an open kitchen and a stage for live acts. Add an orange guard dog to it. You get the picture?
Tilt at Lower Parel.
Come December 24 and Tilt, as the name suggests, plans to âtilt' into a pulsating, groovy venue once the sun goes down. It will have help from its sound-responsive walls and strobe lights. Those cushions you'd be sitting on -- they are fitted with magnets and can be fitted onto the walls so you could get on your seats and dance away.
The Grilled Tiger Prawns come on a bed of quinoa salad. Pics/Bipin Kokate
Tilt's design is quirks galore, but do the drinks and food live up to it? We sip on a Whiskey Crush (Rs 695) and Blueberry Mojito (R695) to decide -- and begin feeling positive. We like them more than the too-weak Correljo Pineapple Pomegranate (mixed in tequila) (Rs 695) and Pink Panther (Rs 695).
Blueberry Mojito
Next, we sample the soups -- Roasted Pumpkin (Rs 245) and Mushroom (Rs 245). We can fully appreciate how creamy these are, the former topped with garlic flakes and the latter carrying the unmistakable taste of truffle oil.
Tilt has it going for them when it comes to choosing fresh produce and letting it speak for itself. So, we are glad that The Grilled Tiger Prawns (Rs 450), which come on a bed of quinoa salad, are not out to assault our senses and are simple, and cooked finely. The Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushroom with Red Pepper Coulis (Rs 325) and the Mixed Green Salad with watermelon (Rs 350), however, fade in comparison to the prawns.
The New Zealand Lamb Rack (Rs1,800) arrives, and all we can say is that our by-now glazed eyes quite match its mien. The meat is well-cooked and the Marsala wine reduction does wonders to its taste. The vegetarian among us, who is still waiting to be swept off her feet, looks hopefully at the Sundried Tomato Ravioli with pesto cream sauce (Rs 395). But it is not The One -- she's had better. The Baked Caramel (Rs 325) is a good ending to the meal.
Tilt has a lot going for it and manages to pack in something for a diner's many moods during and after work hours. What we'd like to see them do is dare to extend the same streak of experimentation to its food, and, like its design, make it jump off the page.
We cannot rate the experience, as it was a preview
