26 March,2014 09:55 AM IST | | Ruchika Kher
Trying to capture the pulse of the urban revolution and social media space with its oh-so-hip name, #Tag, a new café-bar, fares well but needs to work on the X-Factor to draw in the crowds
In the last couple of years, Andheri West has emerged as a happy hunting ground for dining and clubbing options since the working professional class believes in going out more often. So, it's no surprise that the area witnesses an opening (and closing) every other week. The latest one to make a brave entry in this competition-driven space is, #Tag, a café-bar that clearly positions itself as a place for the young and the cool - the name says it all and the pricing too, as we found out later!
Conjee Crispy Drumlets was a winning dish
Donning our food scout avatar, we landed at #Tag on a Saturday night, but our spirits were dampened when we noticed empty seats, even at 9.45 pm. However, the enthusiastic staff and quick service won us over. Soon enough, more people trickled in. The café-bar offers a breakfast menu (mainly European) and for the evening fare (South East Asian). To begin with we called for Jalapeno Poppers (Rs 89), Conjee Crispy Drumlets (Rs 109), a Carrot Coriander and Lemon Soup (Rs 99) and a Berry Blast (R279).
Chatuchak Fried Rice at #Tag. Pics/Nimesh Dave
While we were trying to make peace with the blue LED lights that were taking away the aesthetic value of its interiors, our order was served. The soup was light and flavoursome, though the coriander dominated everything else. The quantity was enough to suffice two. Next, we tasted the jalapeno and the chicken dishes. While the fried yet gooey peppers, served with basil mayo, went down well, we were impressed with chicken lollypops that were encrusted with aromatic herbs. The cocktail, a concoction of vodka, cranberry, grape and black current juices and mint leaves, tasted more like a fruit punch because of its low alcohol content.
Andheri's new eatery #Tag hopes to draw in the youth and working professionals
As the night progressed, conversations gave way to hunger and we decided to call for our mains. Being rice lovers, we ordered for a Thai Chicken Curry (R169) and Chatuchak Fried Rice (R119) from the Mighty Meal section. We have sampled Thai Chicken Curry at other places, so when the red curry with stir-fried chicken pieces and rice was served we knew what to expect. While the dish did not blow us away, it wasn't bad. The fried rice dish, which was essentially steamed rice, served with assorted vegetables and tossed in schezwan sauce, was delightful and was served in
huge quantities.
