22 December,2013 08:55 AM IST | | Dhiman Chattopadhyay
The days of all-you-can-eat for Rs 600, one would have thought, were long gone. So Mangiamo's new lunch menu âLunch with Friends' comes as a pleasant surprise, particularly since this Bandra eatery is a genuine fine dining option where stars of the celluloid variety shine down quite often.
The Crispy Chicken goes down well with a glass of sangria
We step in on a weekday to sample what Mangiamo claims is a unique offering. Things start with a bit of confusion when we get handed three different menu sheets. The waiter explains that while the first one is a relatively limited-option five course menu with unlimited soft drinks (at Rs 600 plus taxes), the second one offers a larger food menu at Rs 700 and the biggest of them all comes at Rs 900 plus taxes inclusive of two glasses of alcohol.
We start with the Zuppa Porcini soup (porcini & fresh mushroom soup with truffle oil). The cream of mushroom goes well with the powerful aroma of truffle oil. We move to the starters next with the Potato Rosso (baked potato tossed in spicy picante sauce). This doesn't taste very âItalian' and we are told it has been spiced up a bit to suit local palate. It goes down well with the glass of Sangria (white wine and fruit punch) we have just ordered.
The Crispy Chicken (tempura marinated chicken served with picante sauce) is a bit too crispy for our liking, though again, as a finger food with a glass of wine or sangria, it doesn't fare too badly. But the Vietnamese Basa, tossed in tapenade sauce is the clear winner. It is mildly crispy on the outside but as we bite in, the softness of the basa and the herbed juices take over.
Next, we try the Pizza Toscana (basil pesto mozzarella topped with fresh mushroom and sundried tomato) which has a thin crust and is mildly herbed. For pasta we opt for the simple Pene alla Arrabiata (penne with garlic, tomato sauce and chilli flakes). Our logic is simple. A restaurant that makes great basic pasta is worth revisiting. And Mangiamo does notu00a0disappoint.
The Apple Crumble as well as the Tiramisu (house-made espresso flavoured tiramisu with mascarpone cheese) that we order for dessert bowl us over.
The only catch: to take advantage of this offer, titled âLunch with friends' you will have to come along with a bunch of friends. At least four of them.
