Swept away

Yolanda's crispy prawns. Pics/Dhara Vora Sabhnani

The interiors of Typhoon Shelter had made us fall in love with the place when we first visited it. And seven months later, it's déjà vu. Some might find it a bit too busy, but we like the vibe that reminds us of an exotic buzzing local bar by a port. It's a lot quieter this time when we visit on a weekday, with two tables occupied. Lucky for us, since we get a plush booth to settle in and relish our food.

Lamb crystal ball

Typhoon Shelter ticks all the boxes when it comes to presentation - be it the interiors or the novel way to present an Asian menu, which is important, given that big-ticket Asian restaurants have been the flavour of the city for a while. The menu, designed by Hong Kong-based chef Christian Yang, made quite a few heads turn when it opened in May with the concept of typhoon shelter cuisine, which combines many cuisines of China, brought to Hong Kong's bay by visiting vessels.

Chinese puzzle

It uses simple cooking techniques such as frying, steaming and boiling, and ingredients that can be stored on a boat for a long time. Their pricing for cocktails though isn't local bar style at all. We call for Chinese puzzle, a delicious gin cocktail with hints of lavender and galangal. However, at Rs 895 excluding taxes, we have had better cocktails for lesser.

From the small plates, we pick succulent lamb crystal ball (Rs 445) and Yolanda's crispy prawns (Rs 595). And once again, the fare wins our hearts. They offer three pieces of the dim sums, and we cannot have enough. Delicately flavoured with basil, heat from bird's eye chilli, and a sprinkle of cress - the dish is an eye-catcher and is surprisingly filling. It has a beautiful sticky texture that makes it perfect. The prawns are addictive, offering a strong crunch in every bite; we are tempted to call for another round. We skip desserts, as we are pretty sure that we've exceeded our budget for the day. Instead, we head out to a bar nearby to down a few beers with the memory of the crispy prawns lingering.

Typhoon Shelter gets its food right and can hold its ground despite the many Asian eateries and bars inside the mall. But its bar pricing could prove to be a deal-breaker if you are on a budget.

TIME: 12 noon to 4 pm, 7 pm to 1 am
AT: Skyzone, Phoenix Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
CALL: 49193100

The Guide first reviewed Typhoon Shelter in May 2018. We conduct select, anonymous follow-ups to assess maintenance of standards

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