Trick or treat?

Lemon mustard rubbed rawas. Pics/Ashish Raje

Visiting a new contemporary American bar and grill isn't the first thing on our to-do list until we learn they are adding a twist to each dish. Not only does it come with the promise of healthy fare, but also th­at it will surprise you with its un­usual method of preparati­on. So, we head to The Orb, the food hub where the outlet is located, for dinner on a weekday.

Getting there is a bit of a task, as you have to navigate the JW Marriott security ch­eck, which autorickshaw drivers seem hesitant to do. So, we walk the rest of the four-minute-stretch, lured by Coach, the golden retriever of the five-star who's supposed to check the vehicles but is happy to be cuddled en route.

We enter the space that boasts of at least 10 more soon-to-open ou­tlets. And since The Cheaters has just opened for business, it's empty. Not something you hope for when dining alone. Making the best of things, we pick a corner seat and are greeted by multiple attentive servers, who recommend the blueberry cheesecake shake (Rs 195) as they don't have their alcohol licence yet. We request for a less sweet version of it, and in the 10 minutes it takes to reach our table, we soak in the decor - a wall dedicated to fake IDs and one with sn­a­kes and ladders.

Blueberry cheesecake shake

The shake is served in a wine glass, but that's not the only surprising factor. We spot blueberry granules in the thick dessert drink, but as much as we try to feel the texture in the baby sips we take, it doesn't happen and we are convinced it's an illusion.

We order the crispy fried calamari rings (Rs 445) and baked barbeque chicken wings (Rs 445) to nibble on as we bob our head to the Bee Gees' Stayin' Alive, till our humming session is rudely interrupted when the in-house DJ decides to add pauses on the pretext of contemporising it. We hope the food doesn't mirror this.

Baked barbeque chicken wings

The calamari rings arrive first, served with a not-too-tart tartar sauce. They are not as crispy as we expect but thankfully not chew-y, which happens when they are overc­o­o­ked. On aski­ng, we're told that it's not coated with batter but a mix of spices and cornflour, which explains the lack of crunch.

The chicken wings are baked, which is its USP, moving away from its unhealthy fried reputation. The blue cheese dip is not sharp and goes well with the subtle sweetness of the sauce lathered onto the wings. The roasted chillies have no impact though.

But the dish that stands out is the lemon mustard rubbed rawas with hollandaise sauce (Rs 1,245) with fries and roasted veggies. It's not baked or grilled but cooked in the tandoor, and has no oil. We love the sharpness of the mustard that complements the sm­ooth hollandaise sauce, in every bite of the succulent fish. This could possibly be the healthiest dish here. Even the fries taste air-fried! We pack what remains of the dish and ask for the bill, which is when they tell us they have given us a discount as an opening offer.

Even though it's not a pocket-friendly place, we wouldn't mind heading here if there is time to kill before we board a flight.

AT The Cheaters, ground floor, The ORB, next to International Airport, Andheri East.
TIME 12.30 pm to 11.30 pm
CALL 61736103

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The Cheaters didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals