Mumbai Food: Shamiana at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel gets a makeover

Almost every little nook and corner at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba has a whiff of nostalgia attached to it. When we heard earlier last week that the Shamiana was to be re-launched in a new avatar, we had mixed feelings. It reminded us of the good' ole days when nights at a SoBo pub would end at the quiet restaurant located at the left side of the large lobby.

Baked Almond Cake

Not being able to afford much else with our pocket money, a pot of steaming tea and a tall glass of cold coffee would be shared among a few friends. As we walked in last morning, the new Shamiana had shifted to the right side, where the Starboard bar and the Zodiac Grill restaurant were located earlier (and where Shamiana was first located when it opened.) While we particularly missed the friendly bar with the sit out we immediately took to the warm, relaxed ambience of the new space.

Shamiana's new look. Pics/Sneha Kharabe

The revamped space hosts an open kitchen that features a live dessert section (where live chocolates are made too). While cookery books are stacked on one side, a wall of fame display ing black-and-white photographs of some of the hotel's popular patrons are mounted on a wall painted in a muted colour palette. The new menu features comfort food from across world including Mac & Cheese (Rs 585) and Rajma Chawal (Rs 585).

The prices have been slashed by almost 50 per cent from the earlier menu. Our picks would be the melt-in-mouth, Double Baked Camembert Cheese Souffle (Rs 485) and a host of dessert including the warm, not to sweet, Baked Almond Cake (Rs 585) and the tangy V.S.O.P Chocolate Mousse (Rs 585). The menu also features a section that lists the most popular dishes from the hotel's properties across the world. We found the version 2.0 personal, casual and laidback, and in sync with its earlier avatar.