Bandra's newest lounge, Red Ant Cafe, scores on service and presentation, though it will require more than just a catchy name, quirky coasters and okayish food to lure the discerning gourmand

Bandra's newest lounge, Red Ant Cafe, scores on service and presentation, though it will require more than just a catchy name, quirky coasters and okayish food to lure the discerning gourmand

On a weeknight at 9, grumpy after a forgettable traffic encounter on Linking Road, we wondered why a lounge would call itself 'Red Ant'. At 11 pm, when we left, in a better mood, we were still wondering. Red Ant is nicely lit, with red undertones and a candle on every table. Spirit relics are on the walls, as is a not-to-scale figurine of Elvis Presley. The bar and the tiny dance floor remind us a wee bit of Hard Rock Caf ufffd and Andheri's watering hole Kino's 108.

We settle on the low-backed couches and skim through the bar menu. There isn't anything exceptional, maybe just the absinthe, and Shirley Temple is listed twice. Later we learnt, the lounge was having a trial run and officially opened tonight. Anyway.
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Since we are not exactly the 'hold-thy-drink' sort, we skipped spirits and moved straight to the food. We called for a Panache Mixed Greens Salad (Rs 150) and a portion of Fish Cakes (Rs 320).

The salad, a mix of iceberg and red leaf lettuce and a non-intrusive white dressing, was mild and filling. But the greens were lukewarm when we would've loved for them to be icy cold. An accompanying slice of grilled cheese was delicious.

The fish cakes arrived soon after. With drizzles of white garlicky sauce on the sides and topped with greens, the presentation was so pretty; we almost didn't want to bite into this dish. Six bite-sized portions of fish crumbled effortlessly under the fork. The fish was tender and had an innate saltiness that made my mouth water even as I write this. The garlic sauce was a perfect accompaniment.

For the mains, we called for a Baked Polenta and Parmesan (Rs 270), and Grilled Tarragon Chicken with Mashed Potatoes (Rs 310).

The mains took a while, so we amused ourselves with the silly stuff on the coasters. The smug red ant on my coaster demanded that I remove the glass off its b**t. I didn't comply.

The Baked Polenta was a bit of a disappointment. The polenta, boiled cornmeal, instantly reminded me of something the folks from Gone With The Wind ate during the Civil War.

It was a Roman peasant staple, I learnt later. It's not what we would've enjoyed at a fine-dining restaurant. The oven-dried tomatoes that lined the plate, packed with tang, were more enjoyable. I nibbled part of my date's Grilled Tarragon Chicken too. It was a bit greasy, but the chicken was succulent, the mashed potatoes were smooth and buttery. We would've loved to end on a sweet note, but Red Ant doesn't have a dessert menu, yet.

At Third floor, Linksquare Mall, Linking Road, next to KFC, Bandra (W); Call 26469005 / 06.
Red Ant Cafe didn't know we were there. The Guideu00a0reviews anonymously and pays for meals.