Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill, Palladium, Phoenix Mills

Review of a restaurant where I have not eaten...

Tried out only one drink here -- Aam Panna!

Food: 2.0
Ambience: 3.0
Service: 2.5

Location: Palladium, 3rd Level, Phoenix Mills

I have the knack of landing at restaurants when they have just opened. So a month or two back, I landed at Phoenix Mills to check out Palladium. It is one of the poshest, hippest malls in Mumbai. It spells million bucks! The only thing I could afford in this place is the ice cream and maybe the chocolates (however expensive they may be for suburbie!)

We spotted the word Punjab Grill and my eyes lighted up! Then we saw the words Jiggs Kalra and my eyes shone like strong flashlights or a 1000 watt bulb (make that 500 watts -- let us save some electricity.)

Just this morning I was trying to figure out who is the culprit who has been responsible for making me into an incorrigible foodie or a foodomaniac (trying to say, a nymophaniac when it comes to food). The big name that came to mind is Busybee aka Behram Contractor. I think he is the one who started it all with his Round and about or was it called Eating Out. He wrote such detailed, wonderous accounts of food and restaurants. He grew, and grew and grew in stature as a writer and I am sure he made the whole nation into foodies! On second thoughts, there were other culprits too -- Jiggs Kalra, CY Gopinath (still remember his poetical Samosa review -- I remember rushing to the joint in Worli and trying it out!), Gul Anand, and then Karen Anand, Prahlad Kakkar, et al. I am not sure whether I would include Rashmi Uday Singh in this list of guilty!

Jiggs Kalra with his food writing really turned us all into food junkies/gluttons or gourments or gastronomes (hey, I am a French to English translator and still have to go back to the dictionary to figure out what is the difference.) So those two words (Jiggs Kalra) made me step in.

As usual, as in all such posh places, there were 2-3 security guards or guest executives. They were very helpful and we were ushered in. (We had already eaten our lunch, then had a snack below -- so stepping in, was just paying obeisance (matha tekne ke liye -- brushing our foreheads) to this temple of food!)

We were escorted to a nice table and someone came and checked whether we were comfortable. A plate was kept in front of us and a white longish tablet placed on it. The server poured water over it and magically the white tablet turned into a fluffy white paper towel! We religiously washed our hands and faces with it. Quite refreshing.

We ordered two drinks. My drink was Aam Panna -- my all time favourite drink. Don't remember what my wife had -- Kokum Sherbat. I specifically asked the server to make my Aam Panna with less sugar (after having confirmed that that was possible). Guess what -- when it came to me, it was sweet as sugar syrup! I protested and they said that they would retry! I had a feeling that it would get messed up with the addition of water (if that is what they would have done). So I politely declined and swallowed that horrible glass of sweet syrup!

This was a solid goof-up and Punjab Grill is not on my list of restaurants to visit! I recently went there to check out some other restaurant and Punjab Grill did not even come to mind!

I know it is a little harsh! But let me be honest, I feel very stifled in snooty places or appearing to be snooty places. I have a mind to avoid all restaurants which insist on a reservation or have security guards at the entrance. Give me a Punjabi Dhaba any day. In Thakur Village, we had a small little Punju Joint (forget the name) with a chef from Punjab. It had really nice rustic taste to it. I really used to enjoy the food! Alas, it is closed. Now, I think there is another Punju joint! It is just a poor imitation of the original.

In her review, Rashmi Uday Singh makes a point that Punjab Grill does not look like a Dhaba. Yes, that is a good point for a restaurant in a posh place. Yet to me -- even symbolisms and tokenisms may make me feel at home. I love the atmosphere at Urban Tadka and Pappa Pancho da Dhaba (menus on slates, cheap glasses, rustic atmosphere -- and above all matching good food).

Also, give me some bhangra-shangra music (Daler paaji, Mika paaji, et al) and I think any shortcomings in the food will be overlooked! I loved the nice Marathi music played at Divya Maharastracha. The music was good, but the food was outstanding. I could visit that place several times.

Punjab Grill -- will I visit again. Maybe? Even though it is too classy for me!