2100 hours, May 4, 2017, Thursday, Bandra:
The Prelude:
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Hawaiian Shack is a fourteen-year-old Night club and Bar located on the premium Linking Road of Bandra. Spread over a ground plus two levels and reflecting the ethos of Hawaii Islands, it has the distinction of being the only woman-run brand in India till date. ONE of the distinctions, I should say.
The Personality:
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We were hosted by the youthful and cherubic Sheen Lalwani, the second generation owner and manager of the place. Being bred in London all throughout, and no less than an architect by education, Sheen now runs the show entirely by herself, with a peripheral help lent by her brother Shaan and their mom (Also a special mention of a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality Bhavik Bhatt, the Restaurant Manager here). All the more surprising, since the lady had never had alcohol before (save for an occasional sip of wine once in a while), and has now jumped into this venture neck deep. All in a pursuit of keeping her Dad’s dream alive, which also has a regaling story behind it. And managing the show extremely well - to such an extent that Hawaiian Shack now boasts of another distinction - that of being listed among the top fifty bars in the world by "Class" - the exclusive Bar magazine of the UK. As if that were not enough, Hawaiian Shack has, again, been the only brand to be chosen in the past for hosting the "Global party event" – something which happens on one chosen day simultaneously in all the countries across the world. Whoa!
The Picture:
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The ambiance does a proper justice to its name. The ground level was dimly lit, with attractive candle lamps on each table. Each encircled by a garland of marigold. The tables were thick teak, the seating comfy and the real estate of the place admirable. The essence of this place is also good music, and some alluring retro numbers played in the background. (Sheen had Paul Young's "Love of the Young People" dedicated and loudly announced specially for us - how sweet!). The entire area screamed Hawaii with all its usual suspects - wooden logs, bamboo strips, faux palm trees, fishing nets hung from the roof, servers in Hawaiian shirts and straw hats, a guitar hung on the brick textured wall, a pic of Che Guevara warning you in the background. An oversized bike, a golden cycle, and mannequins with floral bikini tops and Hawaiian skirts completed the picture.
The Platter:
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SEAFOOD PLATTER (4.5 / 5)
A platter of fish and prawns only, strictly avoiding the noise of squids, clams or similar such. Rich soft cubes of Tandoori Fish, Fish Koliwada, Prawns Koliwada, and Golden fried prawns. Each better than the other, each carrying its own distinct personality.
HAWAIIAN CHILLI CHICKEN (4.5 / 5):
Chinese Chilly Chicken in soya sauce. Spring onion, capsicum, the works. Spiced up to the hilt.
HAWAIIAN CHICKEN PIZZA (4 / 5)::
A thick crust, popping pizza topped with cheese, bells, capsicum, onion, pineapple and chicken pieces. Pineapple and chicken make a rocker of a combination for me. The chicken pieces were soft and juicy, the pizza well baked, and the overall fare just awesome. Just that the pineapple bits seemed woefully scarce and appeared lost in the entire melee. A little bit of more pina could have added dollops of patina to the entire affair.
MUTTON KHEEMA (5 / 5):
Easily the best of the lot, and completely meritorious at that. The mince was sans any noise of boiled aloo or green peas. Rich, thick, aromatic, spicy meat. Accompanied with four fluffy, lightly toasted, buttered up golden paos. Hail Temptation and here's cocking a snook at clogged arteries.
The place also serves some ravishing mocktails – the Virgin Colada (with it's pineapple juice and vanilla ice cream, served in a glass inside the core of a pineapple), the Guava Colada (custom made for us), the Day After (Apple and Cranberry Juice made in Soda and topped with Cherries and apple slices), the Kiwi Blast (Fresh Kiwi and pineapple juice with vanilla ice cream topped with cherry and an apple slice). Unusual, well thought over, well executed.
No desserts came across as a bummer here though :(
The Postlude:
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Hawaiian Shack doesn't scream about itself from roof tops, but that in any way doesn't undermine it's true worth. Kabirs’ Rahiman Heera kinds. The legacy, the able management, the international distinction, the people culture, and the offerings – all the forces work powerfully here. And the going seems only to be gaining might. Way to go for that.
The Parameters:
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The Food Quotient: Food Quality: 4.5 / 5, Food Choices: 4 / 5, Food Portions: 4.5 / 5, Food Presentation: 4.5 / 5
The Other Determinants: Location: 4.5 / 5, Cleanliness: 4 / 5, Warmth: 5 / 5
The Hygiene Factors: Ambiance: 4 / 5, Space Quotient: 4 / 5, Delivery Time: 4 / 5
The Conclusives: Pricing: 4 / 5, Overall Experience: 4.5 / 5, Will I visit Again: 5 / 5.
The Ps:
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