Learning Curb

We expected to witness a cacophonous feeding frenzy at The Urban Kitchen or TUK, a multi-cuisine restaurant that recently opened across the street from MMK and National College. Perhaps it’s on account of an extended Diwali break, but we walked in to find no hungry students, just peace and quiet yesterday afternoon. We did however spot tiny clues to suggest that the management hopes to welcome the 'classes' soon. Like for instance the liberal sprinkling of the word ‘awesome’ all over the menu – in dish titles and restaurant information. Even the tag line of the eatery reads ‘It’s Tuking Awesome’. We’ll be the judge of that, thanks.

Pita Hayworth

TUK is a breadbox shaped restaurant, with an outside section that's neatly lined with high tables that are shaded by a striped awning, chic blinds and leafy plants. The wooden interior is brighter with splashes of red, fun lamps and black and white photographs. We settled on an inside table – there were about seven more – but were far from settling the debate about whether restaurants should offer more than one type of cuisine. This one does – there’s Italian, Lebanese and Indian on offer. 

From the all-vegetarian, non-alcoholic menu we wanted to start with the pita pockets, but because of the unavailability of falafel, we had to settle for hummus and pita instead. A friend also thought it would be fun to share the Bombay Double Decker Sandwich. The hummus arrived first, smooth and yum, brightened with notes of garlic. The sandwich came next, bursting with potato and veggies, slathered with chutney, a hygienic but obviously less tasty alternative to the roadside grilled wich. There’s also paneer tikka and fries on the menu, and a few starters we weren’t brave enough to try here including nachos and tacos.

Indo-Italian Chamber

Half the mains at TUK cater to Italian tastes – pizza, pasta, risotto – and the other half to desi buds. Even though the dish description made us nervous, we ordered the mushy mushroom risotto, but asked for it to be made in white rather than tomato sauce. For the rest of our course, we picked from Indian cuisine – Dilli Chok chana and palak paneer with chilli cheese naans – because again, TUK just doesn’t strike you as the kind of place that would do well with Italian. And right we were. The risotto arrived in a watery white sauce studded with mushrooms, looking more like the dalia (porridge) we were sometimes forced to eat before school. And it tasted just as bland. The chana on the other hand was yum, cooked with vibrant spices and a tangy top note. The green chilli studded naans though, are not for the faint hearted. The palak paneer, rich with a thick green, garlicky gravy is also a good option.

Having checked out the generic dessert selection beforehand featuring sizzling brownie and chocolate cake, we decided to tuck in one more roti and pass on the last course. The crisp cheese-laced naan didn’t make us feel like we’d skipped the sweet stuff.

Should You Visit?

The Urban Kitchen isn’t the most accessible eatery. Getting there means navigating a chaotic road teeming with rickshaws and students, and in all probability not getting parking. But with the average dish costing Rs 150, the fare is cheap and the place is clean, so visit when you’re broke. Or better yet, order in next week when they start home delivery in Bandra.

Getting there: The Urban Kitchen, shop no 2, Mangal Kunj, B Wing, National College Lane, Bandra (W), call 9022775444, Rs 700 for a meal for two.

bpb reviews anonymously and pays for its own meals.