One restaurant with two names. It’s a very unusual albeit confusing concept. Kulfiholic caters to the sweet tooths while The Mumbai Social handles the foodie side. We visited them during Ramadan for their set menu, however these dishes are basically from their normal menu.
We visited them just a few months after they had opened and so some teething issues can be expected. What T found a bit surprising was that the owners were very fussy when it came to the kind of food we were allowed to order. We were invited as part of a blogger review, but were initially only going to be served food enough for one person. The service was also a bit… confusing. The dishes are almost dropped onto your table (figuratively) and then the servers disappear. It’s all a bit unnerving. We are sure that if we had any specific requirements (which in this case we didn’t) they wouldn’t be able to meet them correctly.
Our Verdict: A vegetarian restaurant with an odd name that serves some delicious food, a good overall experience which can be perfected with some improvements.
The Food – The Mumbai Social
Dimaag ka dahi – it’s basically a well made Dahi Vada. If you think about it, the bowl also kinda looked like a brain if you squint and look at it. The vada was soft and fresh and the yogurt was also a good balance of sweet and sour with a hint of spice.
Chakram Chole – a Chole bhature that’s presented in a modern way. The chole (spicy chickpeas) is presented in an iron shaped dish with some dry ice for flair. The bhatura was delicious, big and crispy. The chole was very well cooked, but was slightly on the saltier side. A delicious dish, however a little lime would have made it perfect!
Aye mamu soya kya – The vegetarian take on kheema pav. The kheema in this case is made of soya and is a great way to enjoy this faux meat dish. The kheema was bang on with the taste and texture. Again T felt the salt was a bit more than needed, but the overall taste was good. The pav would have also been perfect had it been toasted a bit.
Taka Tak Pulav – Probably our least liked dish of the night, not because it was bad, but because the other ones were just so good! A simple pulav served in a handi style dish on a strange stand a precarious angle. The presentation was confusing because it was an mess waiting to happen, and we kinda slipped rice around. The flavours were all there and it’s a huge quantity. They also serve this with some raita, however we felt there could have been more of it. Another good dish.
Firangi Puri – Think of a firang making pani puri, but forgetting to add the pani! This is a yummy and confusing dish. But we have to say its a must try. It’s almost like a pizza made inside a puri. The best thing about it is the generous amount of cheese!
Overall we liked the play on words for the names and the food was overall really good.
The Drinks
Lime Soda – A simple lemon and soda drink that is a classic street drink in Mumbai. This version is served in a little boot shaped glass.
The Dessert – Kulfiholic
Paan Kulfi – After a delicious meal you want a yummy dessert and Kulfiholic didn’t disappoint. The kulfi was perfectly creamy and the paan flavour was present but doesn’t smack you in the face. It’s one of their best sellers and we could understand why.
The Service
Kulfiholic and The Mumbai Social was started by two sisters. The owners are present and seem very approachable. Unfortunately when we visited it could still be considered a fairly new restaurant. Even though the place was not extremely crowded, the service was a bit haphazard. Surely if they improve this, the restaurant would be almost perfect.
The reason we say almost is because, it seems that “trends” have a bit more importance than the actual food. A simple example is the spoons. They have a cut out in order to look more unique, but that cutout actually hurts your mouth if you are not careful. And honestly, why should you be? You do not need a small piece missing from the spoon just to have it get stuck in your mouth. This is where functionality takes a back seat and even though it looks interesting it really doesn’t work.
The Venue
Kulfiholic and The Mumbai Social has been designed with the Mumbai culture in mind. It’s got little reminders that can easily make a Mumbaikar (a.k.a Bombayite) nostalgic about home. From the little police naka barricade as tissue holders to the auto and of course the wall art, everything seems like a homage to one of the most bustling cities in the world.
There is even a seating section which looks quite similar to the one on the Mumbai local train. We feel the decoration was great and they kept things modern while also keeping you feeling nostalgic.
How to get there
Kulfiholic – The Mumbai Social is located in Oud Metha, near Cream Centre, not too far from Lamcy Plaza.
By Car: If you keep Lamcy Plaza’s entrance on your left, you follow the road as it bends, keep going straight and take the left at Ottimo. You will see a parking lot on your right. We suggest parking here, or you can keep on going straight as Kulfiholic will be on your right. If you are lucky you can find parking there.
By Cab: The biggest landmark nearby is Lamcy Plaza or if you are lucky the cab driver will know Cream Centre (or even Haji Ali) in Oud Metha.
By Public Transport: Your best option to get here via public transport is to take the red line till BurJuman, or the green line till Oud Metha station and then take the feeder bus (F18) to Oud Metha Metro Station Terminus a.k.a Sunrise Supermarket.
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/B3uTwZSjLeS2
Other Info
04 5509105
Kulfiholic The Mumbai Social
