Food review: 36 Oak & Barley

The first thing that strikes you about 36 Oak & Barley is the bright red walls at the entrance. Being born and brought up around Napeansea Road, I am quite familiar with the restaurants here and when I was informed of this new place at Kemps Corner, I could not wait to head there. The place, initially known as Nish, which I realised after I got there, has co-incidentally been my dad’s favourite restaurant for years now. In fact, I have vivid memories of having attended innumerable parties at this very location; so coming back to the place after so many years, got me all nostalgic.

The resto-bar has a great ambience and vibe to it. The bright red walls with the wooden flooring and the simple yet classy decor attracts you instantly. I went there around lunch hour and considering it was a working day, the place was quite full, buzzing with people of all age groups, particularly a hit with middle-aged women. A sculpture of a big black jaguar leaping out from the wall over the bar counter was the highlight as far as decor was concerned.

While the place serves Pan Asian cuisine, the menu boasts of appetisers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, fondue, risottos, main courses, and more. We decided to order the entire meal at one go and the first thing served to us was bean sprouts along with breadsticks to munch on. Immediately after, we were served the Roasted Beet, Orange, Arugula & Goat Cheese Salad tossed in a light glaze of basil, garlic and balsamic. The salad was just about okay, could have done with a little less leafies. Right after that we were served the Baked Cottage Cheese with Parmesan & Chili Cream Cheese. The gooey dumpling came in a pretty plate and while it was a little sour in taste, it was passable. Hummus that was served with Pita Crisps was good to whet the appetite. By now, we were getting a little impatient to try out the main course.

The classic lamb meatballs that were served to us with a base of tomato sauce was one of the best dishes on the menu. The meat was tender, cooked well and not chewy, unlike the other lamb dish we ordered before this one. Next up was the Cheese Fondue. This was one dish I was looking forward to trying because I can cook great fondue as well. Plus, there are not too many places that serve great fondue; this one was just perfect! They had mixed two types of cheese with wine and it tasted so good with the bread crumbs that I called for a few tortilla chips to eat using the fondue as a cheese dip. It also had a bowl of tomatoes, onions and green chilies each, just in case, someone did not like their fondue bland. The tomato risotto was just perfect with its tangy taste and right texture.

The best part of our meal was definitely the desserts. On the chef’s recommendation, we ordered the vanilla and berry panna cotta, and thank God for that! This one is an absolute must-try. The white dessert is served with strawberry sauce and is topped with Madagascar vanilla beans and moist, basil seeds. The pudding-like texture is light and glossy and the taste lingers for hours, leaving you wanting for more. We also ordered the 36 O&B Lil’ Chocolate Bomb, which was great too, but the panna cota definitely wins hands down! Chef Nachiket Shetye was at our table all throughout, ensuring we were served the best dishes. The waiters are polite, the service good and the food just melts in your mouth. Go check it out.

Meal for two:
Rs2,500 (exclusive of drinks) 

36 Oak & Barley, Kemps Corner, Near August Kranti Maidan

Call: 022 23811010.     

Rating: ***1/2

Neil Nitin Mukesh is an actor and a foodie.