Rewind

It calls itself the “restaurant for Hollywood nostalgia” - look around the four walls of Rewind, and you are inundated with movie memorabilia. Original posters of films like “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, “Mary Poppins”, “Dr. No”, “King Kong”, “Ben Hur”, “Gone With The Wind”, “Dr. Zhivago” and “Guys And Dolls” adorn one wall. Turn your gaze and feast your eyes on the likes of Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Brigette Bardot, Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant, all in classic, alluring poses captured in black and white photographs.

Little nooks and crannies are embellished with various cinema-related paraphernalia like a tripod camera, clapperboards, a flash bulb, old Oscar and gramophone awards, and an antique telephone with separate ear and mouth pieces. The colour scheme for the entire restaurant is muted - soft brown wood paneling on the ceiling, brown tables, ochre table cloths, and cream marble flooring gives the place a cozy, comfortable and elegant feel.

In the morning, Rewind has two options - a Soup, Salad and Main Course, for Rs. 215.00 or a Soup, Salad and Sandwich for Rs. 175.00. Both these can be ordered as per the patron’s choice off a menu card that contains select dishes from the main card.

A simple main menu card offers a variety of Italian, Chinese and Thai cuisine in the evenings. For starters, try the Tomato, Mozarella and Basil salad if you want something very light and tasty. The steamed Vegetable Dim Sums, which consist of chopped mushrooms, carrots, garlic and ginger are delicious and will whet the appetite of the average hungry Mumbaikar.

In the non-vegetarian section, appetizers like Chicken Wings in Barbeque Sauce or Chicken Satay in Peanut Sauce are two of the many dishes offered.

The best soup to go for would undoubtedly be the Herbed Cream of Tomato, but that’s only if you like your soup to be tangy and spiced with sprinkled herbs. For the adventurous, there’s the Coconut Flavoured Chicken Soup, or the chef’s pick.

The main course offers a variety of dishes as well. Rosti Pizza, a Swiss style potato pancake topped with dried tomatoes, mushroom, garlic, spinach and cheese, is a filling, mouth-watering dish. Besides this, Roasted Stuffed Peppers, Vegetable Ratatouille with Penne Pasta (vegetables in a mixed spicy tomato sauce), red-hot Thai curry with rice, flavoured Chinese dishes and a host of pastas - Vegetable Lasagne or Fettucine (with Cream Parmesan, Bell Pepper, Herbs and Olives) accompanied by vegetables, chicken or bacon - all add up to a menu that is succulent and pampers the diner’s taste buds.

After a full meal, an attractive choice of desserts awaits your attention. Two kinds of Mousse (very safe and reliable), Mango Cheesecake, Tiramisu, Waffles And Ice-cream (always a winner!) and Fresh or Dry Fruit Ice-cream (seasonal), are up for grabs. If you happen to be out with a significant other, you might want to go for the Lovebird’s Fruit Tart For Two (with or without ice cream).

The evening meal is a bit more expensive than the morning luncheon, easily amounting to at least Rs. 450.00 per head for a full course of soup, starter, main dish and dessert. Still, the portions are fair and prepared with meticulous care. Keep this place for a special occasion, when there’s something to celebrate, or when you happen to have more cash than usual!