Sneh Joshi
Episode One marks its own place as a prominent bar+dining place in the vicinity of Orchard Avenue, Powai. Featured in the ‘Best of Mumbai’ category, it serves some delectable Asian, Modern Indian, Italian and Mediterranean, cuisine. They’re currently having two events: Brown is Beautiful: Ladies Night on Tuesdays and Non-Members Club Live Music on Wednesdays, definitely check it out!
AMBIENCE:-
The first thing you see is a bathtub filled with spirits, some portraits of the Victorian era and a mirror where you can check your dress-code. As quirky as it gets, Episode One has its own charm to it. The comfortable and spacious seating, DJ console area, the shimmering glasses and bottles of the bar, the plants in between the sofas, the match screening area, the “Caste no Bar, Class no Bar” quote at the bar, “आज़ादी” written on one of the walls, the psychedelic wall art near the restroom corridor, the lightings, all speak of the exquisite and well-executed interiors of the place. The music here is thumping with the English hits of the early 2000s making you board the train of nostalgia, and with enough space on the aisle to dance to the foot-tapping numbers. The place has it all!
Rating: 5/5
SERVICE AND STAFF:-
Our table was managed by Mr. Prakash and Rehan, both were welcoming, courteous and well-informed with the menu. The service is really quick, we didn’t have to wait much for any of the orders. The staff politely asked us for the feedback after every dish and that’s a nice gesture. Overall, the service is splendid.
Rating: 5/5
COCKTAILS:-
1) LYCHEE LEMONGRASS CARBON LEMONADE: The original L.I.I.T that originated in Oak Beach Inn on Long Island in New York, got a twist to it here at Episode One. The delectable cocktail is a blend of L.I.I.T , in-house lemongrass lemonade, lychee nectar, and activated charcoal. It’s precisely mixed giving out a balanced taste of the above-mentioned ingredients. A vivifying drink in all aspects, it’s a must-have!
Rating: 5/5
2) BLUE TEA AND GONDHORAJ: It’s a Gin-based drink having elderflower, gondhoraj, butterfly pea blue tea, and apple nectar. The drink made by Mr Tejan, who handles the bar, is absolutely lip-smacking, well-balanced and will leave you a bit tipsy. It’s easily one of the best cocktails I’ve had in a long time having a sweet and flavourous fruity after-taste of apple nectar. It’s definitely worth it!
Rating: 5/5
3) MOGO MOGO OLD FASHIONED BY EPISODE: A whiskey-based drink combined with mogo mogo tea and homemade bitters, is smooth, refreshing and has a hint of cinnamon in its after-taste. The blend of cocktails at Episode One is amazing and every mix is a crowd-pleaser. Another drink added to the list of recommendations. Go for it if you’re a whiskey lover.
Rating: 4.8/5
SMALL PLATES:-
1) AVOCADO GALOUTI: In continuation of my love for Avocados, I ordered this dish. Having tasted Guacamole previously, this dish was something different as it’s a vegetarian version of the galouti kebabs. The four pieces of gaulouti had a stuffing of mouth-melting avocados, which were made with minimum use of oil, making it healthy and toothsome. Recommended!
Rating: 4.8/5
2) SHROOM SLIDER: An amazing starter dish that is incredibly meaty and scrumptious! The Mushroom slider is a perfect alternative to meat due to its crunchy texture and flavours. The veggies and the creamy cheese sauce inside the bun complimented the slider. It comes along with some french fries and cheese dip as accompaniment, which was delicious and thick. Overall, it’s a treat of a dish! Must have!
Rating: 5/5
MAINS:-
1) LINGUINE PICANTE: The name linguine means “little tongues” in Italian and is a type of pasta similar to fettuccine and trenette, which was mixed with Picante sauce, a spicy tomato-and-chilli-based preparation. The dish tasted super scrumptious and the linguine was well prepared. Two garlic bread came as an accompaniment which complimented the dish. Overall, the dish was absolutely palatable. Recommended!
Rating: 5/5
2) FERMENTED CHILI CHICKEN BLUE RICE: Some of the chicken pieces in the hot-pepper gravy were a bit raw which made it a bit chewy on the bite. The blue rice which came as an accompaniment was delectable and well-cooked. It gets its colour from the preparation that includes soaking the blue ternate flowers in boiling water to extract the colour and hence no artificial colour is used here. Overall, the dish could have been better.
Rating: 3.5/5
DESSERT:-
CARAMEL TART: The plating of the dish itself gets you drooling, kudos to the chef for the presentation. It includes the luscious chocolate tart, having a filling of the scrummy caramel in between. A scoop of the tart with the caramel filling tasted heavenly with the vanilla ice-cream that came as an accompaniment. It’s a delicious dessert and a perfect end to the amazing dining experience.
Rating: 5/5
In conclusion, Episode One is one of the best dining places + bar in Powai, having a resplendent ambience, serving some flavoursome drinks and food with splendid service. It’s that one place that will definitely leave you with pleasant memories.
Smakelijk Eten!
