Food - The Zodiac Grill

Interestingly enough, French cuisine, though world famous doesn’t have too many takers in Bombay. People always think of French cuisine as very complicated and frou frou. However, I think (and know) the contrary. French cuisine to me is all about the ingredients and the quality of ingredients. If you take a nice piece of stake, for instance – what differentiates a steak from THE STEAK? It’s the quality of ingredients! What makes a baguette so special? It is more based on the quality of ingredients and the method of cooking once again! I think you get the idea... that more than heavy sauces and fanciful preparations actually French food is quite wholesome and wonderful to prepare. This week I had to pick one of our finest restaurants in India the Zodiac Grill for this week’s French restaurant review as it is the most iconic French restaurant in the country today.

Food & Beverages

Well I must say that if you are a true lover of sea food (for the non vegetarians of course) this is the perfect spot for you. I’ve been there more than once, had the tasting menu as well as ordered a la carte and to be honest I wasn’t bowled over. The presentation and look of the food was delightful so was the cutlery, crockery and glassware and some of the dishes did taste good, but my expectations were much higher for this calibre of haute cuisine than what was delivered. The amuse bouche (a bite sized starter) at the beginning of the meal is always innovative and delectable.

Food Rating - 9/10

Beverages rating - 10/10

Service

The Service is impeccable as expected. The servers are really professional, courteous and friendly yet not overbearing! Also, I must add that the first time I went to Zodiac Grill, one of the dishes was served on a chipped plate… and that is definitely not acceptable!! However, the next time I dined there I noticed that they have changed their crockery and as seen above it looks fabulous!

Service Rating - 9/10

Ambience

I did really enjoy the intimate seating on the sides but I absolutely abhor the round seating in the middle. If there are two tables seated next to each other it’s too close for comfort for me for a fine dining setting. Otherwise I love the ceiling, the pianist and the overall plush French settings.

Ambience rating - 6/10

Final Verdict: Overall, a must go if you need to impress someone when on a date or a business meeting. The intimate surroundings provide room for great conversation and could have many a business deal inked here. The food is more a conversation piece itself than a wholesome comfortable meal but I do think it is done creatively keeping both taste and presentation in mind.