If you live anywhere between Bandra and Santacruz, you’d probably have come across 5 – The Restaurant at least a couple of times. Situated prominently on SV Road in Santacruz West, it was certainly hard to miss. Well, not too long ago the eatery shifted to a new address in Khar and we went to review it.
5 is located in the narrow little by-lane adjacent to Khar station; and while I initially wondered who would take the trouble to come out to this part of the suburbs, I quickly noticed that the restaurant had 3 Wise Monkeys as well as other chic hangouts for company. Clearly this area is becoming quite the after-hours place.
Offering a progressive dining experience, 5 aims to bring together the finesse of gourmet cuisine and the warmth of a neighborhood restaurant. The rustic decor, subtle but stylish mood lighting and tastefully adorned walls made us feel right at home instantly. We chose a table in the restaurant section though the chic bar area looked equally inticing.
We started off with 5’s signature Tomato Potato Soup that was delightfully calming. With the creamy potato portion being my favourite, I hardly wanted to mix the two. If you like to begin your meal with a soup, then be sure to try this one.
Up next were the starters; Bacon Wrapped Prawns and Oven Baked Mushrooms. Being the hardcore carnivores that we are, the succulent prawns were enjoyable, but the mushrooms won this round hands down. Stuffed with smoked scarmoza and cheddar, these cheesy bites were melt-in-the-mouth wonderful. Vegetarians, you’re in for a real treat with this one.
Already a little full, as we ordered our mains, we were amiably warned to leave place for dessert. That hardly seemed possibly given that the Grilled Jumbo Prawns and Tenderloin Steak were on their way. The mains took a tad longer than we expected to arrive but seemed to be worth the wait. The prawns were served with coriander rice, okra and curry cream sauce; the combination of flavours and textures of this dish strummed a unique tune on my tastebuds and I didn’t have to try hard to wipe my plate clean. The tenderloin, however, wasn’t such a winner. Tough and chewy in parts, it might do you good to skip this one. It could have just been a bad cut but we wouldn’t take the chance.
Dessert as promised provided the grand finale. Banana Flip Torte, a 5 signature is an absolute must-try. Bananas aren’t exactly my favorite fruit, but this dessert surprised me. Closely resembling a banoffee pie, the melt-in-the-mouth creaminess complimented the stewed bananas. I was one happy diner for sure.
All in all, 5 – The Restaurant does try to charm with its food and succeeds on most counts. You should certainly pay a visit.
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