Hard Rock Cafe, Andheri West, Mumbai: Of great Margarita and Nachos! Ole!

Hard Rock café is a mecca for people who enjoy good music while sipping on lemony Margarita, browsing through pop memorabilia collected over the years from musicians around the world.

Recently the Andheri west branch of the chain hosted a session to showcase their Mexican based offerings. The walls of the restaurant are decorated tastefully with pop art as well as memorabilia from many popular musicians from around the world, including the sitar of Ustaad Ravi Shankar which he used in his concert for Bangladesh along with the Beatles duly autographed by them.

The evening started with a Master Class on the classic Margaritas by their resident mixologist along with tastings of Tequila based Cosmo which they call Cosmoquila, Classic Tequila Sunrise and a very interesting three layered shot containing Zambuca, Tabasco and tequila. Nirmal, the master mixologist knows his trade well as the Margarita was surely one of the bests I have had in a very long time. Another popular tex mex joint known for its Margarita serves a much more watered down lame concoction in comparison to the one I tried here at Hard Rock. Similarly the other drinks were also made quite tastefully with the tequila shining throughout and yet each ones holding its own individual flavors. I particularly liked the Cosmoquila for its zany flavor.

On the food front we started off with a platter of Nachos Cantina, which to my delight, was freshly made unlike readymade ones which are usually served these days in most places, this was served with a dollop of real Guacamole (Another surprise) and sufficient toppings to make is a classic starter snack. Similarly the Tijuana Chicken tenders platter was somewhat like a satay, the juicy grilled tender pieces of chicken were marinated in smokey spicy Tijuana sauce. The dish had the right spice kick as well as perfect tanginess and worked well as an accompaniment to the phenomenal Margaritas.

For the mains, the chef brought us a serving of Prawn tacos in crisp taco shells. I am used to thin tacos, but here the taco shells were thick almost to a chalupa kind of thickness and the prawns were juicy and made in a tangy creamy sauce which was quite decent. Didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it either.

An interesting dish was the vegetarian twist to the classic Tostada where the restaurant has used Paneer to satiate the vegetarian cravings. I usually stay away from paneer in any vegetarian restaurant, but here I found it a welcome addition. The Tostada was done up like a pizza and the flavorsome paneer well marinated in Mexican spices and grilled to give it a very crunchy feel and yet maintaining the interior soft and light.

The Bahama Mama Chicken Tender Burrito was exactly how it was supposed to be, a giant wholesome burrito filled with corn, cheese, frijoles and tender chicken pieces. This is a wholesome platter, a meal in itself. The burrito was quite decent, but I must add that I have had better. However, I must also clarify that the burritos are one of the better ones that I have had in any tex mex restaurant in India.

The gooey chocolate explosion of sizzling brownie was an apt climax to a great evening. The soft brownie with hot chocolate fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream is a vice that can be relished again and again.

The restaurant has its heart in its right place, with awesome drinks, good service, great décor and decent food. It not only provides us with a great option to enjoy great music and drinks over the weekend but also as a great dining option in this part of the city. I wouldn’t mind ganging up with fellow food freaks and visit them one of these days over some fine tequila shots and decent Mexican, Ole!

Ratings (Out of 5)

Food: 3.5 | Ambience: 4 | Service: 4| Overall: 4

Meal for Two without Alcohol: Rs. 3000 Approximately plus taxes| Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes|

Timing: 12 noon to 1.30 am | Wheelchair access : Yes

Address: Sharyans Audeus, Ground Floor, Opposite Yashraj Studios, Andheri Lokhandwala, Andheri West, Mumbai

Telephone : 022 2674 3901

Disclaimer : This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgment and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review; however readers may exercise their own discretion.