Daily brings a new start

After a brief hiatus, The Daily is back in business. Blessy Chettiar walks in...

When we saw Grilled Tenderloin Steak on the upgraded menu of Bandra’s The Daily Bar & Kitchen, we got a bit emotional, what with the beef ban and everything. The well-done steak (though we’d prefer thinner slices), with a prominent taste of dark rum and peppercorn sauce stayed with us for long. The soft leek mash complimented it perfectly. The Daily is back with a bang — complete with a minimalist black and white décor with high seating (a little uncomfortable) in the inside area, a wishing well (you can ask for wish cards) and the old seating in the outside section. We visited the bar only days after it threw open its doors again and were impressed to see it buzzing just the same.

A quick look at the menu and we noticed the drinks section was stronger than ever, accompanied by the new the food menu which is pretty expansive too — a departure from the usual bar fare in the old menu.

Fresh fruit sangrias prepared in red and white wine are quite the attraction. Under the ‘Exotic Sangria’ section there’s those with bourbon, vodka, gin, dark rum etc. We opted for the Sangria with Bourbon, apple, orange and it turned out to be the best decision of the evening. The sweet and smoky taste of bourbon mixed with the mild red wine, apple and orange juice was the perfect start to the meal. The refreshing Three Melon Salad with feta cheese, a lemon dressing and the fine crunchy roasted pine nuts set the tone, while the flavourful Lemon Pepper Fish (grilled basa served with balsamic vinegar) was devoured in no time. Another winner was the light and yummy Chicken & Bacon Roll-ups (fried chicken balls served on a bed of bacon cooked in carbonara sauce). All these were washed down by the Bourbon Sangria and Elysium (a smooth whiskey cocktail with a hint of dates and curry leaves). The staff takes pride in the drinks menu, making recommendations confidently.

From the ‘Flat Bread’ section, we tried the chicken and seafood variants. While the mustard flavoured seafood was strictly okay, we loved the appetising, mildly spicy chunks of chicken sautéed in onion. For our next drink we tried the molecular Gypsy Queen (whiskey based with cinnamon, clove and apple smoke) that had a soothing effect on the throat.

For the main course (yes, there was still plenty of place in there), we called for Moroccan Lamb and Grilled Tenderloin Steak. The braised lamb soaked in beautiful spices, and served on a bed of herbed rice was a treat to the senses. While the desserts weren’t readily available, the chef threw a quick crème brulee together. The creamy and slightly crunchy (though not the best) ended the meal on a sweet note.

The five-week break has done The Daily good. It’s definitely going to do great for the thirsty and hungry folks around the corner in the days to come. Don’t miss out on this one.

Rating: Four star Cost: Rs 2500 for two