Two One Two is an Eight out of Ten

It’s amazing how a bridge and a mall can inject life into an otherwise insipid piece of land that existed without any real identity for so long. Worli in Mumbai is apparently where its at… or it’s beginning to be. I moved here three years ago, so I guess that can be called foresight??

Seriously, it is excellent to see the number of restaurants and cafes mushrooming in this otherwise entertainment-arid part of Mumbai. I had the pleasure of sampling one of the new brave-hearts last evening.

Two One Two (212) has replaced the dodgy club called Magic that replaced the once posh Maruti showroom of Vitesse Motors opposite Nehru Center. On driving up, I was very pleasantly surprised by the raised open air patio that welcomes guests into a spacious, generously designed restaurant. The generosity refers to the fact that tables aren’t crowding one another and there’s enough room for people to enjoy privacy as well as scan who all they may be in the dining company of. There’s also a bar area and the patio has seating which encourages pre and post dining hang-outs.

The menu aims to be all Italian, with an exhaustive directory of anti-pastas, pastas, pizzas, and entrees. The dessert section didn’t appear and on this occasion, the meal was fitting enough to not warrant a palate cleanse.

My friend ordered a chicken salad and I settled for the rocket (arugla). Both were preceded by a large pizza tray filled with a variety of oven-fresh, warm breads and a choice of two pestos. No complaints and I suggest you avoid polishing off the entire offering as you would want to leave room for the food!

The salads came in extremely large sized portions, which took us by surprise. We were later explained that the establishment expects guests to share an order of salad and have other anti-pastas. Noted, wiser and there’s always a next time.

Both salads were fresh, crisp and well dressed. Speaking for mine, the blend of olive oil and balsamico was balanced and not overwhelming. 

For our entrees, my friend ordered the grilled pork medallions with bell peppers and I settled for a hearty portion of linguine with crab, tomato and olives. 

The pork medallions were perfectly cooked crisp & glazed on the outside, with a soft, pink center. The linguine was again, a very large portion and deceptively piled in the center of a large bowl. I struggled to finish my order, and lamented at having had to waste some as it tasted good. The pasta was al dente and coated with a slightly excessive amount of sauce (I’ve learned to give in on this as most Indians tend to prefer a more wet quality of food as versus the expected drier texture). It disguised the sweetness of the crab-meat which should have ideally been center-stage in this dish. 

I found the service very warm, helpful and struggling a bit with the newness of its environment. It wouldn’t surprise me if in the next few weeks, they get their act together completely dusted with the right amount of snobbery one has come to unfortunately expect from up-market dining in Mumbai.

Which brings me to the quandary. I think the owners of Two One Two have a winner on their hands. They need to decide whether the restaurant will be a fine dining experience or an informal bistro. I do hope they go with the latter choice as the location, the setting and the food is perfect to not be wasted on stuffy outings.

Book your table or walk in at - 

Two One Two Bar and Grill, 12-A, Hornby Vellard Estate, Opposite Nehru Centre, Next to the BMW showroom, Worli, Mumbai 18

Phone 2490 1994