Verdict: Bonobo’s new menu looks promising when you read it but the food does not hit the spot.
Rating: 2.5/5

Table for Two: Rs 1500 – 2000
Address: 2nd Floor, Kenilworth Mall, Off Linking Road, Bandra West, Mumbai

Bonobo flaunts two sections flamboyantly; an outdoor dining area under the stars and an enclosed area where their DJ plays the best of contemporary lounge music. We sat outside and noticed how comfortable this place is, especially during winter.

We started with the Forest Mushroom Soup with Gruyere Toast. The soup had a creamy and velvety texture but was mild and almost tasteless. We were expecting the flavor of wild mushrooms to stand out but sadly, it didn’t. On the contrary, the Double Melon & Greek Feta Salad had an interesting combination of fresh lettuce, melons, feta and pine nuts topped with a delicious balsamic dressing which complimented each ingredient beautifully.

For appetizers we tried Angry Birds and Falafels with Hummus and Grilled Pita Pockets. The presentation of Angry Birds, which were chicken balls topped with barbecue sauce and jalapenos, was nicely prepared but it didn’t taste as good as it looked, though we were half expecting Angry Birds to be carved and decorated. The meat was oddly chewy and the spicy barbeque sauce was a little too overpowering. Fortunately, the smoked paprika hummus and the crispy falafels were delicious but the real star of that dish was the pickled beet-feta-mint relish. Although, the grilled pita pockets would have tasted better if they were served hot.

The Black Bean and Goat Cheese Lasagna was topped with sour cream and pineapple salsa. We were disappointed as the beans were slightly undercooked and it contained way too much salt to deserve the tag of being edible. The Vietnamese Basa did manage to save the day but the portion size was ridiculously small. The fish was fresh, perfectly cooked and was served appealingly on a bed of lemon-herb linguine.

Banana Beignets with Coffee Ice Cream was not as disappointing like the unacceptable Kahlua Dark Chocolate Fondue which was served to us cold. Cinnamon sugar and sea-salt macadamia uplifted the sweetness of fried bananas significantly.

Bonobo offers remarkable cocktails, a pleasant ambiance and warm service but the food still needs some help. The new menu does look promising but the preparation or replacement of those dishes could be reconsidered by the management.