Virat Kohli, apart from stunning his fans on the field, also amazes us with his new venture, one8 Commune. The restaurant is a gorgeous addition to the already existing restaurants under the same banner in Delhi, Kolkata and Pune, finally followed by Mumbai. The Mumbai restaurant is located in the plush locality of Juhu. It pays homage to the late actor Kishore Kumar as the restaurant has opened its doors in the singer's old bungalow. European-style interiors, pastel furniture, lip-smacking delicacies and homely flavours are what makes One 8 Commune stand out
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The Ambience
The restaurant has many dining areas and each one is skillfully different from the other. While one has an enclosed ceiling, the other gives the feel of being outdoors because of the clear glass ceiling. The European-themed interiors have high-rise chairs and tables and also relaxed couches with muted colour tones in a pastel palette. The wooden furniture in earthy tones instantly gives a warm and relaxed touch. There are decorative lamps and mirrors which add to the stylish aura of the place. There is a wooden library in the restaurant housing a few books which grabs the attention of book lovers. The restroom area is well decorated and deserves a special mention. Every nook and corner of one8 Commune is extremely Instagrammable.
The Bar
The bar menu includes exciting in-house cocktails. There are the Classics, the Sorbet Sangria, and Winter Gin & Tonic with numerous options under each category to choose from. We had the Lavender Gimlet which was a floral spin to the classic gimlet. The drink was an absolute stunner! With a gorgeous lilac colour and mild lavender flavour, the cocktail took us by surprise.
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The Food
We began the meal with the signature dishes of the restaurant, first being 'Virat's favourites' from the menu. The Mushroom Googly Dim Sum were made of assorted mushrooms with cream cheese, vegetable broth and truffle oil and they were simply marvellous! The fine taste of cream cheese and mushrooms with a dash truffle oil instantly satiated the taste buds.
The Curried Fried Prawns were crispy fried prawns tossed in Singapore-style curried sauce and had a homely flavour. The deep fried and gold-coloured fresh prawns were mouth-watering and were cherished from the very first morsel.
The creamy mushroom flatbread had creamy mornay, mozzarella, jalapeno and mushrooms. Every bite of the bread tasted heavenly with dripping cheese.
Their signature bowls included Fried Chicken Poke which consisted of panko crusted chicken, sriracha, Japanese mayo, avocado, wok-tossed rice, wasabi, edamame and spinach mixed pickled. Not only was the plating impeccable, but every morsel also had a varied taste and a surprise with so many ingredients infused to perfection.
We ended the meal on a sweet note with the Burnt Basque Cheesecake which consisted of light Mascarpone Chantilly and Honey with pecan crumbs. The cheesecake was gooey and had a great flavour with every spoon.
Swirlster's Verdict
The entire menu, from the cocktails to the desserts, is plated skillfully. It's not just appealing to the eyes alone, but the taste buds too got instantly satisfied. Every item on the menu is chosen thoughtfully and includes the perfect blend of Indian spices with European twists. Though every item was beyond excellent, what makes one8 Commune an immediate hit for us were the Googly Dimsums. They score some more brownie points for the restaurant. The restaurant will assure you a wonderful time with picture-worthy corners and a happy tummy. One little hassle which could be important for some would be the restaurant's accessibilty. Though it is located in the posh interiors of Juhu, a private vehicle would be the most convenient option to get there.
Rating
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