Tote on the Turf – OPEN

Looks like Tote on the Turf is finally open after all the delays. I can’t wait to get  back home and try the place out.

Tote on the Turf

Rahul Akerkar is coming up with a new restaurant called Tote. Tote will be near Olive’s race course property and will be slightly more upmarket than Indigo. I have been waiting for Tote to open for a long time and it keeps getting delayed for one reason or another. Knowing Rahul Akerkar however, one can be assured that it will be worth the wait. I keep bugging the staff at Indigo for updates on Tote and I always get the ‘opening next month’ line.

Businesstoday did a pretty comprehensive writeup on Tote. The gist of it is –

1. Tote was a building at the race course where punters would set up bets during races and Akerkar decided to keep the name.

2. 25,000 square feet

3. Meal for two should cost about 4000 with a drink

4. Seperate bar, banquet facility and a dining section thats further divided into formal, veranda, outdoor and lounge.

A little snooping around and help from a friend(thanks Nupoor!)  brought me to architect Kapil Gupta’s website for some WIP pictures. Looks pretty branchy to me.

Good Luck Rahul Akerkar!

Indigo Deli

A lot of people have been referring to Indigo Deli as an alternative to the slightly more expensive Indigo – the same standard of food, except quicker, easier and a little cheaper. While this is clearly a Deli and not a full blown restaurant they do serve some main course which is a good thing. Indigo Deli is located jsut opposite Henry Tham’s in Colaba in a beautiful building. However the restaurant just next to it is an old run down place catering to a completly different clientele and this may ruin the experience a bit. inside however is a completely different story. Theres a wine wall just as you enter and it also has a few pots and pans and other knick knacks which really look good. The deli also has the customary display case with a decent selection of meats and cheeses. The focal point of the restaurant however has to be the vintage Smith’s clock on the wall. It appeared to be an orginal to me and really transforms the place. The rest of the decor is warm and feels really classy . However this is a Deli so if your expecting a restaurant style decor you may by slightly dissapointed. Chef Simarpal handles the evening shift while Chef Amit Bajaj takes care of things in the morning. I really enjoy the food at Indigo Deli and their pizzas are highly recommended. The pizzas are paper thin and they use good quality meat used as toppings. I had a jalapeno chocolate mousse which was recommended though I didnt enjoy it as much as the pizza. The service here is good too and though as things get busier service expectedly becomes slower. They have a couple of good deserts too including their icecream though their Grand Marnier souffle and orange creme brulee is what I really crave. The souffle is served with a nice peanut butter cookie which goes pretty well with the souffle.  The waiters know the menu and are ready to make suggestions whcih is always a good thing. As far as value this place isnt all that expensive for what it is and I’d say its excellent value for money. A meal for two with deserts will be upwards of 1500.Overall Id reccomend this place though there are plenty of restaurants to chose from in Colaba.

PS – They used to have WIFI but don’t give out the password anymore for security reasons.