Doesn’t walk the talk

The owner of the restaurant Barcode 053 is TV actor Hiten Tejwani, who makes it a point to personally check on his customers’ comfort.

What: Barcode 053Where: Link Road, Next to Infinity Mall, Lokhandwala, Andheri WestCall: 022 26301660 / 26362345 What’s on the menu: Sandwiches, salads, breads, meats, cheeses and dessert Drinking: Yes Smoking: Yes

HT Image

The owner of this restaurant and TV actor, Hiten Tejwani, makes it a point to personally check on his customers’ comfort. He watches over his staff and makes an honest attempt to ensure that everything is in place. But we think the problem lies in the kitchen, and a little in the bright white light that reflects off the Barcode signboard in the outside (smoking) area, which is walled by wooden planks.Nestled among the many restaurants on Link Road, next to Infinity Mall, Barcode doesn’t give you many reasons to return. The one reason you may want to come back is probably for their extensive drinks menu.All domestic beers are for Rs 120, and international ones for Rs 300. Apart from the regular wines and spirits, they had a separate section dedicated to cocktails assorted by the different alcohol used in each — vodka cocktails (Rs 250 to Rs 300), rum (Rs 280 to Rs 350), whiskey (Rs 300 to Rs 350), gin (Rs 250 to Rs 300) and tequila (Rs 300 to Rs 350).Of their regular classic cocktails, their Beach Buster (vodka, light rum, tequila, amaretto, orange pineapple and cranberry juice) (Rs 400) didn’t look beachy, nor did it bust anyone’s senses with its mix. The Appletini (Rs 320) lacked its most important ingredient — alcohol. The glass was not frosted, neither was the drink served chilled.They have an interesting ‘Lunch Box’ menu (Vegetarian for Rs 280 and Non-Vegetarian for Rs 320), a fancy version of a thali of Indian food. The Agnello Peperoncini Rossi (lamb seasoned with mixed herbs and stir fried in chilly garlic sauce) (Rs 180) was spicy, but was nothing of what the menu promised it would be.As for the Rangooni Kabab Paneer Tikka (served with kachumber in romali roti marinated with chutney and mayonnaise), we’re sure it must taste different on days that it’s served hot, but we’d never know now, would we?One thing that doesn’t disappoint is its location — right next to Infiniti Mall on Link Road — in television-industry-central seems like a wise and well-planned decision.

What we don’t likeThe foodThe ambience