Vashi’s new kebab hotspot

There is a Mughlai Food Festival going on at Nakshatra Indian Restaurant. The menu has Indian delicacies only, including a wide selection of kebabs.

The first thing that you notice about Nakshatra, at Fortune Select Exotica Hotel, Vashi, is the shimmering wall. It’s just a black sheet of cloth with multiple piercings so that the light behind the cloth twinkles through.

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The glittering mood is set. There is a Mughlai Food Festival going on at the restaurant, but we opt for a la carte instead. The menu has Indian delicacies only, including a wide selection of kebabs.

The steward informs us that Nakshatra is now a signature restaurant and will become part of all Fortune Select Exotica Hotels, across the country. We begin with the Paya Shorba (Rs 160). We are pleasantly surprised to find actual paya (lamb trotters) chunks which enhance the flavour of the shorba.

Vegetarians can try kebabs including broccoli, capsicum and paneer options. We opt for Murg Angare, (Rs 320), Magaz Masala, (Rs 355) and Jhinga Jal Pari (Rs 895).

The chicken is succulent but our vote goes to the spicy lamb brain concoction – Magaz Masala. Not many restaurants have this option, and even fewer, this fiery version. The prawns are gigantic and don’t leave any scope for us to complain.

So, is Nakshatra the perfect dining-out experience? Not quite. The desserts leave a lot to be desired. The Sakora Phirni (Rs 195) tastes dry and the Moong Dal Halwa (Rs 195) has excess ghee. Even the cocktail, Cosmo 5000, has barely any vodka.

What: Nakshatra Indian Restaurant at Fortune Select Exotica Hotel
Where: Plot number 16, Sector 19-D, Palm Beach Road, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
Smoking: No
Alcohol: Yes

What we like
The kebabs
The prices
The service

What we don’t like
The desserts
No astrologer/ tarot reader, as claimed