“You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of football team, or some nuclear weapons, but in the very least you need a beer.” - Frank Zappa
Beer lovers in Bombay have had a short lived rejoice. Two new micro brewing restaurants (The Barking Deer and The White Owl) have sprung up in Lower Parel almost walking distance from each other (a long walk that is). The problem is it's been a few months and they haven't started brewing. It's a mix of BMC permissions and the struggle of getting the brew right. But all is not lost. They have added very entertaining bars to the Mumbai scene along with some amazing food.
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| Image Courtesy: Superfuture.com |
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| Image Courtesy: Mumbaimag.com |
Both places are neatly tucked away in former mills - The Barking Deer is in Todi Mills next to Blue Frog, Zaffran and Café Zoe; the White Owl is in what used to be Jupiter Mills, now One Indiabulls Centre. It shares it's space with TLD (The Lazy Dog), F Bar and a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. They've both retained their high ceilings - here we go again with the "industrial chic" decor, exposed air-conditioning vents and deliberately unfinished brick walls. The White Owl throws in a few extra quirks with mirror finished tables with "artistic" stains and a bicycle mounted as wall décor (as well as some other unidentified wall objects). And of course they both have the large micro brewing vats stand there looking at you - not brewing.Service is great at both places - attentive and knowledgeable. The Barking Deer is run by ex-pats who really know their beer.
The White Owl menu is a tinge more upscale (for lack of a better word) while Barking Deer is more comfort, pub food. For starters, for example, you could go with the deep fried goodness of potato skins or the subtle sophistication of devilled eggs. They are both great dishes and gourmet versions of very ordinary ingredients (potato skins and eggs!). The Barking Deer boasts one of the better selections of beers from the around the world. I would recommend a Belgian Blonde Ale for a non beer drinker like me. The White Owl has a red wine sangria worth trying with triple sec, apples and oranges.
The White Owl menu is a tinge more upscale (for lack of a better word) while Barking Deer is more comfort, pub food. For starters, for example, you could go with the deep fried goodness of potato skins or the subtle sophistication of devilled eggs. They are both great dishes and gourmet versions of very ordinary ingredients (potato skins and eggs!). The Barking Deer boasts one of the better selections of beers from the around the world. I would recommend a Belgian Blonde Ale for a non beer drinker like me. The White Owl has a red wine sangria worth trying with triple sec, apples and oranges.
Barking Deer is all about loud, bursts-of-flavor food. From the “Pub Bites” menu the crispy, deep-fried and spicy potato skins (Rs. 225) leave oil and spice on your hands as you dig in (the kind you dip your fingers to the bottom of a Lays packet for). They go great with a cheesy white dip. The BBQ pork ribs (Rs. 375) are a bit heavy on the fat but heavy on the sweet and spicy sauce too and the perfect all-American indulgence. (For more ribs in Bombay check out our special: In Search of Ribs). For mains you could treat yourself to a meat feast with the braised beef with smoked bacon (Rs. 475). It’s bite sized beef wrapped in bacon with a side of baby potatoes – meat and carb heaven. (I did find it quite salty though but I find that in a lot of bacon dishes).
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| The Barking Deer |
The White Owl works more with understated flavors and unusual ingredients. The devilled eggs (Rs. 325) come with a full hit of mustard, and a hint of blue cheese and mascarpone. Full marks for unique food go to the red cabbage risotto. I’m always impressed when a chef can roll out something that sounds awful but tastes spectacular. The strands of cabbage are a bit chewy and caramelized and add some fun crunch to a cheesy risotto. The baby lamb chops we tried (Rs. 550) had all the makings of a fantastic spicy rub but we found the meat itself a bit dried out and we didn't really like the sour tomato risotto they came with. The chocolate flan (Rs. 215) was not really a flan but more of a mousse with a thin pastry base. We think the hint of bitterness comes from the dark beer sauce. Its worth getting if you like a mousse consistency. What really stands out though at the White Owl is the attention to presentation - bursts of color, thoughtful plating and frankly, it takes some work to make eggs look artistic!
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| The White Owl |
We do hope the Deer and the Owl get their brewing license soon. Until then, we'd be happy to come for the food.
The damage: Rs.1500 a head with 1 beer or sangria
The damage: Rs.1500 a head with 1 beer or sangria