The pilot episode that didn’t take off
Another addition to the growing gastronomical hub that Powai seems to be catapulting into is Episode One. Located on the first floor among other notable restaurants in the vicinity, it aims to exude a modern lit vibe, with its low lights, glass façade and ultra chic velvet upholstery in dark colours — sprawled across, in what seems like a never-ending expanse.
A striking feature was that the eatery had bountiful indoor plants across the property, lending an air of freshness to the place. We’d made prior reservations, which we initially thought was not required. But halfway into the evening, we realised it was a wise call, for, even on a Tuesday, the place seemed to be bustling with patrons. Since we were non-alcoholics, we didn’t have many options, but to order two glasses of Lychee Lemongrass Carbon Lemonade (₹390), which was refreshing — one can rarely go wrong with lemongrass in a mocktail. The vast menu, which we felt was trying to be the jack of all trades, is divided into salads, sliders, small plates (categorically divided into Asian, Indian, Japanese and International and Italian). It wasn’t possible to try a dish from each section in one
siting, so we opted for Krabi Chilli Fish (₹395), Cheetos Crusted Chicken Slider (₹145) and 5 Formaggi Tartufo pizza (₹395). The fish was below average, the slider — a tad too salty, and the pizza was okay. None of them deserved a shout out. We also called for Philadelphia Crab Roll (₹445), which was the best appetiser of the night. With fresh crab meat, avocado, cucumber and buffalo mozzarella neatly rolled, each sushi was a burst of texture and flavour. At this point, the music seemed to have gotten louder and the lights dimmed further, making it diffcult to have conversation. a coherent Even upon requesting, neither the lights nor the volume were adjusted — a major let down for those of us, who wanted to enjoy an intimate dinner. We called for our mains, Prawn Malai Curry (₹475) and Ravioli Di Spinach (₹395), wanting to wrap up soon. The prawns were cooked to succulent perfection in a creamy, sweet and spicy gravy — that reminded us of many a Thai curries — with its aromatic, coconut oillaced rice. The ravioli’s pillowy soft goodness came stuffed with stringy mozzarella swimming in and sage spinach, butter sauce. Simple ingredients make the best dishes, and our mains were testament to that, as well as the night’s saving grace. We ordered Gulab Jamun Crème Brulee (₹345) for dessert. The creaminess within complemented the caramel crispness atop, giving our meal a sweet and satisfactory end. We’d recommend a visit if you’re into modern chic bar vibes. The food was okay with no risky, worth-it dishes. The dark ambience and loud music didn’t work for us. The only thing riding in their favour is their reasonably-priced menu.