A Rainy Sun-down Time at Mostly Grills, a Lively Rooftop Space in Vile Parle, Mumbai!

Amidst the recent incessant rainfall, the crows, pigeons, and parrots all took shade as we did that afternoon. What was Mostly Grills, the rooftop Mediterranean restaurant for us, was the canopy of the Orchid Hotel for these birds to find shelter. And, it won't be an exaggeration to say that we enjoyed our meals together sitting in this arena of Vile Parle!

Located on Nehru Road, this spacious lounge and bar, dipped in yellow colour, boasted of contemporary settings, including furnishings, while also keeping it minimal by adding the earthen combination. The smaller huts built for separate seating added to the charismatic beauty of this rooftop space. We found our peace on the side of this restaurant that made sure to give a tropical atmosphere. Our table overlooked the back side of the domestic airport — now called T1 — from the right side while an open-air pool at the left with wooden flooring.  

As we looked outside on the sleek runway of the airport, we could gaze at the much-visible coexistence of the contradictory elements of this dream city with the slums covering the airport and surely, the rains gave us a clear sight at the hazy take-offs. Back at where we sat, a slice of extravagance was presented to us on the table — Grilled Chicken Satay, Pizza Pepperoni, and Kerala Paneer Chilly Fry. However, unlike the appearance of most, the items did not appeal much to our taste buds. What worked for us was, though, the fresh, hot servings that had become much-needed in the dipping monsoon temperature of Mumbai! 

The sun was actually down as we experienced the Sun-down menu here, but Mostly Grills offers much more after 7 p.m., with their 'Grilled' and 'Tandoor' dishes also served post this time. Meanwhile, we enjoyed the sundown with Cinderella, a recommended mocktail made of freshly squeezed orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine. Its perfect tanginess complemented both the food and the fresh weather! We also indulged in the Indian dessert Ras Malai from the limited dessert options, and it was a delightful way to end our meal.

While Mostly Grill keeps you abuzz with its party atmosphere owing to its settings, just like many such newly opened tropical restaurants in the city, it fails to impress a lot with the food. All that one looks for is a charismatic, carefully designed space that can be approached well for informal cocktail meetings where food might not be a priority. Having said that, Mostly Grills might turn out to be the first choice for all things 'Instagrammable'!