A friend and I were driving around in Juhu recently, looking for a place to stretch our legs, sip a beer, and eat a leisurely meal. Not wanting to repeat any of the places either of us had dined at before, we had run out of all options. Until we passed Hotel Oakwood Premier situated in a leafy Juhu bylane, and a quick run through the good reviews on their Zomato page ushered us inside.
The Oakroom is the Hotel Oakwood Premier’s restaurant cum bar that is open all night long. Walk through the hotel’s marble patio into the restaurant that is open to all. The entire space was beautifully done up – the inside section screaming elegant vintage with plush armchairs, opulent lights, elaborate sofas, and an illuminated wine rack.
But we made our way to the outside patio like space, that was slightly more modern in decor, with a huge bar in place. But the best part was the entire area was glass paneled and air conditioned, making it perfect for the hot summers, and lunch dates. The server insisted we sit outside, since it was ‘Monday Retro Movie Night’ that a large screen on one side of the al fresco space was screening. We sifted our way through their menu, with ‘Pretty Woman’ Julia Roberts and Richard Gere for company.
The menu is pretty basic and limited to salads, mains, a sandwich-burger section, and dessert. And then there’s an Indian section too, but we steered clear of that. We sipped on our beers and an orange-grenadine mocktail, waiting for the food to arrive, and ogling at Richard Gere on screen.
After a really long wait – the kitchen took forever to send our order out – we satiated our appetites with a Warm Goat’s Cheese Salad (Rs. 750/-). And the delay was forgiven and forgotten, because the salad was spectacular. I loved that the salad went beyond the regular greens with the inclusion of broccoli, cherry tomatoes, french beans, asparagus, zucchini, and spinach topped with blobs of goats cheese. The warmth of salad caused the cheese to melt all over, forming a delicious mess.
The Roast Chicken with Beer Gravy (Rs. 950/-) is a heavy, hearty meal in itself. Two massive chicken legs, came swimming in a lovely gravy paired with porcini mushroom risotto on the side, this dish was spot on. Our Baked Spring Vegetable Risotto (Rs. 575/-) was a creamy, cheesy mash of risotto rice, assorted veggies, and a parmesan crisp on top that I seem to be finding atop all risottos nowadays. Not that I’m complaining.
Summarizing my entire experience at Oakroom with my ‘Wow’ factors and ‘Ow’ factors below:
The ‘Wow’ Factors:
Decor:
Oakroom is done up beautifully with the outside and inside section giving off very distinct vibes. Depending on your mood or company, it’s the perfect ambiance for an evening out with friends or a date.
Food:
Oakroom serves up some delicious, elegant continental food. I really can’t comment on the Indian fare though, since we decided to give it a skip.
All Day Dining:
An early morning breakfast menu from 6.30 am onwards. An Over Night Menu from 11.30 pm to 6.30 am. And a an apt Juhu location. The timings and location are ideal to draw in a lot of party going crowd.
The ‘Ow’ Factors:
Service:
Our orders took ridiculously long to come that night. I figured later that they may have had a lot of room service orders to cater to also that night, which could have explained the delay. Nevertheless, not the place to grab a quick bite.
Price:
It’s five star ambiance, five star food, at a five star price. Be prepared to shell out Rs. 2500-3000 for a meal for two. But we thought it was worth it considering the quality of food, and the environment we were dining in.
Oakroom, inside the Oakwood Premier is a find. It’s hidden, secluded, and not a lot of people know about it’s existence. Which is a really good thing, in this city where you’re literally knocking elbows with the diner on the next table. I’d return to grab a beer, put my feet up, and watch a match on their big screens. Or to see Richard Gere again every Monday.
Contact:
29/1, Oakwood Premier, JR Mhatre Road, Iris Park, Juhu, Mumbai.
