Of course you expect the service at places like The Oberoi to be impeccable, so that was no surprise, but I have to say they’ve taken it a notch higher with an unexpected complimentary wine & cheese tasting at Enoteca their “wine library” before dinner for every guest that walks in. The purpose is two-fold, 1) it helps you select a wine to go with your mean and 2) it totally sets the mood for a fun evening with friends. Vetro’s restaurant Manager Rohan Ogale clearly loves what he does and spared no effort in making us comfortable and plying us with his favorite wines. (I also thought it was kinda cute that he ended every sentence with an Italian word or one that sounded like one!) Now its over to Nowshad Rizwanullah, my trusted food reviewer to tell you what the drool factor was while you find a way to win a visit to Vetro yourself 🙂 xoxo

MissMalini Christmas Contest #9 – Wine tasting at Enoteca + a Meal for Two + A Glass of Wine each, at Vetro the Italian Restaurant, The Oberoi

How do you win? Simple, if you were to meet a super cute Italian girl/guy (depending on your preference!) what would you say to impress them? Just post your answer to in the comments below and keep your fingers crossed. 🙂
Psst! Feel free to use the Google Translator to come up with something that sounds suitably seductive. Lol.

Vetro, Food Guide by Nowshad Rizwanullah

Good service can make all the difference when dining out – and if you agree, then Vetro at The Oberoi has you covered. While I must admit the purpose of our visit was not entirely a secret, it was still impressive to see a restaurant flawlessly pull out all the stops to make sure its customers had a memorable experience. Cleverly, this Italian restaurant tucked away in one of Mumbai’s iconic hotels welcomes all diners with a wine and cheese tasting in a specially designed “wine library” off to the side of the main dining room. The idea is to give patrons an intimate look at the wine list and facilitate wine pairing with meals. Given the outstanding selection of wines we sampled, it’s probably a great business model as well. The true standout of this experience, however, is the charming and passionate sommelier, Rohan Ogale, who describes every varietal with down-to-earth, spot on descriptions of the wines and cheeses he happily shares with you. As for the food, standards are high as you would expect from a reputable 5 star hotel.

We sampled three appetizers. The Insalata Caprese was presented with exceedingly fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, while the classic Prosciutto and Melon was accompanied by large leaves of arugula that were crisp and peppery. The surprise star, however, was the Warm Bean Salad. Although the potatoes were overdone, the beans were deliciously savory and dressed with a flavorful black truffle vinaigrette that more than made up for it.

For our “primi piatti” we had the Corzetti di Spinaci, a beautiful sheet of al dente spinach pasta draped in a delicate cream sauce infused with chantarelle and porcini mushrooms that has us craving more.

The “secondis” covered a wide range of dishes, and were generally impressive. The New Zealand Lamb Rack – although somewhat unimaginative – came perfectly medium rare as ordered, served with creamy mashed potatoes (beware if you are into more wholesome, rustic mash). The Osso Buco was a generous veal shank braised for several hours and surrounded by a hearty saffron risotto that our special guest, HBS professor Tom Nicholas (told you
I’d work in the shout out!), made short work of (although I didn’t get a taste, I assume this was a good sign). The Spinach Ricotta Crepes were equally well received, a creamy combination of the two ingredients that define its name and were expertly wrapped in a delicate soft shell. The last plate was a mixed offering – a combination of Balsamic Glazed Pork Belly (luscious and rich) and Smoked Fillet of Pork (subtle and rather tame).

Our favorite dessert of the night was the creamy Tiramisu – definitely the best we’ve had in Mumbai, as it did not taste of excess alcohol like so many others we’ve tried. The Raspberry-Blueberry Sorbet was refreshing and fruity, while the Hazelnut Chocolate Pave made a solid appearance for the chocoholics at the table. You’d probably be best off avoiding the Pannacotta, which was surprisingly stiff and rubbery.

Overall, we greatly enjoyed our dinner – more than the food, we were won over by the impeccable attention to detail and how wonderfully in tune the staff were with our every need. There’s something to be said about enjoying a stress-free meal without having to sweat the small details, and this is exactly what you will find at Vetro.

Vetro
Oberoi Hotel, Nariman Point
Mumbai – 400021
Tel: +(91)-(22)-66325757, 66324343, 66326215

P.S. The must try wine at Vetro recommended in the video (provided they’ve restocked) is called “Rust en Verde” that’s i.e. Rest and Peace 🙂 Love that Rohan printed up our wine tasting menu for reference, nice touch!