Some cafes and restaurants in Mumbai or anywhere else in the world go viral because of their interior design, unique menu, or their founder’s name. But a huge number of these viral food spots vanish after riding the viral or trending wave on social media for a brief period. Bang Bang! Noodle in Goregaon defied this theory and was showered with love and appreciation even after the viral wave.
We, at unstumbled completely missed out on this spot in Goregaon, and so when this restaurant came to Khar, we knew we had to go! So, as a part of our Dine & Dish series, we visited the Khar outlet of Bang Bang! Noodle.
In the Dine and Dish series, we explore various restaurants and provide honest recommendations on whether you should dine there.
Here’s our unfiltered and honest review of Bang Bang! Noodle, Khar
About Bang Bang! Noodle
Bang Bang! Noodle is one of the most viral additions to Mumbai’s street-forward food scene. It is known for its modern Asian culinary concepts, introducing Mumbai foodies to authentic Sichuan cuisine.
The restaurant gained a massive cult following for introducing tongue-numbing flavors, unique flying noodles, and hand-pulled noodles in the city. It also garnered attention for choosing Goregaon for its flagship outlet instead of Bandra, defying the trend where Bandra stands as the hotspot for new eateries.
They went viral for offering theatrical experiences where people could witness the making of hand-pulled noodles. At the same time, it is also being celebrated for the launch of unique flavors and cuisine in Mumbai.
Founded by Chef Rahul Punjabi, the brand is inspired by the late-night comfort dishes that the founder relished in Sydney’s Chinatown. It is Mumbai’s first eatery that is purely focused on Ma La seasoning from Sichuan cuisine. The menu here offers something for every palate and preference with vegetarian, non-vegetarian, vegan, and Jain options.
Also Read: Bang Bang! Noodle: Interview With Founder Chef Rahul Punjabi
View this post on Instagram
Bang Bang! Noodle, Khar Food Review
Classic Ma La Bang Bang! Noodles
This is the dish that gave this place its name, actually! The classic Ma La Bang Bang Noodles had a good Sichuan flavour with crushed peanuts, bok choy, chicken kheema, chili oil, sesame paste, seasoned soy, and black vinegar. The only complaint was that the noodles were much thicker than we expected. This actually made them feel a little heavy rather than addictive, as people call it.
- Cost: INR 599
- Rating: 7/10
Also Read: Dine & Dish: Is The Cravin’ Pantry Worth The Hype?
Ma La Thread Paneer
Ma La Thread Paneer is a signature vegetarian starter option at Bang Bang! Noodle. It has marinated paneer wrapped in crispy fried thread noodles. The dish is served with Ma La cream sauce, which features chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn powder. It surely looked completely impressive, but did not taste so. Yes, the thick fried coating actually overpowered the star of the dish, paneer itself. This is why every bite felt bland and more like batter than cheese, as it should have.
- Cost: INR 499
- Rating: 3/10
The Garlic Chive Pork Belly
After developing a little jawline from the previous dish, we tried the Garlic Chive Pork Belly. It is a stir-fry dish that combines crispy, rendered pork belly with savory soy glaze and crispy, garlicky greens. The dish tasted good with nice flavors and ingredients as well as simplicity, but it did not feel exceptional. It was more on the one-dimensional side and hence could not leave a lasting impression as we had expected.
- Cost: INR 649
- Rating: 6.5/10
The Teddy Bear Iced Milo
We ordered the Teddy Bear Iced Milo, which looked very cute with a floating teddy in it. The drink actually took us back to our childhood days of drinking Milo and made us a bit nostalgic. But the Milo at Bang Bang! Noodle was a bit more sweet that the Milo we used to drink earlier.
- Cost: INR 399
- Rating: We did not rate this drink because it was just Milo with a teddy bear floating in it!
Bonus Points: They offer valet parking, which happens to be a win in Khar.
Also Read: Dine And Dish, Ft. A. Rama Nayak & Sons, Matunga
Final Thoughts: Dine or Dish?
Was it really worth the hype? We paid about INR 2,295 for this meal. The place is good, the quality of ingredients they use is amazingly high, they have plenty of variety, and their research is surely top-notch.
But will this place be stuck in our heads? Maybe not! The reason behind this might be the fact that the entire meal here felt like a mouth workout rather than being effortlessly smooth. We had a decent meal, and maybe with some tweaks here and there, the place can actually live up to its name!
More Information
Vibe: The Khar outlet is lively, chic, sophisticated, casual, and highly immersive. This outlet is bigger in space than the flagship outlet in Goregaon. It is styled like a “London Chinatown House” by interior designer Sonu Punjabi. It also has a Zen garden with a four-foot-tall meditating Buddha. This contrasts the fiery food with a sense of calmness.
Address:
The restaurant currently operates out of two distinct spaces in Mumbai:
- Khar: Ground Floor, Adrekar House 13th, &, 18th Rd, Khar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400052
- Goregaon: Shop No. 4, Siddharth Nagar Rd, Motilal Nagar I, Goregaon West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400104
Timing: 12 PM to 12 AM (Monday closed)
Also Read: Supa San Brings Tokyo To Mumbai: Here’s Our Unfiltered Review!
