Pa Pa Ya, Colaba and Lower Parel, Mumbai
Pan Asian cuisine is something that I have always distanced myself from. Somehow, my love for desi Chinese has never allowed me to enjoy some authentic Pan Asian food. Our visit at By The Mekong at the St. Regis a couple of months ago opened my eyes and finally, with a lot of excitement, I finally found myself on my way to the newly opened Pa Pa Ya outlet in Colaba.
What We Had:
Pa Pa Ya (INR 250++): A mocktail that was supposedly made up of orange juice, orange chunks, kaffir lime, rosemary and thyme syrup, this one sadly turned out to a be a disappointment. The orange chinks were missing (I shouldn’t be picking this out since oranges aren’t in season currently) but the rosemary and thyme was so strong that it overpowered the orange and kaffir lime flavours, making this and extremely bitter concoction to consume. We stuck to our Schweppes Ginger ale then.
Asparagus Corn And Burnt Spring Onion (INR 315 ++): The most beautiful dim sums that I have ever seen. These were all things delicious and it was so difficult to stop!!
Beer Battered Avocado Tacos, Corn And Scallion Kimchi (INR 395++): Undoubtedly my favourite part of the entire meal; these are crispy tacos shells stuffed with a delicious avocado stuffing topped with kimchi. The salty taco, the creamy avocado and a spicy salsa; this all went together so well.
Crispy Lotus Stem (INR 395++): The good old honey chilli lotus stem, but much more refined, this came to us not in a plate; but on a rock. We had one major concern with this and that was the fact that both, Shweta and my throat started burning after two – three bites; there was something with the chilli that caused this.
Konnyakuyaki Tomato (INR 395++): The Japanese version of our desi vegetable cutlets, these were stuffed with spring onions, sundried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil; this was refreshing and the tomato basil sauce that accompanied it was a delightful accompaniment.
Asian Margarita Pizzette (INR 395++): We had attended the launch party of Pa Pa Ya, Colaba and were served a Japanese pizza that was so good, that I had ended up consuming an entire portion of it myself, and I was looking forward to being served the same dish again. Requested the Chef, if he could serve us the same pizza, but there seemed to be some misunderstanding or what, I do not know for this was unlike anything that I have ever had. It was topped with wasabi and raw cheese. Definitely, a BIG No No for me.
Kao Pad Karpao Rice (INR 260++): Thai fried rice (made with sticky rice) with fresh Thai herbs, spices and vegetables. Another favourite from our meal at Pa Pa Ya, this on its own would suffice as a meal on its own because of how heavy this was. Both Shweta and I could not eat beyond a spoonful or two max (and yes, apart from the tacos, we had just a bite or two of the other appetisers).
Chocolate Ball on Fire (INR 645++): The city is buzzing with these delicious cocoon like chocolate shells stuffed with desserts on the inside; this was one such cocoon, the only difference being that instead of a hot chocolate sauce, they used alcohol to give it the flambé effect. With brownies, ice cream, crumbled sponge, coffee mousse, cookies, chocolate pieces and candied dry fruits on the inside. Truly potent, and if like me, you do not consume alcohol, this one is way too strong, so while Shweta relished the molten chocolate, I relished the insides.
With a decent experience overall, impeccable service and happy vibes I would definitely want to go back to Pa Pa Ya again to experience the rest of their menu.
Sounds like a glutton’s dream. What was different about the Japanese pizza 🍕? Curious to try.
Hi Piyush,
It indeed Was an interesting meal. The Japanese pizza was topped with wasabi and raw cheese which were a major let down for me.
The chocolate bomb was the best 😍
oh yes!