VIBRANT VIBES, TASTY FOOD
Qmin was a venture launched by IHCL during the pandemic for the Taj fans who missed their food. Food from all properties in the city was delivered to your doorstep. It also offered some ‘Qmin exclusives’ during festivals and, initially, they also had a healthy menu.
As Qmin turns four, they have converted the delivery app into a full-fledged restaurant or cafe. Their small cafes in Vivanta are now Qmin and starting with their flagship Ginger
in a new avatar, Qmin is a multi-cuisine restaurant. The Qmin at Ginger Airport, Mumbai is a restaurant with vibrant, colourful ambiance and vibes. The Operations head Vaishali and F&B head Sarita add joie de vivre along with Chef Hrishikesh and Gopal, the restaurant supervisor.
I am just about to be seated when a ‘temi’ comes to me with a small bottle of water. It is a machine that moves around with bottles and stops by when it sees guests. Pick up the bottle if you want, or just be amazed at the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Temi will zip away to her next stop.
Qmin has a buffet and a la carte menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
We start with Chicken Tenders. How I wish that I could have them every day! Tender, succulent chicken rolled in crispies and slow fried. Result — crisp outside, tender and soft inside; just delicious. Honey Chilli Potatoes is a great option for vegetarians. The potatoes are tossed with scallions, garlic flakes, green chilli, and honey till they are crispy and cooked enough for a bite. The Chicken Tikka Tacos is an Indian take on tacos and quite a meal.
In the mains, do not miss the Tariwala Murgh — a signature dish. It is homestyle
cooked chicken — mildly spiced, less oil and lots of love. Have it with a naan or roti or rice if you want. Try the Rajma Rassa that’s served with jeera rice, papad and pickles. Their Murgh Dum Biryani is absolutely
delectable. Soft, boneless pieces of chicken that are well marinated along with the gravy rich rice is a good meal in itself. These are a few of their signature dishes — some created/curated by corporate chefs, some by Chef
Hrishikesh.
Try the street food. Keema Pav or Pav Bhaji have the typical Mumbai street-side flavours as does the Vada Pav. If you are there late in the afternoon, then Vada Pav and Masala Chai are a must. Vegetarians can go for Veg Hakka Noodles with Fried Tofu which is served with some sweet n sour pickled veggies or Spaghetti in Cream Sauce. Mushroom Chilli Fry served with crackers are a good choice too.
Desserts come from Taj Stats. Four layered Chocolate Cake can delight the chocolate lovers. Pistachio Firni is another signature dish that can satisfy your sweet tooth.
Average cost for two: `1,500