You'll Come for the Pizza, But Stay for the Beer. Review on Alfredo's, Juhu, Mumbai

I've been to Alfredo several times with coworkers, and have never been disappointed. Of course, that's probably because I always order the same thing: Pizza. Located just off the beach near the Holiday Inn in Juhu, Alfredo's is the sort of neighborhood out-of-the-way joint that you like to take your friends to, since they'll think you're wise for knowing about such a great little place.

The ambience is so-so--small and crowded with about 10 tables on the lower level and another 5 up a small, steep staircase to the mezzanine. I prefer the latter because it doesn't seem quite so loud as downstairs--the music is played at a deafening level, and if you're an old fogey like me you just want to get away from it. Most of the tables seat four, but especially if you sit downstairs, and it isn't too busy, they'll push together a few tables to accommodate crowds. There is also a patio in front that is shared by a Coffee Day, and where you can relax after dinner and have coffee and ice cream.

One of the real pluses at Alfredo is the draft beer. I prefer the dark beer (it isn't terribly dark by British standards, more of a golden amber), because it is much richer and tastier than the Kingfisher or Foster's one generally finds in Mumbai restaurants. In fact, it is the best beer that I've tasted in India outside the expensive imports you find at places like the JWMarriott up the road. And at Rs. 200 a pitcher, it's a real bargain.

I suppose I'll have to write up a separate piece on Indian beer at some point: I keep hoping that the Taj Mahal brand that is readily available at Indian restaurants in the U.S. will make its way to Mumbai--it is everything that Kingfisher isn't, tasty and full-bodied. Kingfisher always reminds me vaguely of the swamp.

Some people like Alfredo for the pasta, and they have quite a selection of both veg and non-veg options. The veg options include the usual with vegetables, paneer or other cheeses, and the non-veg include chicken, sausage, and meat in a large variety of permutations, mostly in the Rs. 100 to Rs. 150 range. However, what I go to Alfredo (besides the great beer!) is for the pizza. And not just any pizza, but the Mexican chicken pizza, liberally sprinkled with jalapeno peppers. My friend Sumit and I always order different pizzas (he usually gets the chicken tikka pizza) and we split it. Sumit is a spice junkie and will generally douse the pizza with the available Tabasco sauce, wishing that there was something hotter to throw on it. The pizza always arrives steaming from the kitchen, loaded with toppings, and a nice crispy crust.

I've had pizza at a number of Mumbai places, but nowhere is as close to a classic New York pizza as at Alfredo, and that's saying a lot, since (in my humble opinion) New York pizza is the best in the world (outside Naples, I hear, though I've never been there, so don't know). And the bill? For some reason, it is always the same per person, no matter how many people go--Rs. 300, including tip.

All in all, Alfredo is a bargain with terrific food, and homey, nonpretentious atmosphere, and if I had a choice between Alfredo and the highly-touted Mezzo Mezzo at the JWMarriott (where it's hard to get out of the door for less than Rs. 2000), I'd take Alfredo in a flash. It's just one of those places that makes Mumbai such an endlessly interesting place to go out and have a good time.