I have visited High Street Phoenix many times in the past but I didn't know about this restaurant. My brother told me that there is a good place called 'Good Earth' just close by that sells stuff - pillows, candles, handmade soaps etc - that I might find interesting. He also mentioned that they also have an eatery. I had pictured a small cafe tucked into a corner with 2-3 tables and a limited menu of coffees and sandwiches.
But the place floored me the moment I wandered in from the shop. A wave of calmness - a luxury in this city that is teeming with people who are always rushing somewhere - washed over me when I was least expecting it. It felt as if I had all the time in the world to sit back, relax and enjoy whatever they had to offer.A lot of it has to do with the decor. Never before had I seen any walls with pealed off paint blend so easily and beautifully with the rest of the setup. In fact, I am still wondering how they have managed it. There are huge paintings adorning the walls - the one depicting two kids walking along a wooded road is already my favorite. I spent 5 minutes gazing at it - and not even once wondered if others dining there found that odd. Plants in huge pots sat in the corners where sunlight filtering through the windows created interesting patterns on the floor. Totally my kind of place!
Ah, but enough about the decor. The real taste of the pudding is in eating it, isn't it? So here's the menu. Lots of interesting things on offer - salads, pasta, poultry and fish. We scanned the menu greedily (!) and ordered the following - Watermelon salad with feta and pine nuts, Fish & Chips and Jalapeno Chicken Risotto.
When the salad was served I wondered for a moment if the waiter, by mistake, had served me a dessert someone else had ordered. :-) Three perfect squares of juicy watermelon, perfectly marinated in peppy mint vinaigrette, sprinkled with crushed feta cheese, pine nuts and arugula leaves. Years ago, I had eaten the same salad - but the watermelon was chopped in cubes, wasn't marinated and there were no arugula leaves. Though at Rs. 480 it is a bit steeply priced, I feel the Good Earth version is better. A perfect antidote for a hot April afternoon in Mumbai!
I had my doubts about Fish & Chips - because the menu mentioned that the fish would be 'basa'. I had no idea what the fish looked or tasted like - the only sea food that I can eat being the Pomfret. But all my worries melted away like the first bite of the crispy creamy white fish topped with creamy tartare sauce. The crispy fries that accompanied the dish were more matching than the proverbial 'match in heaven'! If God had Himself descended upon earth at that very moment and inquired about the happiest person on earth, I am sure I would have fit the bill perfectly :-)
That leaves us with the Risotto and I have nothing but praise for the chef. Plenty of chicken pieces (and I suspect some bacon too!) with a cheezy, perfectly cooked, delicious rice - what more can one ask for!
I bet you anything under the (blistering & blazing April!) sun that this place is going to be one of my favorite haunts in Mumbai. Here's to many more afternoons of lunching and soaking in the feeling of timelessness! It's good to be on Earth :-)
But the place floored me the moment I wandered in from the shop. A wave of calmness - a luxury in this city that is teeming with people who are always rushing somewhere - washed over me when I was least expecting it. It felt as if I had all the time in the world to sit back, relax and enjoy whatever they had to offer.A lot of it has to do with the decor. Never before had I seen any walls with pealed off paint blend so easily and beautifully with the rest of the setup. In fact, I am still wondering how they have managed it. There are huge paintings adorning the walls - the one depicting two kids walking along a wooded road is already my favorite. I spent 5 minutes gazing at it - and not even once wondered if others dining there found that odd. Plants in huge pots sat in the corners where sunlight filtering through the windows created interesting patterns on the floor. Totally my kind of place!
Ah, but enough about the decor. The real taste of the pudding is in eating it, isn't it? So here's the menu. Lots of interesting things on offer - salads, pasta, poultry and fish. We scanned the menu greedily (!) and ordered the following - Watermelon salad with feta and pine nuts, Fish & Chips and Jalapeno Chicken Risotto.
When the salad was served I wondered for a moment if the waiter, by mistake, had served me a dessert someone else had ordered. :-) Three perfect squares of juicy watermelon, perfectly marinated in peppy mint vinaigrette, sprinkled with crushed feta cheese, pine nuts and arugula leaves. Years ago, I had eaten the same salad - but the watermelon was chopped in cubes, wasn't marinated and there were no arugula leaves. Though at Rs. 480 it is a bit steeply priced, I feel the Good Earth version is better. A perfect antidote for a hot April afternoon in Mumbai!
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| Watermelon & Feta Salad |
That leaves us with the Risotto and I have nothing but praise for the chef. Plenty of chicken pieces (and I suspect some bacon too!) with a cheezy, perfectly cooked, delicious rice - what more can one ask for!
 |
| Jalapeno Chicken Risotto |
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