Hello Potpourriers!
Long time, no review. But well, here I am with yet another exclusive review of the all new Le Pain Quotidien that’s opened it’s doors in the heart of Powai. Yes! The people of Powai definitely have reasons to be happy because I personally think LPQ is a great add on to the already bustling life within the Hiranandani Gardens.
The original, warm and wooden finish LPQ theme continues to remain but they’ve gone ahead and added a dash of colour to some of their walls and some comfortable couch chairs for a more casual set up, bringing in a whole new character to the already gorgeous space.
Aditya, a very dear friend who accompanied me, had his own point of view and it is my pleasure to share the same with all my readers. In his words, “the setting and ambience were what one would expect of a classic Le Pain Quotidien space. And that LPQ staple – bread; quite literally their bread and butter – matched the standards that they have set at all the other outlets.”
Now to talk about the more important things in life – The exclusive menu that was served to us as a part of their tasting session. A constant flow of their in house red & white wine sangrias made our evening a lot more easy-going and fun-filled. The red wine sangria was a little sweeter than it should have been, but if that is the only complaint one has at the end of a meal, the quality of the rest of the evening’s food speaks for itself.
A 4 course menu, set to perfection, we started with a lovely selection of tartines, Smoked Chicken with cheddar cheese and jalapeno chillies, Parma Ham with cheese & tomato, Smoked Spinach and corn with jalapeno chillies and caramelized onion.
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| Non Vegetarian Tartines |
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| Vegetarian Tartines |
Just when we were done savouring the tartines which by the way, complimented the sangrias very well, this really good looking salad landed on our table. Here’s presenting the Arugula & Bean Salad with Balsamic figs and strawberry… Definitely one of a kind and so new to me! Although as odd as it may seem, the fresh strawberries really worked for me as a part of this preparation. A great option for all the health conscious and salad fans out there.
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| Arugula & Bean Salad |
Before we hit the interesting selection of main course, some Strawberry Sorbet was presented to us – the perfect palate cleanser. Served in a simple, 2 layered bowl that had some dry ice around it, we were totally smitten by the presentation. A win-win situation only because we loved the way it looked as well as tasted!
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| Strawberry Sorbet |
Among the mains, there was a wide variety to choose from. For the vegetarians, the options consisted of:
- Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli which was served with thyme butter and sun-dried tomatoes
- Belgian Vegetable Waterzooi
- Open-faced Lasagne served with cheese fondue & spinach
As much as I was tempted to try all of the above, I do swear by the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli as it has been on their menu and is one of my vegetarian favourites from a past experience at LPQ (BKC).
What really impressed me was the varied choices for the non vegetarians. Making sure that there’s a white meat, red meat and a seafood option is the ideal way to design the perfect menu so you may cater the best of whatever it is that you have to offer to your customers.
The menu consisted of:
- Grilled Basa with Indian spices and cous cous upma
- Slow cooked leg of chicken with white bean cassoulet
- Slow roasted lamb stew with ricotta cheese dumpling and roasted carrots
Being the basa fan I truly am, I went in for the Grilled Basa without a doubt and well, what can I say? I loved how the chef has generated a beautiful confluence between the Indian spices’ factor and basa – a fish that isn’t really used in Indian cooking and made it a part of an otherwise very European menu.
Not the usual Indian sorta spicy but flavourful, I loved the basa for everything it was! The cous cous upma somehow didn’t excite me and I didn’t think it complimented the basa either. The two tasted great separately, but not as a combination.
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| Grilled Basa |
Alongside the basa, we tasted the very homely, Slow Roasted Lamb Stew. In my friend’s words, “It was perhaps not as good as the special Belgian stew one may have had at the Colaba outlet, but that is like saying Italy’s best ice cream maker’s newest gelato outlet is only 99% as good as his previous ones.” Either way, we thought it made for a nice, almost home-cooked stew, perfect for the pleasant winter-like evenings we’re experiencing these days.
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| Lamb Stew |
Any meal is incomplete without dessert. I’m sure most of us believe in that, right? I know LPQ does too, specially after the arrival of their dessert platter!
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| L to R: Christmas Pudding, Belgian Chocolate Brownie, Mulberry Berry Tart |
Heavenly to say the least, we sampled their in-house Christmas Pudding which actually tasted a lot like Christmas and Aditya loved the idea of ending his evening with the same and that’s just about how awesome it got! On the other hand, the Mulberry Berry Tart was a whole new serene burst of flavour. Not too heavy yet creamy, the tart with the berries was a delectable option for a light dessert. Then I guess I got to say that the ever-so-sinful, Belgian Chocolate Brownie was the winner for me as it slowly melted in my mouth with every bite and I knew I could never get enough of it.
This being said, here’s hoping I pay a visit soon and I suggest you do too, and get my hand on that brownie again! 🙂
Address: Hotel Rodas, Central Avenue, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai.
Inputs by: Aditya Devavrat
Grilled Basa Image Courtesy: Amrita Rana
The Good Life Potpourri 