A big hello to my lovely readers!
It’s good to keep coming back to my blog as often… I almost feel like I’m on a roll when it comes to trying out the new places this city has to offer in recent times.
So the weekend that just went by was definitely quite an eventful one. Just a disclaimer: Both places mentioned in this post were not invite-based meals but personal visits.
SATURDAY:
So to start off, Saturday night plans weren’t exactly on the cards but when an impromptu meeting happened, I decided to give one of the newer restaurants a shot. We all know BKC is currently bustling with innumerable new places that I almost cannot keep track anymore. So out of the million options, we decided to check out O Pedro – the Goa inspired bar and restaurant.
Born from the same family as The Bombay Canteen, I knew I was in for a treat after reading all about the good things the world of food enthusiasts had written or spoken about.
Vintage cabinets that instantly claim the old world charm tag and classically traditional chandeliers that exude a nostalgic vibe, the decor here is certainly one to fall in love with…
What we ate…
We kickstarted our meal with some lovely, house-baked sourdough poee (traditional Goan bread) that is served with an assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian butters…(the whipped pork-rosemary & choriz butter are absolute heroes and steal the show). Although we didn’t order for the vegetarian versions – Balchow butter and cheesy black pepper butter, they both definitely sound tempting enough to want to go back for…
Up next, it was time to make the seafood lover in us real happy… We tried the Wood Oven Roasted Shrimps (cooked in olive oil, smoked chillies, coriander and grilled lime). Succulent enough to savour this one of a kind shellfish, the subtle but flavourful aftertaste is something that lingers long after you’re done eating it and that’s of course, a good thing.
Our main course was made up of 2 wholesome meaty preparations…
The Grilled Beef Jee-ra Mee-ra was as I’d like to put it… “grilled to perfection”. One of those rare times where I didn’t feel the need to use a steak knife to cut this beautifully spice crusted tenderloin… so you can imagine how effortless the experience was. Served on a bed of mash potatoes and cumin black pepper gravy and topped with sauteed onions, it’s not exactly the most “authentic” dish on their menu, but it was worth every bite.
We then opted for some soulful Smoked Pork Sorp-o-tel. For those who aren’t aware, it’s a traditional pork curry that in this case, is served with red rice sannas. The sannas have a sweetish taste to them and are like steamed idlis… but they somewhat reminded me of dhoklas. I guess finding familiarity is simply human nature… whether it’s in places, food or even relationships… Ok, I’m clearly drifting.
As much as I was keen on ending my meal with a dessert, we were pretty stuffed and couldn’t do the needful. But hey, there’s always next time. The menu is definitely unique and the place deserves a couple of more visits.
Address: Unit No 2, Plot No C-68, Jet Airways – Godrej BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex Mumbai, Maharashtra.
For reservations: 022 26534700 | 022 26534701
PS. How stunning does this place look in recent times… especially the view outside the Jet Airways – Godrej BKC building? ❤
SUNDAY:
Now as much as I love the idea of eating healthy, I am currently not in that phase so walking into this tiny lil’ cafe, absolutely clueless about what was in store for me, was certainly something I never do otherwise. I like doing my research, even if it’s something as basic and obvious as checking the menu on Zomato, but this time… I didn’t. Which in retrospect, was a good move. The menu is super duper healthy catering to those who are into clean eating, keto enthusiasts, vegan practitioners and those who seek gluten-free indulgences. You get the drift, right?
So here we were, wondering what to order from a menu that seemed pretty darn alien to me…
A cold coffee was definitely a craving at that point so I ordered one… only to realise the milk they used was super slim and my coffee kinda tastes diluted. I’m sure that’s how it’s meant to be if you’re on a healthy eating (and drinking) spree, but I guess I was hoping for it to be just another glass of regular cold coffee… no, not the indulgent frappe with blended ice cream and all that jazz… just plain, simple, cold coffee. Then to realise it lacks any sweetness, I hesitantly asked for some brown sugar hoping these guys won’t judge me hard for this daring move… And the response was amusing enough… “sorry mam, we don’t keep sugar”.
Yep, you read that right. So if you need some sweetness while you’re at Farmer’s Cafe, just ask for some jaggery instead and they’ll be more than happy to give you a cute lil’ jar containing the powdered version. I was definitely amused… if I didn’t already mention that. So I finally added some to my cold coffee and it kinda made it better… but not enough to really enjoy it with all my heart.
Again, I have to say this… it probably is the kind of cold coffee that a health enthusiast should and would be drinking so yea…
PS. I didn’t click a picture of this cold coffee cuz clearly I wasn’t digging it enough.
Moving on, we decided to eat a pizza. As much as it may seem ironic to order one at a health cafe, this one was ridiculously healthy and surprisingly… quite an unusual treat!
Roasted pumpkin, sauteed spinach, black olives, homemade pumpkin sauce, feta cheese topped with some herbs and roasted walnuts… Yes, sounds about right.
I’m not sure how appetising it sounds to you as a reader, but then again… food is and will always be a subjective experience. Personally, I quite enjoyed this healthy take on a pizza even though I wasn’t sure if I would… But hey… cheers to many more experimental choices like these!
PS. They serve it with some homemade tomato ketchup, which mind you, is quite a revelation in my opinion.
So when we thought about ending our late luncheon with some dessert, I was definitely curious to know what’s on the menu. After much speculation and some confusion while I stared at the dessert counter (the variety was surprisingly good!), we opted for the Gluten-free Chocolate Walnut Brownie. Other than it being a little dry, the fact that they warm it up for you gives it an indulgent finish which works beautifully in this case.
So if you’re the sort of person who seeks organic/vegan/gluten-free food or in general are into healthy eating, this place might just make it to your favourites’ list.
Address: Shop 2, Rita Apartments, 16th Road, Near Mini Punjab Hotel, Bandra West, Mumbai.
Contact no.: +91 7506015930
Until next time!
The Good Life Potpourri 