CAFE ZOE, LOWER PAREL

With trendy exposed brick walls akin to a typical New York warehouse, Cafe Zoe has an impressive array of unique claims that are unequivocally customer-oriented: it is the first establishment to open in South Bombay at 7:30am, it has the cheapest Kingfisher beer in town and strictly no children are allowed after 7pm.

Boasting an army of 110 staff encompassing waiters, bartenders, chefs and bakers, every single component of each dish is home-made, from the bread, to the sauce, to the ice-cream.

With an in-house kitchen that used to be open literally 24 hours a day, the company moved its night operations next door to a catering kitchen so the in-house kitchen could take a rest.

The restaurant turns into a bar after 10:30pm on weekends, filled with the chic local townie elite and refined expats. Cafe Zoe is truly one of the few places to see really, really good-looking people who aren't in the glamour industry.

The menu encompasses traditional cuisine from all Europe - France, Spain, Italy. All the dishes are prepared in a style unwaveringly authentic to their country of origin -  if you don't like it, don't order it.

Note: I requested sample size portions to be supplied in order to minimise food wastage, hence pictures shown are not indicative of actual size.

The pork and lamb meatballs arrive mysteriously crouching under a layer of home-made potato crisps, which are lightly less crunchy and salty than store-bought chips. I brush them aside and attack my hapless victims.

The meatballs fall into a pool of tomato sauce which is rich with flavour and utterly Italian. Indian mutton generally has very little fat and tends to dry out quickly when cooked. In order to combat this, pork is used to give tenderness to the overall meatball.

The meatballs have a robust, sweet flavour which is heightened by chewy melted mozzarella and the roasted flavour of the tomato sauce.

The chips serve only as a distraction and I pay them no heed, although I am told they are very much a part of the traditional dish.

Next up is the tenderloin steak. Made from local mutton, it requires virtually no preparation in the form of tenderising and is chargrilled in the usual simple, no-nonsense way.

As a buffalo steak, it is reasonably soft and the accompanying au jus does a good job of adding lubrication,  however I still find the meat little dry and monotonous for my fussy palate.

Due to the naturally lean nature of the meat, buffalo is never going to have the interesting characteristics marbled beef steak possesses.

Largely a seasonal dish and unavailable during monsoons, the mixed seafood provencal is a dish which returns regularly by popular demand. I am eager to see what all the fuss is about.

A colourful broth of Belgian-style mussels, rawas, prawns and calamari lie nestled amongst extremely finely chopped vegetables of red and yellow peppers, zucchini, onion, garlic with a hint of chilli for flavoring, rather than spice.

The entire dish is like a warm hug from a handsome stranger - hearty and exhilarating. The fish is cooked to carefully precise perfection, the calamari not too chewy and each element of the dish working in harmony in terms of taste and texture. The garlicy broth is the most addictive and I lap it up eagerly.

The kitchen uses single-pan cooking to speed up the process. This involves heating a very hot pan with olive oil and throwing in all the ingredients together. The lid is then shut tightly as the steam rises; later on butter is added.

I can see why people keep coming back for more.

The 8 hour braised lamb with  homemade parpadelle is the luxurious result of genuine effort.

As the name suggests, mutton is slow-cooked for 8 hours to give it the silky softness characteristic of lamb. It is encouraging to see so much effort put into meat preparation, as it can make or break a dish.

Even though the pasta is parpadelle, the flatness of the pasta, its layered presentation and the flavours of the dish remind me of a richly authentic lasagne, with dramatic bursts of parmesan cheese and tomato garnished with generous pieces of meat.

Now for dessert. A staple of regular Zoe aficionados, the waffles here are slightly less sweet than the traditional staple in Belgium, but taken just as seriously, prepared with a specially imported Belgian cast-iron waffle machine to ensure the dough cooks evenly and retains heat.

Instead of normal sugar, imported pearl sugar is used to give a caramelising effect. I bite into the rough exterior and my mouth is filled with warm, doughy, subtle sweetness and powdery sugar.

Normally served with traditional maple syrup, my conservative sweet tooth is already satiated after a few bites.

I end with a new dessert on the menu - the Häagen-Dazs ice-cream sundae. Boasting a huge spread of cream, fruit, nut, cookie, ice-cream, chocolate syrup and blueberry compote, I'm pretty sure consuming this dish will turn me into a diabetic.

To my surprise, the descriptive concoction of flavours only sounds scary, when in actual fact it eats more like a fruit salad, if one scoops the whipped cream from the top. The combination of crumbly cookie base and ice-cream is enjoyable, with no obviously unnatural sweet flavours.

The mouth has plenty of textures to concentrate on: creamy, crunchy, chewy and mountainous with red grape, Granny Smith apple, kiwi fruit and Valencia orange.

Cafe Zoe has a distinct home-feel to its environment - all people are welcome in whatever attire they wish. Due to the immense space, customers are encouraged to stay all day and 'hang out' with free wifi, comfy sofas and reasonably-priced fare. Regular customers are greeted like friends and frequent the place two to three times per week.

A community noticeboard highlights upcoming social events and programs and the restaurant has even established a book-swap program where customers can trade their old books for existing books housed on Zoe's immense bookshelf.

The staff are well-trained and efficient with a distinctly friendly, customer-service mentality.

Ambience 9, Food 8.5

Cafe Zoe is located at Todi Mathura Mills compound, NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel.

Photo credit: mumbaiboss.com

SUZETTE, PALI HILL

Suzette - named after the famous Parisian speciality Crepes Suzette - is a cosy cafe nestled in a line of eating houses in Pali Hill.

With both indoor and outdoor dining, this intimate space has been fashioned to resemble a typical French bakery, with a limitless menu of fresh juices, crepes, sandwiches, baguettes, salads, omelettes, and other breakfast items.

Outdoors, the vibe is relaxed, with a mood akin to enjoying a snack or coffee on one's own porch. France is everywhere; in the wooden shutters, in the conversation between owners and customers, on the sketched placemats drawn by artist Jeanne Boujenah.

The establishment has teamed up with Alliance Francaise Bombay, which offer Mumbai locals an insight into French culture through various social opportunities such as cinema, themed talks and theatre.

I start with the Latine crepe, a savoury, light pancake filled with Spanish serrano ham,  mascarpone, mozzarella and fresh basil. There is an interesting yet complementary mix of flavours; the dish is reminiscent of a very delicate, very light wrap.

The combination of both cheeses results in a strong and bitey flavour and the ham is salty and fabulous. The creamy mascarpone acts as the lubricating factor in the dish.

The next dish, the Croque Onion was created as a unique product by the head chef to fill consumer demand for a product which is in between a wrap and a sandwich. Prepared using organic buckwheat flour, it is more filling than a traditional crepe such as the Latine sampled above.

Crispy and flaky not unlike an Indian paratha, it is filled with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, caramelized onion and pan-seared mushrooms.

With a flexible menu, customisation of each dish is encouraged. I had decided to add Spanish cooked ham to the croque, however for some reason the flavour of the meat came across as rather bland.

This dish is essentially hearty, comfort food which may not appeal to those looking for obviously piquant flavours.

It should be noted that Suzette has deliberately not made any attempt to cater to Indian tastes by adding spice or masala; this is a cafe which carries the motto 'Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité' well into its food.

The Eté salad is a colourful, cheery concoction of neutral zucchini and rocket strewn with fresh bursts of juicy sweet pieces of orange and mango pieces. Wonderfully rough textures of chopped almond and pomegranate seeds give personality to a dish which eats like a three-dimensional tropical juice.

The fresh, squeaky clean flavours reassure the diner that yes, this is healthy and delicious, with absolutely no meat required. Did I just say that?

Suzette uses seasonal fruits in this salad, previously using strawberries instead of mango and after that, peaches. The ever-constantly evolving menu is what tantalises regular customers and attracts new followers.

I end with the Foret crepe, a vegetarian buckwheat crepe pancake filled with pan-seared mushrooms, creamed spinach and emmenthal cheese.

Featuring an egg cooked sunny side up as the grand centrepiece, this dish does not shine as brightly in terms of flavour especially after the grand performance of the Latine crepe and the Ete salad.

With no marked contrast of flavours and moving again into the realm of 'comfort food', I found myself scraping off the cheese and vegetables and eating them sans crepe. True to my fickle nature, I craved relief in the form of some kind of non-vegetarian additive.

Adding pork sausage may have changed the dynamic of this dish. Old habits die hard.

I end with the Belgian chocolate mousse. Made from pure Belgian chocolate, it is the only dish which allows a little bit of India to seep into the lining - by presenting itself in a chai glass!

With decadent, cloud-like fluffiness, the dessert is so rich that my craving for sugar is satiated after just a few spoonfuls.

The owners of Suzette are very particular about the origin of their produce; authenticity and quality being their strict mantra. In order to replicate French traditional cuisine,  the ham and cheese used at the establishment are an imported variety from a local supplier.

The buckwheat flour is imported directly from France, as the quality of local flour did not meet the stringent requirements for the discerning palates at Suzette. The dough is prepared fresh every morning at 7:30am.

Suitable for the health-conscious with all dishes gluten-free and vegan-friendly, many of the customers are almost daily regulars who are quick to notice any taste discrepancies in their food. Management combats this issue by checking the method of preparation and tasting every day to ensure initial recipes are retained.

The imported ingredients reflect in the relatively steep prices for the Mumbai sandwich market, hence the mostly expat clientele, who no doubt convert the price back into their home currency to discover a price which is either cheaper than or on par with home - a trait I am guilty of to this day.

Ambience 8.5, Food 9.

Picture credits: suzette.in

CHEVAL, KALA GHODA

The name Cheval evokes images of old equestrian France - handsome, cavellier horsemen in jodhpurs astride majestic thoroughbreds, tearing across the lush green countryside.

This idea has clearly resonated, with the fresh, minty walls and abundance of plants that line the bright, open windows of this restaurant situated at the historic Kala Ghoda. An equestrian-named restaurant in a suburb which translates as 'Black Horse'? This place suddenly got a whole lot cooler.

Wood adorns each surface, including the candleabra in the bar area, where I spy a small humidor to one side. The inside dining walls are lined with abstract art and quirky light fixtures.

Happy, sophisticated families are clinking glasses together while their teenagers gather in the adjoining sunroom, which I am told can be used for private parties.

I am intrigued by a particular entrée on the menu - lamb chips. Could it be a typo, a misspelling of lamb chops? No, I am told, these are definitely lamb chips. Okay, let's see what you got.

They arrive, looking innocuously vegetarian, due to a panko-crumbed coating. To one side is a Romasco sauce, comprised of red pepper and tomato blended with hazelnuts to form a paste which has a very mild tang to it.

I bite into the chip and am dumbfounded by the countless textures: the softness of the flesh (this can't be mutton!) and the granular breadcrumb exterior. This is just like eating chips, only they're meat!

The sauce could have had more of an impact if it were sharper, yet still I'm in culinary heaven and gobble up the whole dish, not caring that I have four more dishes to taste.

I later find out that not only is the dish made of local mutton, but the preparation that goes into it is immense. Firstly the meat is marinated for seven hours then double cooked for another seven hours. It is then seasoned and set in the cooler before being pressed and crumbed, then cut into pieces and served.

No wonder it tastes like joy.

The cottage cheese ratatouille is infused with the sweetness of maple syrup and balanced by the presence of chilli. The cheese is essentially chargrilled paneer, with the accompanying pine nut vinaigrette adding another facet of flavour.

The ratatouille comprising aubergine, zucchini, red and green capsicum and onion adds texture and dimension to the dish as well as spicy undertones.

This is an item I can finish with ease.

The pan-roasted seabass is imported from Norway, hence the more expensive price tag. A fennel purée is smeared across the plate and acts as a sauce. Surrounded by this, a royal court of finely chopped tomatoes and lemony capers take my tastebuds on an adventure.

In the middle, the seabass sits on a throne of shaved zucchini and capiscum strips. The fish is a little small, however delicately grilled and seasoned with chilli. The slightly salty acidity of the seabass is juxtaposed by the sweetness of the vegetables.

Puzzled by the use of Norwegian seabass, I am told that the restaurant did earlier utilise higher-grade seabass from Chile, however it proved unpopular for both price and tastes of the restaurant's largely conservative-spending clientele.

The pork roasted shoulder arrives in such a neatly cut, square shape that I initally think my dessert has arrived in the form of chocolate cake. Although not visually appealing in terms of colour, the flavour of the pork is strong and hearty.

It would have been nice to have some fat to add sweetness and distract from the heaviness of the meat but this is assuaged by the sweet mashed potato, with buttery lentils acting as a richly textured gravy.

The chocolate ganache looks spectacular- a chocolate triangular slice grazed with crumbly chocolate powder, hazelnut icecream and a butterscotch sauce. The flavour of the icecream brings down the sweetness of the chocolate, which oscillates around my mouth with a resounding crunch.

The pièce de résistance is a single hazelnut adorning the cake, covered in sugared caramel. Using toothpicks, the nut is painstakingly dipped in melted sugared caramel, then hung upside down and set to give the razor sword effect.

Cheval supports the domestic economy by using local meat and this is reflected in the competitive prices of each dish. The chefs use laborious techniques such as slow and double-cooking in a genuine effort to bring out the best in local produce. I am pleased to note that every menu item has a justified purpose.

The menu, strategically conceived by the US-trained head chef, is a deliberate fusion of Indian and Continental, catering to the conservative tastes of Jain and Gujrati folk who require gentle coaxing from their culinary comfort zones.

There was no surplus of staff loitering around and service was flawless. This establishment is suitable for semi-staunch supporters of Indian food who wish to occasionally dip their toe into the stream of Indo-Continental cuisine.

Ambience 8.5, Food 8.5.

Cheval is located near Rhythm House, Mahatma Gandhi Rd, Kala Ghoda, Fort.

Photo credits: mumbaiboss.com