What it says about itself: Furthering the food philosophy of the serene seaside restaurant Salt Water Grill that Mumbai embraced ever so lovingly, Salt Water Café replaces the playfulness of the sea with the earthiness of the woods to locate its spirit in the bohemian lifestyle of the city’s true heart — Bandra. Drawing inspiration from this muse, the indefinable and illimitable space acts as a perfect retreat hidden amidst the daily hustle and bustle.
The kitchen turns on the heat first thing in the morning to provide a perfect head start to the day with a generous array of breakfast goodies including pancakes, bagels and eggs that’ll keep you rearing to go. Come noon, it breaks out the grill to flip juicy burgers and steaks along with the freshest salads and pastas this side of town. And those untimely hunger pangs can be satiated by an all-day deli, even as evening rolls around and the café effortlessly dishes out refined flavours with a premium dinner spread.
Phone: 022 26434441/ 32710520
Open from: 9:00 AM - 12:30 AM
Average Spend for 2: Rs. 1000 - 1200
Cuisine: Continental
Serve Alcohol: Yes
Offers and Discounts: Wi-Fi
Credit Cards: All Major Credit Cards accepted
What we thought of it: Salt Water Cafe, named after the beachside restaurant Salt Water Grill at Girgaum Chowpatty, which shut about a year ago, is an all day deli with a bar – the kind of place we need across town.
With three types of menus, this place is a mix of good food and interesting people in a casual setting, with the chef willing to experiment with the dishes as well as try his hand at molecular gastronomy
Our meal got off to a perfect start with Tomoto and Bocconcini and a Marinated mushroom salad. However, the Caesars salad was a bit of a let down with cold chewy chunks of chicken. We followed that with a Tomato and Lemongrass soup and the Shiitake Tea – which is likely to be my lunch everytime I am in Bandra. For the mains we had the Winter Vegetable Risotto, which was fresh, flavourful and light; the Cottage Cheese Steak which was delicious and the Smoked Chicken and and Champagne Risotto. Salt Water Café also has an extensive selection of sea food but as we were told the Crabs were not fresh, and so we didn't want to experiment with the Sea food.
As much as we liked the lower sitting of Salt Water Café with its minimalistic feel, the upper bar area felt small and uninviting. The Watermelon Caipirojka, a favourite at the erstwhile Salt Water Grill was not upto the mark and the desserts, especially the Hazelnut Mousse and the Bailey’s Irish Cream Mouse were not fresh. Also the staff is not experienced enough to help you pick from a delicious sounding menu.
Salt Water Café makes an excellent place for one to meet up with a group of friends, or spend time with that special someone and enjoy a well cooked meal any time of the day. Open a bottle of wine and nibble on cheese and catch up for hours on end.
