05 June,2013 06:26 AM IST | | Dhara Vora
For those who love food and live in or around Ghatkopar, it might be a good idea to ditch their street food fancies, in favour of R City Mall's long list of fine-dining eateries that offer a fine mix of good ambiance and great food. Le Cafe, the newest eatery to open shop, inside the mall, made the cut for all the right reasons.
Braised Baby Lamb Chops offered great flavourful meat
The menu offers wide options from breakfast bites to salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas and mains as well (we were too stuffed to reach them). Interestingly, they serve breakfast 7 am onwards. The interiors came as a curious mix - now oft-seen warehouse-like ceiling with high cushioned seats, designed to offer ample privacy and a vintage clock at the entrance. And with sunlight seeping in, Le Café offers a relaxed atmosphere.
The interiors spell cosy and inviting. Pics/Sameer Markande
Uplifted by the sunny interiors, we began light, with a Grilled Vegetable Salad (Rs 175). From the starters, we asked for the Yemeni Spiced Ground Lamb served with Sugarcane and Mint chutney, but it was unavailable and we opted for Braised Baby Lamb Chops (Rs 295) instead. To accompany our chops we ordered a Mint Mojito (Rs 110). The salad got us off to a good start; it had well-tossed leafy greens in pesto and rosemary vinaigrette with cubes of soft goat cheese.
Gluten Free Chocolate Gooey
The two bread portions helped add some crunch to the salad. Le Cafe's good innings continued with the lamb chops. The braised meat had absorbed in all the flavours of the spices it was cooked in and was one of the best chops we have had of late. From the sandwiches section, we ordered a Classic BLT (Rs195). The crispy and salty bacon strips stuffed in between an indulgently buttered English muffin bread is a great option for those who are tired of the usual non-vegetarian burgers available in the city.
As for the Mint Mojito, we wish coffee chains who whip up a bland-syrup-and-soda version in the name of summer coolers, would sit up and take note - this iced drink was the perfect example of how fresh mint can bring life to a drink.u00a0Le Cafe offers wood-fired pizzas, but we plumbed for the Veggie Calzone (Rs 375) instead. The fresh spinach stuffing and a nicely baked calzone is a good meal but might be a tad bland for those who prefer more flavour, and taking note of what we paid for it, we would rather go for a pasta next time.
From the dessert section, we would've liked the crazy-sounding Thandai Mousse, which was unavailable, so we opted for a Gluten Free Chocolate Gooey (not that our system abhors gluten, Rs 150). But we didn't miss the real deal, as the gooey chocolate centre had us day dreaming of sharing it with Novak Djokovic. Le Café doesn't have its alcohol license yet but we're sure that once that arrives, their delicious food, attention to details and competitive prices will ensure that a trip to this part of the suburb is certainly worthwhile.
