25 November,2011 06:43 AM IST | | Tanveer Bookwala
Apart from the mocktails and a few chicken dishes, Liquids Salads & Deli could do with some serious rethinking in the flavour department to be able to hold its ground against the tough competition around
A few weeks ago, Hybrid Deli opened in Oshiwara. It served Italian and Continental cuisine; it wasn't so much of a deli, but delivered with what it offered. Making the same gaffe is LSD (Liquids Salads & Deli), the just-opened outfit in Oshiwara. Clearly, the play of words implies that it specialises in liquids, salads and deli food.
Liquids Salads & Deli
Food: Average
Service: Okay
Ambience: Excellent
The Virgin Mojito is a definite winner on LSD's menu
The place looks like a mix of a typical coffee shop and a sandwich bar. Simple interiors with a laid out salad bar and basic seating appear cramped, given the number of staff vis-a-vis patrons.
The Chicken Puff didn't disappoint, thankfully
Ignoring the glaring obliviousness of what constitutes a deli we move on. A Delicatessen in its conventional sense is a term meaning delicacies or fine foods. Delicatessens in many parts of the world often sell their foods by weight such as cured meats, head cheese, sausages, ham, liverwurst, salami and other cold cuts, fried chicken, spare ribs, cold salads, pickled vegetables, dips, breads and olives. LSD offers none of the above. In fact, the only meat on the menu is chicken.
The Chicken Puff (Rs 51.45) is a rich, creamy chicken rolled in croissants and baked to form a delicious puff. This option is more bakery than deli. The Sahan Chicken Shawarma (Rs 166.95) is an open Shawarma: two layers of roomali roti are fused and served separately (like a roti) and in another plate we are served chicken, salad, garlic paste and spicy sauce. The Sahan Shawarma is dry but tasty, with the marinated chicken making a fine blend if enjoyed with the garlic sauce -- we wish an onion or tomato could have been added for some additional flavouring. LSD offers one skewer, so your choices are limited to chicken.
The Kebab Platter consists of Chicken Stuffed Lollipop (Rs 236.25), Chicken Tikka (Rs 42), Pahadi Kebab (Rs 21) and Reshmi Kebab (Rs 21). You can choose your platter and are billed per piece. The Chicken Stuffed Lollipop is a giant leg piece stuffed with Chicken Mince. It offers an interesting mixu00a0 of freshly minced chicken, ginger, garlic, coriander flavouring and garam masala. The chicken is a tad bland and since it's only re-heated (since it's pre-prepared) it lacks that zing.
There is nothing spectacular about it; it was lacking in zing because of it being simply re-heated. Ditto for the rest of the platter. The service doesn't help proceedings. The saving grace is the mocktails. The Virgin Mojito (Rs 93.45) is promising and conventional, which is a good thing.
Like it's original Cuban form, it uses spearmint, and is the right combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus and mint flavours. One would have preferred if the mint leaves were lightly shaken to release the essential oils and not shredded.
The Peach Ice Tea (Rs 73.50) can be dubbed as a great mixed drink and LSD's version is daring enough to put a sliced lemon on top for that extra zing. And it works. A must try.
At: Samarth Vaibhav Commercial Complex, Shop No 1, ground floor, KL Walawalkar Marg, Andheri (W).
Call: 9167454756
Liquids Salads & Deli didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals.
